WWE: CM Punk’s triumph turned to tragedy; will WrestleMania avenge him?

WEB DESK: CM Punk’s long road back to WWE championship gold took a thrilling turn at SummerSlam Night 1, where he battled his way to the top, only to have it snatched from his grasp within minutes. But while Seth Rollins walked away with the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, the night may have planted the seeds for a bigger, more poetic payoff: Punk’s redemption at WrestleMania.

In the first of two monumental matches, Punk faced Gunther in a brutal showdown. The Ring General unleashed his trademark storm of chops, kicks, and punishing slams, leaving Punk bloodied and on the brink. Gunther dominated most of the match, hitting a series of devastating powerbombs and near-falls that kept fans on edge. But Punk, ever the survivor, bided his time—and struck when hubris opened the door.

As Gunther climbed the commentary table to prematurely celebrate, Punk seized the moment, yanking him down and sending the champion crashing face-first. Bloodied and rattled, Gunther stumbled back into the ring, where Punk delivered two crushing Go To Sleep finishers to seal a hard-fought victory.

After more than a decade, CM Punk was finally a world champion again. But the moment would be heartbreakingly short-lived.

In a shocking twist, a “recovering” Seth Rollins, previously sidelined with a supposed injury—emerged on crutches, flanked by Paul Heyman and holding the Money in the Bank briefcase. Initially appearing to simply confront Punk, Rollins instead dropped the crutches, pounced on the exhausted new champ, and cashed in. A series of brutal shots with the briefcase and a decisive curb stomp handed Rollins the title he once lost at WrestleMania 40.

Rollins outsmarted everyone. Again. But if Punk’s SummerSlam loss reignites the fire for one final title run, the path forward feels clear—and destined.

WWE Survivor Series: WarGames 2024 promises thrilling showdowns ahead

The stage may now be set for Punk’s ultimate revenge: a WrestleMania showdown, and perhaps, the last crowning moment of his legendary career.

Also on another note what even was the never ending match between John Cena and Cody Rhodes with Cena losing and finally turn away from being a heal? And as the crowd thanked Cena, who would have thought that Brock Lesnar, smeared with so many allegations, would return to WWE after a hiatus to deliver F-5 and walk away. But that’s how you keep the momentum interesting for Cena who is set to leave by the end of this year.