An uncomfortable moment away from the ring has become one of the most talked-about topics following WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event at Madison Square Garden.
While Gunther’s entrance set the stage for a major tag team match, a fan’s actions in the crowd quickly drew attention for all the wrong reasons.
Videos of the incident have since circulated widely online, prompting strong reactions from wrestling fans across social media.
Fan’s gesture during Gunther’s entrance sparks backlash
During Gunther’s entrance at Saturday Night’s Main Event, an elderly woman in the audience appeared to repeatedly perform a Nazi salute as the former World Heavyweight Champion made his way to the ring.
As per the videos shared online, several nearby fans confronted the woman and asked her to stop. However, she reportedly continued making the gesture despite being challenged by those around her.
The individual who recorded the incident described what happened in a social media post (via TikTok), writing: “Time changes but people don’t. Smh… After being confronted by several of us in the section she did it a couple more times. This wasn’t ignorance.”
Clips of the moment quickly spread across platforms including Reddit, where many wrestling fans condemned the behavior. The controversy centered on the fan’s actions rather than anything connected to WWE’s presentation of Gunther.
Gunther is Austrian, and his on-screen persona emphasizes discipline and intensity. Most importantly, his WWE character has no association with Nazi symbolism or extremist ideology. The reaction online reflected frustration that hateful imagery had been brought into a live entertainment event. Sometimes the loudest heel heat doesn’t come from the ring — and this was one moment fans weren’t willing to sell.
Inside the ropes, Gunther teamed with Sami Zayn against CM Punk and Cody Rhodes in a match that carried major SummerSlam implications. Following the bout, the rivalry between Gunther and SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis escalated further, leading to Triple H officially announcing their SummerSlam showdown during the post-show kickoff event.
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