CM Punk is back on top of WWE.
On Monday’s episode of Raw in the Chicago area, CM Punk made a stunning return to capture the WWE Championship, dethroning Sami Zayn in front of his hometown crowd. Recapping the blockbuster night on Busted Open Radio, Tommy Dreamer broke down how it all unfolded.
The evening had been built around Zayn’s advertised title defense against Cody Rhodes. However, before that match could happen, Rhodes was taken out backstage by Gunther, who delivered a powerbomb through a table and a vicious assault that left Rhodes bleeding and being checked for a concussion. With no challenger available, WWE officials scrambled to find a new main event, ultimately bringing in Punk, who had not been seen since losing the title at WrestleMania.
Dreamer raved about Punk’s entrance, which saw a garage door open to reveal the returning star. “One of the best cinematic entrances without it being cinematic,” Dreamer said, comparing the reaction to some of the loudest ovations in recent memory. “I’m talking Triple H’s return to the garden, I’m talking John Cena’s return. It was one of the loudest.”
Punk went on to defeat Zayn to claim what Dreamer noted was the eighth world title of his career, an especially poignant achievement given his nine-year absence from the company. “It’s a great testament for perseverance,” Dreamer said. He also credited Triple H for repairing a once-fractured relationship. “Triple H has to get a lot of praise for mending fences that were kind of unmendable.”
The result also brought a swift end to Zayn’s reign, which Michael Cole noted was the shortest in five years. For Dreamer, the shocking title change blows the SummerSlam picture wide open, with Punk, Rhodes, Zayn, and Gunther all now in the mix. “This throws such a massive curveball into the future and into SummerSlam,” Dreamer said.
If you use any of the quotes from this article, please credit Busted Open Radio with an h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
