CM Punk Retains Undisputed WWE Championship After Randy Orton’s Shocking Return At SummerSlam
CM Punk is still the Undisputed WWE Champion after surviving Cody Rhodes in the main event of night one of WWE SummerSlam.
Punk retained the championship in a hard-fought Street Fight that saw both men push each other to the limit. After an evenly contested battle filled with near falls and submission attempts, the closing moments took an unexpected turn.
With the referee down following an accidental collision, Rhodes appeared to have momentum on his side after connecting with Cross Rhodes. Punk rolled to the floor as Rhodes waited for an opportunity to finish the job.
Instead, the Minneapolis crowd erupted as Randy Orton made his surprise return. Orton, who had been absent from WWE television since losing to Rhodes at WrestleMania 42, stormed the ring and dropped “The American Nightmare” with a sudden RKO before immediately leaving the ringside area.
Moments later, Punk recovered, got back into the ring, and blasted Rhodes with a Go To Sleep just as the referee regained consciousness. Punk covered Rhodes for the three-count to retain the Undisputed WWE Championship.
The shocking finish marks Orton’s first WWE appearance in months and leaves plenty of questions surrounding his intentions after costing Rhodes the championship on one of WWE’s biggest stages.
For those interested, you can check out our complete WWE SummerSlam 2026 Night 1 Results here at WrestlingHeadlines.com.
RANDY ORTON IS BACK 😱😱😱
RKO TO CODY RHODES!!!! pic.twitter.com/3IK4QrUHSL
— WWE (@WWE) August 2, 2026
The Best in the World RETAINS ⭐️@CMPunk defeats Cody Rhodes after the interference by Randy Orton. pic.twitter.com/3t2j9MoFZR
— WWE (@WWE) August 2, 2026
#ANDSTILL 🏆@CMPunk retains the Undisputed WWE Title at #SummerSlam! pic.twitter.com/AEWiDX9yop
— WWE (@WWE) August 2, 2026
