Why CM Punk Moved To SmackDown, Plans For Him As WWE Champion
CM Punk is the WWE Champion, and he’ll become one of the top superstars on SmackDown.
Ever since CM Punk came back to WWE in November 2023, he has been a regular on the Monday Night Raw brand. That’s about to change.
CM Punk returned to WWE television on the July 6th edition of Monday Night Raw in Chicago as the challenger for the WWE Championship.
It was supposed to be Cody Rhodes challenging Sami Zayn for the WWE Title on Raw in Chicago, but Cody was attacked by Gunther backstage, so Punk made his return at the end of the night.
In what was his first match since losing the World Heavyweight Title to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 42 nearly 3 months ago, CM Punk beat Sami Zayn in a 20-minute classic to become WWE Champion again. Punk is now an 8-time WWE World Champion, while Zayn only held the WWE Title for 9 days.
As the WWE Champion, Punk will move to SmackDown because that’s the show where the WWE Title resides.
Wrestlevotes Radio on Fightful Select reports that WWE is planning to feature CM Punk on SmackDown regularly, with some occasional appearances on Raw as well.
The report added that NBCUniversal “has been pushing for more Punk on SmackDown for well over a year, as they view him as one of WWE’s premier stars.” SmackDown airs on USA Network in the United States, which is part of the NBCUniversal family.
It is believed by some sources that Punk being on SmackDown could help the blue brand. Meanwhile, a WWE source noted that Punk could be in line for a long title reign, as there are no indications it would be short-term.
CM Punk hasn’t wrestled on SmackDown since returning to WWE in November 2023, so his last match on SmackDown was in January 2014.
New WWE Champion CM Punk Has A Busy Summer
In a post on his Instagram account, CM Punk listed all the non-televised WWE live events he plans to be at in July and August. All of those dates are in addition to regular appearances on SmackDown.
July 11 – Las Cruces, NM
July 12 – Albuquerque, NM
July 16 – Allentown, PA
July 25 – Stockton, CA
July 26 – Bakersfield, CA
July 30 – Springfield, IL
August 6 – Fairfax, VA
August 13 – Manchester, NH
August 20 – London, Ontario, Canada
August 22 – Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
August 23 – Calgary, Alberta, Canada
August 29 – Savannah, GA
August 30 – North Charleston, SC
There were some fans critical of CM Punk winning the WWE Title from Sami Zayn after taking three months off, and many fans thought that meant Punk is a part-timer, but it doesn’t appear to be the case.
When CM Punk held the World Heavyweight Title from November 2025 until losing to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 42 in April 2026, Punk wrestled regularly and even appeared at most WWE live events as well.
After the title loss, former WWE Champion Sami Zayn ranted about his title loss and specifically about Punk getting a shot at his WWE Title.
How is it that after 24 years of crawling and inching for every little inch to get the WWE Championship, after I finally get it, NINE DAYS AFTER I GET IT! That piece of sh*t can walk back in here, after not being here for months, for months, and walks right in and gets it? That motherf*cker. He has no business, no business!
The July 10th edition of WWE SmackDown will be in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, with the company promoting Punk appearing at the show, and Zayn will likely be there too.