CM Punk dropped a big announcement recently: he’s all set to headline night one of the two-night SummerSlam event. This news has stirred up plenty of discussions among WWE fans online.
Fans are hyped about SummerSlam happening at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on August 2 and 3. Punk is gearing up to face Gunther for the World Heavyweight Championship, and it’s expected that he’ll close out the first night.
Mixed Reactions from the Fans About Punk’s Main Event Role
Punk revealed the main event news during his appearance on ESPN, confirming that he and Gunther would headline the first night of the Premium Live Event (PLE). This will mark the second time this year that Punk has headlined a massive WWE event, following his WrestleMania main event back in April.
Many fans were anticipating this showdown, largely due to the potential drama surrounding their championship match. Reports suggest that injured superstar Seth Rollins may return and cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase on Punk after his match, adding yet another layer to the story.
Some fans shared their surprise:
“Honestly, anyone paying attention saw this coming.”
Another fan chimed in:
“World title bouts should always get the main event spot, it’s expected.”
One fan expressed excitement for Gunther, who previously opened WrestleMania against Jey Uso:
“About time Gunther gets the recognition he deserves after all those weird storylines since the Royal Rumble.”
On the flip side, a few fans are scratching their heads over a world title match being the show-closer, especially one that seems to lack a strong narrative:
“Feels a bit odd for a match with no real story to close the show, but it should still be a good match.”
Another fan wished that the women’s bout, featuring Tiffany Stratton defending the WWE Women’s World Championship against Jade Cargill, deserved the main event status instead:
“Seriously, why can’t the women main event?”
A follower of the WWE Universe also pointed out how Roman Reigns, recently back, should have had the main event slot:
“What? Roman not headlining???”
Punk is aiming to grab a world title for the first time since rejoining WWE in November 2023. He competed against John Cena for the Undisputed WWE Championship at Night of Champions in June but was unsuccessful due to Rollins’ interference.
Punk Lauds Gunther as the Best Wrestler Today
It’s rare for Punk to compliment an opponent, but he did just that when he described Gunther as the best wrestler in the world during his segment with UFC legends Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen on ESPN’s Good Guy/Bad Guy:
“Gunther is a guy I’m really pumped to face. He’s on fire right now, truly the best in the world, and he’s got the title to show for it.”
Gunther’s currently on his second reign as World Heavyweight Champion after defeating Jey Uso on RAW (June 9). His first championship win was against Damian Priest at last year’s SummerSlam, where he held the title until WrestleMania 41.
Despite his admiration for Gunther, Punk remains focused on making history as an eight-time world champion:
“At this point in my career, I want to stamp my return to WWE with a title win. I genuinely believe the work I’ve done in these last two years has been the best I’ve ever achieved.”
Punk was away from WWE for almost ten years after stepping back due to frustrations with the company, but he made a huge comeback two years ago at Survivor Series in Chicago, being part of many key storylines since, including intense rivalries with Rollins and Drew McIntyre.
