Add as a preferred source on Google CM Punk will put the Undisputed WWE Championship on the line against Cody Rhodes on Night One of SummerSlam, August 1, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
Punk won the title on the July 6 episode of Raw, stepping in for Rhodes after Gunther attacked him and going on to beat Sami Zayn. The SummerSlam match will be the first singles match between Punk and Rhodes in nearly 18 years.
Tension between the two has grown, especially since Saturday Night’s Main Event. After accidental contact with the title belt during the show, Rhodes confronted Punk backstage.
At the SummerSlam Kickoff, Punk said Cody is paranoid after being betrayed by John Cena and Randy Orton.
With that in mind, here’s a look at five possible finishes for the match.
5. Sami Zayn Interferes and Forces a No Contest
Sami Zayn held the title for just nine days before losing it to Punk in Chicago. He then had to form an uncomfortable alliance with Gunther in an attempt to work his way into the SummerSlam match.
At Saturday Night’s Main Event, Zayn and Gunther were defeated after Nick Aldis interfered, keeping the Punk-Rhodes match a singles bout.
Zayn could finally allow his frustration to boil over at SummerSlam. During the closing stretch, he could enter the ring and attack both Punk and Rhodes, leaving the referee with no choice but to call for the bell and rule the match a no contest.
The controversial ending could also set up a Triple Threat Match between the three later in the rivalry.
4. Randy Orton Returns and Costs Cody Rhodes the Win
WWE has made a point of bringing up Randy Orton’s name throughout the build between Punk and Rhodes. Punk brought up that the Viper betrayed Cody before WrestleMania 42, which explains part of the American Nightmare’s current distrust.
Orton has been off television since Rhodes beat him at WrestleMania. Him returning at SummerSlam to attack Cody while the referee is down would let Punk keep the title without needing to turn heel or anything like that.
Rhodes could then immediately pick his rivalry with Orton back up, while Punk would go on searching for a new challenger.
3. CM Punk Wins Clean
A clean win for Punk might be the simplest path.
The current champion just returned and won the title only days ago. Having him lose the belt in under a month would make for a terrible title reign.
Punk could survive several Cross Rhodes, hit a second GTS and win the match. Rhodes would come out of the performance looking strong, while the champion would prove he didn’t need to betray his friend to win.
The problem would be finding a new direction for Cody after yet another loss in a major title match.
2. Cody Rhodes Loses Control and Steals the Title
Cody has been growing increasingly irritated with Punk. At the Kickoff, he refused to apologize and said the incident with the title belt at Saturday Night’s Main Event wasn’t an accident.
During the match, Rhodes could interpret another one of Punk’s actions as an attempt at manipulation. He’d then take advantage of a referee distraction to hit the champion with the belt, a chair or some other object to get the title back.
It would be an unexpected heel turn for Cody, who would justify his actions by saying he was tired of being betrayed. Punk, meanwhile, would find himself chasing the title as a babyface.
1. CM Punk Reveals His True Intentions and Keeps the Title
This looks like the outcome with the most potential.
Punk could dominate much of the match using his experience, but have trouble putting Rhodes away. Once he realizes the GTS won’t be enough, the champion could resort to a low blow or some other trick to win.
Cody has already said that Punk’s mask has started to slip. A stolen win would confirm his suspicions and let the champion go back to being a heel the way he masterfully did in the past.
WWE would still have room to book a rematch with some kind of stipulation down the line. Punk would leave SummerSlam as champion, while Rhodes would have a reason to keep chasing the title.