New WWE SmackDown General Manager To Replace Nick Aldis

At WWE Night of Champions 2026, Sami Zayn defeated Cody Rhodes and GUNTHER to win the Undisputed WWE Championship.

Following the show going off the air, GUNTHER confronted SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis in an intense exchange that saw both men shove one another. Thanks to this, both Aldis and GUNTHER were suspended.

With Aldis on “administrative leave,” it opens the door for someone new to step in to become the new GM of the blue brand.

Here are seven new WWE SmackDown General Managers to potentially replace Nick Aldis.

7. Adam Pearce

Back in 2020, Adam Pearce became a regularly featured authority figure on WWE television.

Over the next three years, Pearce served as an untitled General Manager for both Monday Night Raw and Friday Night SmackDown.

Then, WWE signed Nick Aldis, who would go on to become the SmackDown GM in 2023, with Pearce taking that position on Raw.

Wanting to prepare for this move for Aldis, Pearce could be the easiest choice for WWE to call upon to fill the role he once had several years ago.

6. Robert Stone

On occasion, WWE likes to get someone comfortable with a new role like authority figure by making them an assistant to someone else already in that position.

That is exactly the route that Robert Stone has gone, going from assistant to NXT GM Ava to the General Manager for the brand himself right now.

Having seen WWE at every level from Evolve to NXT, it seems like the next step in Stone’s career with the company would be the main roster.

With Nick Aldis set to miss weeks due to his “administrative leave,” Stone feels like someone who has earned an opportunity to show his leadership style on the main roster stage.

5. Rey Mysterio

Another WWE star who has recently garnered some power as an on-screen authority figure is Rey Mysterio.

After weeks of teases and hints, Mysterio was revealed as the new Lucha Libre AAA General Manager.

Since then, Mysterio has been looking to add some star power to the company and wanting to highlight the talent on the roster.

Considering he knows the WWE main roster just as well as he does AAA, it seems possible for Mysterio to get the call to become the new SmackDown General Manager.

4. Shane Helms

Looking at the current Raw and SmackDown General Managers, both Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis came into WWE as backstage producers or writers.

Another former WWE star who has since filled several different backstage roles in recent years is Shane Helms (formerly known as Gregory Helms/The Hurricane).

The former WWE Cruiserweight Champion has long been someone who understands the business better than most and tries to share his knowledge with the roster to achieve the goals they have.

Helms getting an on-screen role as SmackDown General Manager could present some interesting segments with several members of the roster, whether it be Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton or Danhausen.

3. JBL

During the leadup to the choice for the Lucha Libre AAA General Manager, JBL found himself campaigning to take that role.

The former WWE Champion is part of the AAA commentary team alongside AAA GM Rey Mysterio and Corey Graves.

While he is busy on Saturday nights, WWE could call upon JBL to come to temporarily fill the role that Nick Aldis currently holds.

With his deplorable heel characteristics, it would certainly be intriguing to see how JBL would lead the SmackDown roster in Aldis’s absence.

2. Paul Heyman

Over the years, Paul Heyman has been a thorn in the side of each and every authority figure that he has interacted with.

It was Nick Aldis who immediately became an opposition to Heyman and was not willing to back down from his intimidation tactics.

The WWE Hall of Famer is always looking to wheel and deal, while helping his clients get ahead and get championship gold.

Wanting to garner more power to help the likes of Brock Lesnar and Bron Breakker, Heyman could take over the SmackDown General Manager position with Aldis gone for now.

1. Kevin Owens

In 2025, Kevin Owens announced that he would be sidelined with a serious neck injury that required surgery.

In recent months, Owens has been appearing more often on WWE TV, whether it be as a coach on LFG or being featured as a host for the NXT Great American Bash 2026 Tailgate Party.

Owens coming back to WWE programming as a General Manager would be a change of pace and allow him to continue his recovery, while appearing in a non-wrestling role.

Considering his history with the likes of Sami Zayn, Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton, KO would be the most compelling option to take Nick Aldis’ place as SmackDown GM in the interim.

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