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CM Punk retains Undisputed WWE Championship after Randy Orton RKO at SummerSlam

entertainmentAug 1, 202662304

At SummerSlam 2026 Night 1, CM Punk defeated Cody Rhodes to retain the Undisputed WWE Championship after Randy Orton unexpectedly returned and delivered an RKO. The match was a physical, competitive bout in which Punk worked Rhodes' arm while Rhodes repeatedly attacked Punk's injured leg with dragon screws and targeted strikes. Both men survived multiple finishers, including Cody Cutter variations, Beautiful Disaster, and Punk applying the Anaconda Vice plus several Go To Sleep attempts. Punk attempted a high-risk dive from the announce table and crashed through a table, and the referee was later taken out when Rhodes missed a double-jump Cody Cutter. Orton then entered the ring, hit an RKO on Rhodes, left immediately, and once the referee recovered Punk hit a final Go To Sleep and scored the three-count. Wrestling Attitude notes Orton's involvement deepens the championship picture and raises questions about whether his return targets Rhodes or signals his own plans in WWE.

Aaron Rupar
@atrupar.com

CM Punk overcame this adversity to retain his championship. Inspiring performance.

1945h ago
Susan18

The Sec. of Education is there. Maybe you could ask her some questions. 🤣

Eric Fallon13

I can just imagine all the people who follow you for politics watching this. 🤣🤣

AP🕊9

I have no idea what this even is

Steeler Yuta9

My man - you need to drop supporting WWEMAGA and join us for AEW. It’s a better product, and there’s no supporting of fascism or sex trafficking.

Mmm Hmm, It's Gravel8

I will never understand how people enjoy this.

Cranky Cracker6

I can't stand to watch WWE anymore. But I have great respect for CM Punk.

Quoting this
Krakenstein must live2

It’s Clobbering (my knee) time!

Fightful Wrestling
@fightful.com

Randy Orton cost Cody Rhodes the match. CM Punk retains the WWE Championship

375h ago
Wrestling News - WWE, AEW, TNA, NJPW
@wrestlingnews.co

CM Punk retained the WWE Championship after Randy Orton showed up and hit the RKO out of nowhere. Randy's first WWE appearance since WrestleMania. #WWE #SummerSlam

135h ago
Ringside News: WWE & AEW Wrestling News
@ringsidenews.com

Randy Orton just pulled up and hit Cody Rhodes with an RKO and left! CM Punk gets the win!!! Thoughts on that ending? | #WWE #SummerSlam

75h ago
Getting Over: Wrestling Podcast
@gettingovercast.bsky.social

CM Punk crashes through the announce desk attempting an elbow drop from the top turnbuckle. #SummerSlam #WWE

85h ago
Cranky Cracker
@timmyturmoil.bsky.social

I can't stand to watch WWE anymore. But I have great respect for CM Punk.

65h ago
Stephen Randle 🍁🍁🍁
@davethecamel.bsky.social

In the time it takes Cody Rhodes and CM Punk to make their entrances I could have watched most of a match on an AEW PPV.

56h ago
Talia Thrace
@taliathrace.bsky.social

Seriously why is CM PUNK trying a Darby Allin ass spot like this???? #WWE #SummerSlam

45h ago
alice, cowboy umarell
@yolowoho.bsky.social

there's something so poetically beautiful about the main story of summerslam so far being "cm punk shit himself during live in the ring during the match"

45h ago
Cory of False Finish
@coryhays407.bsky.social

Undisputed WWE Champion CM Punk is here selling the knee after defeating Cody Rhodes tonight at #SummerSlam

34h ago
The DDT Network | WWE • AEW • Pro Wrestling News
@the-ddt.net

WWE SummerSlam 2026 Night 1 Preview: How To Watch, Match Card, And What To Expect the-ddt.net/wwe-summersl...

314h ago
Vincent Verhei
@vincentverhei.bsky.social

Very long, very physical very good, though Punk had some of the most cringeworthy moments of the year. (Who told this old man to try moonsaults and elbows through announce desks?) Randy Orton returned to drop Cody with an RKO, and Punk won with a GTS. #SummerSlam

35h ago
Sadé's Wrestling Thoughts
@sadenicole.bsky.social

CM Punk retains the men's WWE title. This match was pretty good. Aside from that awful moonsault from Punk, a good match. A good old pro wrestling match were both guys go after the injured limbs. Two of the best for a reason. Plus Orton costing Rhodes makes sense. #SummerSlam

25h ago
BrahMigosPod
@brahmigospod.bsky.social

Idk if we’ll ever do interviews on the show but the one question I’d like to ask CM Punk is, if he recognized he was in the way of the development of young talent, would he voluntarily get out the way? Would he have the self-awareness he’d want from others ahead of him? #Summerslam

6h ago
Mikey Bats
@mikejbknows.bsky.social

Cody Rhodes entering with Guile's theme from Street Fighter before Kingdom kicks on. CM Punk walking out in original NHL Minnesota North Stars colors. Nice touch. #SummerSlam

26h ago
1 source
wrestlingattitude.comRandy Orton Returns, Helps CM Punk Retain WWE Title at SummerSlam - Wrestling Attitude

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CM Punk retains Undisputed WWE Championship after Randy Orton RKO at SummerSlamentertainment