WWE fans witnessed one of the biggest surprises of the year on the July 6 edition of RAW as superstar CM Punk made an unannounced return and ended the night holding the Undisputed WWE Championship.
The title match was originally set to feature Sami Zayn defending against Cody Rhodes. However, after Gunther attacked Rhodes during the opening segment, RAW General Manager Adam Pearce announced that Rhodes had not been medically cleared. WWE SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis then revealed he had secured a replacement, which turned out to be hometown favourite CM Punk.
CM PUNK IS BACK!!! ????????
— WWE (@WWE) July 7, 2026
Sami Zayn's mystery opponent is THE BEST IN THE WORLD!!! pic.twitter.com/6qXZ4yL19l
CM Punk Wins The Championship
Making his first WWE appearance since the RAW after WrestleMania 42 in April, Punk defeated Sami Zayn in a hard-fought main event with his signature go-to-sleep finishing move to win the Undisputed WWE Championship.
Sami Zayn with a GTS and CM Punk KICKS OUT!! ???? pic.twitter.com/Pqn0JUHOgw
— WWE (@WWE) July 7, 2026
The victory marked his eighth world title in WWE. After the match, Punk celebrated by sitting on the ringside barricade, blowing a kiss to the crowd and walking through the audience with the championship belt—a tribute to his iconic Money in the Bank 2011 celebration.
OH MY GOD!! ????
— WWE (@WWE) July 7, 2026
Gunther has ATTACKED Cody Rhodes!!! pic.twitter.com/RSroYWeubH
Sami Zayn's Reign Comes To An End
Sami Zayn's championship reign lasted just nine days. After winning the title at Night of Champions against Cody Rhodes and Gunther in a Triple Threat Match on June 27, he lost it to Punk in his first title defence.
CM Punk's dramatic comeback not only gave fans a memorable hometown moment but also reshaped WWE's championship picture heading into the weeks ahead.
Who Is CM Punk?
CM Punk, whose real name is Phillip Jack Brooks, is one of WWE's biggest stars. The Chicago native is best known for his record-setting 434-day WWE Championship reign and the iconic 2011 "Pipe Bomb" promo that helped redefine modern wrestling.
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