This past Monday on “WWE Raw,” CM Punk returned after being absent from the ring since WrestleMania 42 and defeated Sami Zayn for the Undisputed WWE Championship in the main event of the show. With “Raw” taking place in Punk’s hometown of Chicago, many expected “The Best In The World” to appear, but his championship win came as a shock, as Zayn was originally scheduled to defend the title against Cody Rhodes. Following the show, it was revealed that Punk versus Rhodes for the title is the current plan for this August’s SummerSlam, and according to a new report, WWE knew well in advance who they wanted to walk into the event as champion.
On Tuesday, False Finish reported that Punk entering SummerSlam with the Undisputed WWE Championship has been the plan for over a month, and that the title change was not a last minute decision. In addition, WWE initially planned for Punk and Rhodes to clash over the title at WrestleMania 43 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but in hopes of making SummerSlam better than this past April’s WrestleMania, the promotion chose to do the match this year instead.
After defeating Jey Uso in a number one contenders match on “WWE SmackDown,” Rhodes was looking to regain the title on Monday against Zayn, but at the beginning of “Raw,” “The American Nightmare” was viscously attacked by GUNTHER, making him unable to compete in the main event and for Punk to answer the call. Outside of teaming together, Punk and Rhodes haven’t shared the ring often since they returned to WWE, but before the “Second City Saint” went on hiatus, the company teased a match between both competitors on the “Raw” after WrestleMania 42. Now that Punk is the Undisputed WWE Champion, it’s also expected that he will officially become a member of the “SmackDown” roster.
Read the full article here
