WWE Raw July 6: CM Punk shocks Chicago, wins WWE title
CM Punk returned on WWE Raw July 6, 2026, in Chicago and defeated Sami Zayn to win the Undisputed WWE Championship on Championship Monday—the headline result on a Netflix show WWE had billed with three title matches at the Allstate Arena. The surprise main event reshaped the SummerSlam picture after Zayn's short reign and delivered one of the year's biggest buzz moments on the red brand.
Key Takeaways
- CM Punk beat Sami Zayn (c.) to become Undisputed WWE Champion in a surprise Chicago main event.
- The Vision defeated The Street Profits to win the World Tag Team Championships in their third meeting.
- Sol Ruca retained the Women's Intercontinental Championship against Raquel Rodriguez.
- Ethan Page and Rusev beat Chad Gable and Dragon Lee in a tag team match.
- Raw GM Adam Pearce billed the show as Championship Monday with three title defenses on Netflix.
What Happened on WWE Raw July 6, 2026?
WWE Raw aired live from the Allstate Arena in Chicago on Monday, July 6, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET on Netflix. Raw General Manager Adam Pearce had promoted the episode as Championship Monday, stacking three championship matches as the company built momentum toward SummerSlam.
The headline result was not the Cody Rhodes rematch many fans expected. After Sami Zayn entered for his Undisputed WWE Championship defense, the bout was listed as Zayn versus TBA. CM Punk then appeared, and the Chicago crowd erupted for a hometown hero in a high-stakes title fight.
Punk pinned Zayn after a back-and-forth war that Yahoo Sports graded 5/5. WWE social posts celebrated Punk as an eight-time world champion, capping a night that delivered a genuine shock on the red brand.
Why Was Cody Rhodes Not in the Main Event?
The card was built around Sami Zayn defending against Cody Rhodes. Rhodes had earned the rematch after beating Jey Uso on Friday Night SmackDown, per Yahoo Sports. Zayn had upset Rhodes and Gunther at WWE Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia to capture the title.
Despite the championship belonging to SmackDown, Pearce booked the rematch on Raw. When the main event began, Zayn waited for an opponent—and Punk answered instead. The swap turned a Rhodes revenge story into an unscheduled Undisputed WWE Championship match.
What Were the Full WWE Raw Results?
Beyond the main event, Championship Monday produced two more title changes and one retention. The Vision's Bron Breakker and Austin Theory defeated Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins of The Street Profits to reclaim the World Tag Team Championships. It was the third match in a series that had been split 50/50 entering the night.
Sol Ruca retained the Women's Intercontinental Championship against The Judgment Day's Raquel Rodriguez. It was Ruca's second defense since winning the title from Becky Lynch at Clash in Italy. Earlier, Ethan Page and Rusev beat Chad Gable and Dragon Lee via submission.
How Does Raw Set Up SummerSlam 2026?
Before the show, Sports Illustrated reported that Seth Rollins was set to open Raw four weeks out from his World Heavyweight Championship match against Roman Reigns at SummerSlam. Rollins had claimed that shot after Oba Femi passed on his guaranteed world title opportunity.
Femi, the 2026 King of the Ring winner, was also scheduled to address his decision to face Brock Lesnar inside Hell in a Cell at SummerSlam instead. Punk's title win now throws the Undisputed WWE Championship into the summer mix alongside those already announced bouts.
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