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WWE Raw Results (7/6/26): CM Punk Shocks Chicago With WWE Title Win

Tonight's episode of WWE Raw seemingly sets the stage for SummerSlam as Sami Zayn makes his first and last defense of the WWE Championship against a returning CM Punk.
Matt Black|
CM Punk
CM Punk | Netflix

This evening's episode of WWE Raw took place at the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois.

Last week's episode featured Oba Femi giving up his championship opportunity at SummerSlam to face Brock Lesnar in a Hell in a Cell match instead. Meanwhile, Seth Rollins stepped forward to challenge Roman Reigns for the World Heavyweight Title at the biggest party of the summer.

WWE Raw results:

This week's episode of Raw kicked off with WWE Champion Sami Zayn arriving at the building. Cody Rhodes confronts him, and Zayn tells him that he's leaving Chicago with the WWE Championship.

Gunther shows up and attacks Rhodes, powerbombing him through a table. Gunther tells Zayn he's welcome and that he's his problem now, then slams a car door on Rhodes and leaves.

Back in the arena, Seth Rollins makes his way to the ring to speak to the WWE Universe. The crowd chants for CM Punk, and Rollins admits he doesn't really care about Punk right now because that's not his business. Rollins said his business is to defeat Roman Reigns and take back the World Heavyweight Championship at SummerSlam. The crowd chants for the OTC and Rollins buries Reigns for not showing up tonight.

Rollins touches upon his history with Reigns and the way the company treated him and set him up for success and how that never sat right with him. Seth makes a case for why it's so important that he defeats Reigns next month at SummerSlam. He's interrupted by LA Knight, who tells Rollins that he and Reigns bored everyone to tears last week with the same old trash.

LA Knight has something to get off his chest

Knight mocks their promo from last week, and the crowd eats it up. LA Knight buries Rollins and Reigns for holding down the next generation of talent who came in a few years ago, says they can't hold him down any longer, and that he will rise to the top. Rollins said he doesn't like Knight but respects him, calling him a shining example of everything he described, and believes Knight's time will come.

Rollins said he has to worry about SummerSlam and if he's the champion afterward, LA Knight can have the first title shot. When Rollins leaves, Jimmy Uso comes in through the crowd from behind and lays out Knight with a superkick.

Backstage, Adam Pearce and Gunther are arguing and Pearce kicks him out of the building. Nick Aldis shows up and he and Gunther exchange words before the Ring General leaves. Aldis and Pearce get into a heated argument and Aldis blames Pearce for Rhodes getting hurt tonight and poaching a main event that belonged to SmackDown.

Paul Heyman berates The Vision backstage and tells Austin Theory to come back to him with Tag Team gold or not come back to him at all.

The Vision get back the gold

In the opening contest of the evening, the Street Profits defended the World Tag Team Titles against Bron Breakker and Austin Theory of The Vision. The finish of the match saw Maxxine Dupri get involved and hit Angelo Dawkins with a low blow, allowing Theory to pin Dawkins to regain the titles.

Backstage, a doctor tells Adam Pearce, after examining Cody Rhodes, that he can't clear him to compete this evening. The doctor sends Rhodes for additional testing, as Pearce looks like he's about to throw up.

Elsewhere backstage, Logan Paul talks up Bron Breakker and Austin Theory. Paul Heyman approaches them and says it was a first step to getting back to where they need to be and proceeds to only praise Maxxine Dupri over what happened tonight. The Vision gets in a vehicle and leaves as Otis and Akira Tozawa look on devastated.

The Judgment Day hype up Raquel Rodriguez backstage before her Women's Intercontinental Championship match against Sol Ruca.

A big gauntlet match is announced for next week's episode of Raw

It was announced that there will be a gauntlet match to determine the number one contender for Penta's Intercontinental Championship at SummerSlam. The field includes Chad Gable, Dragon Lee, Je'Von Evans, Rusev, Ethan Page, Dominik Mysterio, and Joe Hendry.

Jackie Redmond speaks to Penta about the match, but they are quickly interrupted by Rusev and Ethan Page. Dragon Lee and Chad Gable show up to make sure nothing happens to Penta as a tag team match is made for later.

