Report: CM Punk Vs. Cody Rhodes Originally Planned For WWE SummerSlam 2026

Note: This article contains spoilers for the July 3 episode of WWE SmackDown.

CM Punk vs. Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship had reportedly been the plan for one of the main events of SummerSlam for several months, according to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio. The match may even still be the plan, but it is unknown if Sami Zayn's Undisputed WWE Championship win at Night of Champions caused any changes to what WWE had been planning.

"The plan for SummerSlam was always Cody Rhodes and CM Punk for the championship. Now, does that mean he's winning the title on Monday or they changed plans? That I don't know… Punk and Cody for the championship from the day he did that interview the day after WrestleMania, all through the disappearing act and everything like that, that was always the main event for one of the two nights of SummerSlam," Meltzer said. 

Cody Rhodes vs. CM Punk has long been teased within WWE and a future match was set up on the Raw after WrestleMania 42. Punk has not been on WWE TV since then, although all signs point to him returning on the July 6 episode of Monday Night Raw from Chicago.

An Undisputed WWE Title match between Sami Zayn and Cody Rhodes was already set up on the July 3 episode of SmackDown, which was taped on Monday night, as Rhodes defeated Jey Uso in a number one contender's match. Zayn pinned Rhodes to win the belt at Night of Champions in a Triple Threat that also featured Gunther.