We have a new Undisputed WWE Champion as CM Punk defeated Sami Zayn on the July 6, 2026 edition of WWE Monday Night Raw to win the title at the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois!
How did this go down tonight, what led to this, and what could be on the horizon? Let's break it all down!
How We Got Here:
To go back not too far, CM Punk had dropped the World Heavyweight Championship to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania, not having been seen since then, saying he would be waiting for the next title opportunity to come his way. Meanwhile, Sami Zayn defeated Cody Rhodes at Night of Champions on June 27th to win the Undisputed WWE Championship in a Triple Threat match that also featured Gunther. Rhodes had earned a rematch for the title that was scheduled for tonight's Raw episode by Raw General Manager Adam Pearce (filling in for SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis, who had been put on administrative leave alongside with Gunther for an altercation the two had about how The Ring General feels entitled to the WWE Championship).
Episode & Match Details:
Kicking off Raw, Gunther attacked Cody Rhodes in a fit, also voicing his opposition to Sami Zayn's worthiness as champion. As he was being escorted out of the arena, Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis started to butt heads over authority and their own merits. By the time Rhodes had been ruled medically unqualified to compete and Zayn was informed by Pearce that he would have to defend the title regardless and a new challenger would fill The American Nightmare's place, it was Aldis who managed to secure CM Punk to fill that void.
Eventually, after sharing each other's finishers, Punk was able to hit a GTS on Zayn to win the title just nine days after Zayn had finally become world champion for the first time.
Personal Reactions & What Happens Next?:
Without knowing where they're going, I'm generally speaking all for it. That's partially because I don't know exactly where they're going. Does Zayn get a rematch at SummerSlam while Cody fights Gunther? Will Nick Aldis and Adam Pearce get physical? It's felt like Aldis vs. Gunther would be on the lineup, but Pearce is now involved, and it would be a bit strange for Rhodes vs. Punk to be rushed so quickly or SummerSlam instead of having that play out at WrestleMania, but how would that be stalled for so long when Rhodes is arguably the #1 contender right now? Intriguing. I'm down to see what's next.
Tell us what you think about this title change by leaving a comment below! Who do you think will be the next in line to challenge for the title, or possibly even win the belt next? Keep the discussion going!
About The Author:
Founder of Smark Out Moment (https:/www.smarkoutmoment.com) and Fanboys Anonymous (https:/www.fanboysanonymous.com)