It was a major week in professional wrestling that is only usually scene after a premium live event or a pay-per-view.This week, WWE and All Elite Wrestling (AEW) saw major championship changes at the top of their respective rosters as both companies inch their way to their marquee events – SummerSlam and All In.CM Punk returned to WWE programming on "Monday Night Raw" and was the replacement in the Undisputed WWE Championship match against Sami Zayn.
Cody Rhodes was set to be in the match until he was attacked by Gunther.Zayn thought he was in the clear until Raw general manager Adam Pearce told Zayn he had a replacement.
Punk showed up and the crowd in Chicago was immediately sent into a frenzy.CM PUNK TO DEFEND UNDISPUTED WWE CHAMPIONSHIP AGAINST CODY RHODES AT SUMMERSLAMCM Punk smiles during Monday Night RAW at Allstate Arena in Chicago, Ill., on July 6, 2026.(Melina Pizano/WWE via Getty Images)Punk and Zayn put on one of the better TV matches of the year for WWE.
In the end, it was Punk who captured the Undisputed WWE Championship and ended Zayn’s short-lived reign as champion after nine days.Later in the week, Punk and Rhodes were booked for a title match at SummerSlam but first will have to team together to take on Zayn and Gunther at Saturday Night’s Main Event in New York City.AEW’s "Dynamite" featured MJF trying to defend his AEW World Championship against Kenny Omega.
If Omega lost the match, he would no longer be able to compete for the title.It was a similar stipulation that Rhodes dealt with when he was in AEW and that "Hangman" Adam Page had in his own match against MJF earlier this year, which he lost.AEW routinely showcases pay-per-view-level main events on "Dynamite" and Wednesday’s title bout was no different.
MJF and Omega showcased their elite talents and went above and beyond to make the title mean something.MJF went crashing through the announce table and tried to use the Dynamite Diamond Ring to cheat his way to another victor...