
The next Saturday Night’s Main Event, set for July 18, has added a huge match to its card at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
WWE has confirmed that CM Punk and Cody Rhodes will team up against Gunther and Sami Zayn in a Tag Team Match. The bout will serve as a preview of SummerSlam, where Punk will defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against Rhodes.
The announcement came during the final segment of this week’s Friday Night SmackDown. Gunther called SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis to the ring and demanded an answer after being left out of the SummerSlam title match.
Aldis said he wouldn’t change the match between Punk and Rhodes, but he would give the Ring General a chance to face both men at Saturday Night’s Main Event. Sami Zayn was then announced as the Austrian’s partner to complete the match.
PUNK & RHODES vs. GUNTHER & ZAYN at #SNME!
— WWE (@WWE) July 11, 2026
Things just got a lot more interesting on the Road to #SummerSlam…
🗓️ July 18th
📍Madison Square Garden, NYC
🎟️ https://t.co/VJryJUaN7U pic.twitter.com/OeQrxveu20
Gunther didn’t take the decision well and attacked the general manager with a series of sleeper holds. Several officials tried to break it up, until Cody Rhodes ran out to make the save in the closing moments of the show.
The story between the four stars picked up steam on this past Monday’s episode of RAW. Gunther attacked Rhodes and kept him from challenging Zayn for the title. Punk stepped into the spot, defeated the Canadian, and ended his reign after just nine days.
Zayn had won the title at Night of Champions, defeating Rhodes and Gunther in a Triple Threat Match. That gives everyone involved in the Madison Square Garden match a direct reason to want the win.