Sami Zayn’s championship reign was always meant to be brief from the start. When he captured the gold at Night of Champions 2026 by defeating Cody Rhodes in a Triple Threat match, wrestling insiders immediately labeled him as a placeholder champion.
With SummerSlam rapidly approaching, the writing was on the wall for Zayn’s short-lived title run. Triple H had apparently mapped out this scenario well in advance.
Blowing the kiss in Chicago 😘Â
It’s CELEBRATION TIME for the Second City Saint CM Punk!! pic.twitter.com/AH0AMmmUGR
— WWE (@WWE) July 7, 2026