CM Punk Wins WWE Championship in Chicago, Targets SummerSlam Match with Cody Rhodes

CM Punk returned to WWE after a three‑month absence and captured the Undisputed WWE Championship on the July 6 episode of Raw in his hometown of Chicago, defeating Sami Zayn. The victory marked his eighth world‑title reign and set up a SummerSlam showdown with Cody Rhodes, officially announced for the August 1‑2 event.

Following the title win, Punk appeared at several live events, notably borrowing Charlotte Flair’s entrance robe at a show in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and later wearing United States Champion Trick Williams’ jacket at a New Mexico house show. He discussed his rigorous training regimen with trainer Jay Ferruggia, describing a six‑week transformation that emphasized daily weight, temperature and nutrition tracking.

In interviews, Punk said the recent retirements of peers such as John Cena and AJ Styles motivate him to keep competing at 47, emphasizing his readiness to face the pressures of high‑profile matches. Rumors that AEW’s Kenny Omega title change was timed to undermine Punk’s win were debunked, with reports confirming the AEW match had been planned months in advance.