Backstage Update on Latest WWE World Title Changes

It was a weekend of shocking world title changes in WWE, with Sami Zayn dethroning CM Punk as Undisputed WWE Champion on Friday’s SmackDown and Stephanie Vaquer doing the unthinkable by beating Liv Morgan for the Women’s World Championship at a live event in her home country of Chile on Saturday.

In the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio [via Wrestling Inc.], Dave Meltzer commented on the unexpected title changes over the weekend.

On Sami Zayn defeating CM Punk to become a two-time Undisputed WWE Champion, Meltzer said it was debated backstage, and some people were against the title changing hands. However, he’s been told that it’s part of a long-term storyline and the decision will make sense once it’s all said and done.

“With the Sami Zayn thing, the basic gist was…they have a storyline that will make sense when you look back on it, is what I was told. ‘When it’s all said and done, this will all make sense.’ There were certainly people who were against it, but they did it, and that was that,” Meltzer commented.

On Stephanie Vaquer capturing the Women’s World Championship from Liv Morgan after special guest referee Becky Lynch refused to complete the pinfall count after Morgan hit the Oblivion on Vaquer, Meltzer said the plan is to set up a singles feud between Liv and Lynch down the line.

Meltzer stated on Vaquer, “It sets up Liv and Becky, obviously, down the line, which we all knew they were going to [do] anyway. So that was what they did. They did a deal where Liv pushed Becky, so that’s why Becky wouldn’t count the three when Liv hit the Oblivion. And then Stephanie came back to win. So that was that.”

What. A. Moment. #AndNew #WWESantiago pic.twitter.com/XG9Wr4ruTM

— Triple H (@TripleH) September 13, 2026