Back in the ring, Sol Ruca defended the Women's Intercontinental Championship against Raquel Rodriguez. The match saw interference from Roxanne Perez, Liv Morgan, and IYO SKY, which led to Ruca hitting a distracted Rodriguez with a Sol Snatcher to retain the title.

Paul Heyman comes out to the ring on behalf of the absent Brock Lesnar to talk about Oba Femi. Heyman said Femi has motivated Lesnar and he made the biggest mistake of his life accepting his challenge for SummerSlam. Heyman declares Lesnar will destroy Femi inside Hell in a Cell. As Heyman goes to leave, Oba Femi makes his way to the ring to block his path.

Oba Femi gives Brock Lesnar a warning through Paul Heyman

Femi said Heyman likes to talk, so he's out there to give him someone to talk at. Heyman said Lesnar and Femi have proven to each other that they are beatable, and the rubber match will decide things inside Hell in a Cell. Heyman talks about Lesnar's history in the match and calls it the "Brocktagon". Femi believes all of the things he said over the last several weeks have gotten under Brock's skin and brought him back to him.

Femi believes Heyman is here for damage control and declares this is the end of Brock Lesnar at Hell in a Cell. Oba said he knows he needs to walk through hell to get to heaven and told Heyman that he'll see Lesnar in hell.

Jackie Redmond speaks to Sami Zayn backstage and informs him that Cody Rhodes is no longer cleared to compete tonight. The crowd loudly chants for CM Punk as Zayn talks about how this match was never meant to be. Adam Pearce comes in and informs Zayn he will still defend the WWE Championship in the main event tonight.

In a preview of next week's gauntlet match, Rusev and Ethan Page defeated Dragon Lee and Chad Gable in tag team action. Rusev and Page continued attacking their opponents after the match. Joe Hendry tried to come out and make the save, but he got taken out as well.

Big Jim is stepping up for The Bloodline

Jackie Redmond catches up with Jimmy Uso as he's leaving the arena about his attack on LA Knight earlier in the show. Jimmy said he's stepping up for the Bloodline and he's going to SmackDown on Friday to handle Solo Sikoa as well. LA Knight tries to attack Jimmy from behind but gets taken out by Jacob Fatu instead.

We see Adam Pearce backstage on the phone trying to make phone calls to get a replacement for Cody Rhodes in tonight's main event.

We get a video package from Bayley, who asks Lyra Valkyria to meet her in the ring next week face-to-face.

Nick Aldis approaches Adam Pearce backstage and informs him that while he's been talking to voicemails, he placed a successful call and got Sami Zayn an opponent tonight and they are in the building. Aldis tells Pearce he's welcome and leaves.

CM Punk returns to WWE Raw and challenges Sami Zayn for the WWE Championship

In the main event of the evening, CM Punk returned to WWE for the first time since April to challenge Sami Zayn for the WWE Championship.

The finish of the match saw Punk hit Zayn with the GTS to score the pinfall victory, much to the delight of the Chicago crowd.

CM Punk celebrated with his fans in Chicago and held the WWE Championship high as Monday Night Raw went off the air.

WWE Raw quick results:

  • Bron Breakker and Austin Theory defeated the Street Profits to become the new World Tag Team Champions
  • Sol Ruca defeated Raquel Rodriguez to retain the WWE Women's Intercontinental Championship
  • Rusev and Ethan Page defeated Chad Gable and Dragon Lee
  • CM Punk defeated Sami Zayn to become the new WWE Champion
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Published | Modified
Matt Black
MATT BLACK

Matt Black got involved in the wrestling media industry over two decades ago, covering WWE video games released by Acclaim, THQ, and 2K. He has been covering professional wrestling for multiple digital outlets since 2019. He is the former Senior Editor of WrestleZone and has extensive knowledge of the entire wrestling industry. In his spare time, Matt enjoys cheering for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Los Angeles Lakers. He's also a diehard comic book movie fan and doesn't pick sides when it comes to the endless debates of Marvel versus DC.

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