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![\"CM](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/intro-1783452544.jpg\")
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WWE<\/p>\n
Last night on “WWE Raw,” CM Punk returned in his hometown of Chicago after being away from the ring since WrestleMania 42. Punk defeated Sami Zayn to become the new Undisputed WWE Champion<\/a>\u00a0during\u00a0in the main event of the show.\u00a0Initially, Cody Rhodes was set to challenge Zayn for the title after winning a number one contenders match against Jey Uso on this past Friday’s “WWE SmackDown,” but after the “American Nightmare” was attacked by GUNTHER at the beginning of “Raw” and was later unable to get cleared to compete, Punk answered the call. Despite the “Second City Saint” having another historic moment in Chicago, he didn’t win the title just because “Raw” was held in his hometown, according to a new report outlining his creative direction for the summer.\u00a0<\/p>\n According to\u00a0PWInsider Elite<\/a>, after “Raw” concluded, the expectation backstage was that Punk will be defending the Undisputed WWE Title against Rhodes at SummerSlam next month, which has reportedly been a locked plan for the two-night event for some time. Before Punk went on hiatus, WWE teased the match on the “Raw” following WrestleMania 42<\/a> when the “Best In The World” engaged in a face-to-face confrontation with Rhodes. Additionally,\u00a0PWInsider noted that there had been conversations about Punk and Rhodes headlining WrestleMania 43 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, next year, but plans seemingly changed and WWE decided to schedule the match for SummerSlam.<\/p>\n