BREAKING: Triple H not at SmackDown; WWE veteran reportedly ran the show

The latest report has shed light on a WWE veteran running the latest edition of Friday Night SmackDown amid the company's Chief Content Officer, Triple H's absence. This week's blue show received widespread praise from fans.

The Triple H-led creative team has been on a roll since the Crown Jewel 2025 weekend. The premium live event and RAW in Australia received some incredible reviews, and the momentum has continued for the company on the latest edition of SmackDown as well.

However, it seems like the CCO of the Stamford-based promotion was absent from this week's edition of the blue show, according to a report by Fightful. The report also highlighted that wrestling veteran Bruce Prichard ran the show in The Game's absence.

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Wrestling veteran isn't a fan of Triple H's booking of WWE star Gunther

During an edition of Behind The Turnbuckle Studios' The Coach and Bro Show, wrestling veteran Jonathan Coachman said that he is not a fan of the Triple H-led creative team's booking of Gunther, as he believes it feels more like Vince McMahon's booking of Roman Reigns during the latter's early days in WWE.

Coachman highlighted that Reigns' career completely shifted and he became the biggest star in the company, but believes that the same thing might not happen with The Ring General.

"It almost feels like the early Roman Reigns' days when Vince [McMahon] shoved him down our throats and put him out there for multiple WrestleMania main events when he got booed out of the building, and then at one point it all flipped and switched, and all of a sudden he became the biggest star in the business. I don't see that for Gunther. I really, really don't," Coachman said.

Gunther is currently absent from in-ring competition due to an injury. It will be interesting to see what Triple H has planned for the former Imperium leader's future as a main event star upon his eventual return to WWE TV.