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BREAKING: Returning Legend Ends Sami Zayn’s 9-Day Undisputed WWE Championship Reign

By Faiz Ahmed • Published Jul 06, 2026 22:36 EDT
WWE Champion Sami Zayn (Image via X/@WWE)
WWE Champion Sami Zayn (Image via X/@WWE)

The WWE Universe was treated to a massive surprise on Monday Night RAW tonight as the promotion went all out with a packed show at the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois.

The Stamford-based promotion had announced three title matches for tonight, including Sami Zayn’s defense of the Undisputed WWE Championship. Zayn was scheduled to defend his title against former champion Cody Rhodes.

However, at the beginning of the show, Rhodes was attacked by Gunther, rendering him unable to compete. In his stead, Nick Aldis called in a replacement to face Zayn, and he was revealed to be hometown hero CM Punk.

Punk made his return to the promotion after a 78-day absence and almost immediately took the fight to Sami Zayn. He looked in incredible shape despite his absence and dominated Zayn in the opening stages of the match.

Zayn slowly found his footing in the fight as he began to dominate Punk, but the WWE Legend’s experience meant that they continued to trade momentum before Zayn hit him with a massive Superplex.

He looked to go for another aerial move, but Punk recovered in time to take him out with a dropkick. The two men were evenly matched with each other as they had each other scouted.

New WWE Champion crowned on Monday Night RAW tonight

Punk hit Zayn with his trademark running knee, but his following Bulldog was reversed into a Blue Thunder Bomb. However, he was able to deliver the move shortly afterwards. He followed it up with an Elbow Drop, but it wasn’t enough to pin him.

He quickly transitioned into the Anaconda Vise and had Sami struggling for a long time before the champion got out of the hold. He then pinned Punk the same way he did to Cody at Night of Champions, but Punk kicked out at two.

Sami then reversed a GTS attempt with one of his own, but it wasn’t enough to put Punk away. Zayn then went for a Helluva Kick, but Punk interrupted him with an exploder suplex into the turnbuckle.

Punk was then about to hit a Helluva Kick to Sami, but he hit him with another GTS and followed it up with a Blue Thunder Bomb, but it still wasn’t enough to win the match for the champion.

Zayn then tried to catch Punk with a surprise Helluva Kick, but he moved out of the way. Punk hit him with a Helluva Kick of his own before hitting him with a GTS to pin Sami and become the new Undisputed WWE Champion on his return.

Following his loss in his very first title defense, Sami Zayn’s reign will go down in history as one of the shortest World Championship reigns of all time as he lost the title just nine days after winning it.

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