WWE SummerSlam 2026 will witness a legitimate dream match, live from the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. WWE Champion CM Punk will defend his coveted championship against Cody Rhodes at the Biggest Party of the Summer. Punk and Rhodes have been friends for a long time, but we have seen some fractures in their friendship lately.
The Second City Saint won the title a few weeks ago. As for Rhodes, he is QB1. The American Nightmare almost always finds a way back to the WWE Championship. However, this could be Punk’s final World Title reign, and he would want to extend his run. Hence, the outcome of the match is extremely unpredictable.
On that note, let’s look at 3 potential finishes for Cody Rhodes vs. CM Punk at SummerSlam 2026.
#3. Cody Rhodes Turns Heel and Low Blows CM Punk to Regain the WWE Championship
The WWE Universe has been calling for a Cody Rhodes heel turn for quite some time. In TKO’s defense, he is the poster boy of the company. Hence, from a business standpoint, Rhodes as a babyface is an understandable decision. Unfortunately, the American Nightmare’s character work has gotten stale.
Rhodes needs to change things up a bit. A heel turn is one of the most effective ways to freshen a Superstar’s character. Furthermore, WWE also has a great opportunity. Dusty’s son recently admitted that he was jealous of CM Punk. The American Nightmare’s jealousy could boil over at SummerSlam 2026.
Despite being a babyface, Rhodes has played dirty in the past. QB1 could low-blow his friend behind the referee’s back. The heel turn could be executed like Daniel Bryan’s turn on SmackDown in November 2017. The character change would give SummerSlam a massive surprise and breathe life into the blue brand’s main event scene.
#2. CM Punk Retains the WWE Championship By Pinning Rhodes Clean at SummerSlam
CM Punk is SmackDown’s latest signee. The blue brand has been struggling recently. WWE’s fix was putting a credible and popular star like Punk at the helm. Cody Rhodes as WWE Champion didn’t work the way many believed it would for SmackDown, and TKO might be hoping for something different with Punk.
Hence, it follows that The Best in the World will be champion for a long time. He stated that he wanted to battle the likes of Finn Balor, Damian Priest, and Royce Keys. This could have been a subtle tease of SmackDown’s future. Thus, WWE might consider giving Punk a clean win over Rhodes at SummerSlam 2026.
A clean win over QB1 would solidify Punk’s claim as World Champion, making the title win feel less like a fluke. It would also push SmackDown in a new direction with the Chicago native at the top. Furthermore, it could also begin Rhodes’ long redemption arc, which would end in a rematch with Punk at WrestleMania 43.
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#1. A Frustrated Sami Zayn Interferes to Ruin the WWE Championship Match at SummerSlam 2026
The dream match between CM Punk vs. Cody Rhodes came at a high cost for Sami Zayn. Zayn’s fairytale run with the WWE Championship came to a premature end as the returning Punk dethroned him. The Last Real Good Guy was clearly upset with the loss, but he has an opportunity to regain the belt.
Zayn will battle Finn Balor to determine the next contender for the WWE Championship. Given Balor’s winning streak and his recent interactions backstage, the Prince is the favorite to win. Balor’s win would add to Zayn’s frustrations, who would then take matters into his own hands.
The Last Real Good Guy could force himself into the WWE Championship scene. He could interfere during Punk vs. Rhodes, giving both men a reason to pick a fight with him. The Canadian star could then reinsert himself into the title scene.
