CM Punk vs. Cody Rhodes got hot in a hurry

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 19: CM Punk and Cody Rhodes speak onstage during WWE Summer Slam Kickoff at Fanatics Fest NYC 2026 at Jacob Javits Center on July 19, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Fanatics) | Getty Images for Fanatics The criticism of a lack of heat to the CM Punk vs. Cody Rhodes story is a legitimate one, but WWE is addressing it by simply letting the story play out. The two have been playing nice for some time now, all with the understanding that they, as two of the top stars in not just the company but the industry, couldn’t avoid each other forever. Eventually, they would have to throw hands, probably over a championship, and both invited as much. Well, that time is here now that Punk defeated Sami Zayn to win the WWE championship Zayn won off Rhodes. They cleared away Zayn — and GUNTHER — at Saturday Night’s Main Event to ensure they’ll work a singles match at SummerSlam, and then added some punch to the program by continuing to tease ou