Backstage Update on How Long WWE Had Planned For CM Punk to Dethrone Sami Zayn as Undisputed Champion

CM Punk made a blockbuster return to WWE programming in front of his home fans in Chicago, Illinois, this past Monday night on RAW. The Best in the World was revealed as Sami Zayn’s opponent after Cody Rhodes was taken out by Gunther earlier in the show and was ruled out by the medical team from competing.

Punk, who had been absent from WWE TV since the RAW after WrestleMania 42, returned to a massive pop and ultimately defeated Sami Zayn to capture the Undisputed WWE Championship for the third time in his illustrious career. Following Punk’s victory, two separate reports have claimed that this had been a plan for at least a month.

In the Fightful post-RAW show, it was suggested that WWE had planned for Punk to dethrone Sami in Chicago for a while.

“This was the plan all throughout that. They knew that they were leading to this. They always knew that Sami Zayn was going to drop this title to CM Punk because they have known when CM Punk was going to come back for a while, I believe,” the report stated. [via Cultaholic]

Additionally, False Finish reported on social media that the title change had been planned for well over a month. The report further added that CM Punk was initially set to challenge Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Title at WrestleMania 43. However, the company pivoted, as it’s aiming to present SummerSlam 2026 as a better show than ‘Mania 42.

“False Finish has learned that CM Punk winning the Undisputed WWE Championship and heading into #SummerSlam to defend it has been planned for well over a month. Punk was initially set to challenge Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 43 in Riyadh, but WWE is preparing for SummerSlam in Minneapolis to be better than WrestleMania 42 was.”

False Finish has learned that CM Punk winning the Undisputed WWE Championship and heading into #SummerSlam to defend it has been planned for well over a month. Punk was initially set to challenge Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 43 in Riyadh but WWE is preparing for SummerSlam in… pic.twitter.com/CFOASvk6sU

— False Finish (@FalseFinishHQ) July 7, 2026

Punk’s victory meant that Sami Zayn’s first reign as WWE World Champion ended at just nine days. Zayn has reacted to his heartbreaking defeat. You can check his comments HERE.