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WWE Makes Blockbuster CM Punk Move, Veteran Says: “I Was Blown Away”

By Gaurav Singh • Published Jul 11, 2026 08:09 EDT
CM Punk WWE
CM Punk (Image Source-WWE.com)

A huge announcement has been made for the Undisputed WWE Champion, CM Punk, and a legend says he got blown away. The veteran in question is Mark Henry.

After more than two months of absence from TV, CM Punk made his blockbuster return last Monday on RAW in his hometown of Chicago. He replaced Cody Rhodes in the Undisputed WWE Title match against Sami Zayn after Cody was attacked backstage. Punk ended up capturing the Undisputed Championship from Zayn after a great match, ending Zayn’s title reign after just nine days.

CM Punk opened this week’s SmackDown as the new Undisputed WWE Champion, and he put the entire locker room on notice. Cody Rhodes confronted Punk during the segment and challenged him for an Undisputed title match at SummerSlam 2026. Without much thought, Punk accepted Cody’s challenge.

The match between The American Nightmare and the Second City Saint for the Undisputed WWE Championship at SummerSlam 2026 was later made official by Triple H with the following statement on X social media:

ears in the making… and the time is now! CM Punk… Cody Rhodes… for the Undisputed @WWE Championship #SummerSlam! Streaming on the @espn app in the US / @netflix internationally,”

WWE Hall of Famer was blown away by major CM Punk announcement

Speaking on Busted Open Radio, the WWE Hall of Famer, Mark Henry addressed the SmackDown segment, where Cody Rhodes challenged CM Punk for the Undisputed title match at SummerSlam and Punk accepted:

Cody also said ‘I don’t know when,’ then Punk – without any thought process, without any considering who’s in line for it – said ‘When? Say less.’ That match was made right then.”

Mark Henry further admitted that he was blown away with the match announcement:

I was blown away, because I did think, just like Cody did, that if they ever had a situation where two dominant personalities and talents like those two guys, that the match would end up probably at WrestleMania.”

Mark Henry also revealed that he expected Cody and Punk’s match to take place at SummerSlam next year, but it’s happening this year:

It would probably be the headliner for Royal Rumble. It would probably be the headlining match for SummerSlam; I was thinking next year’s SummerSlam, but hey, there’s no time like the present.” [H/T WrestleTalk]

It will be interesting to see who walks out of SummerSlam 2026 as the Undisputed WWE Champion.

Also read: Possible Spoiler On Sami Zayn’s Future After Losing Undisputed WWE Title To CM Punk