CM Punk may not have a classic individual defense at SummerSlam for his first major match as the Undisputed WWE Champion. According to the report, the company is considering a match involving several important names, especially Cody Rhodes, Gunther, and possibly Sami Zayn.
The original idea was Punk vs. Cody Rhodes for the WWE Championship, but Gunther's attack on Cody changed the landscape. That intervention left Rhodes with reasons to go after Gunther first, although at the same time, he still has unfinished business with Punk because he never lost the title to him.
Sami Zayn is also still in the mix. He only held the championship for nine days before Punk defeated him in Chicago, so excluding him completely from the next big match would be difficult to justify within the story.
Therefore, WWE is considering a triple threat match with Punk, Cody, and Gunther, or even a fatal four-way if Sami re-enters the discussion. This option would allow all rivalries to come together in one match without sacrificing the later one-on-one showdown between Punk and Rhodes.
WWE SummerSlam 2026 will take place on August 1 and 2 at the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN, United States. The show can be watched from the stands or online through the ESPN (United States) and Netflix platforms internationally. Below you can read the updated card for the show.
ES
US
