The July 24 episode of WWE SmackDown went down in the Oakland Arena in Oakland, California. You never know what CM Punk and Cody Rhodes will say when they’re on their way to a big match, and that was very true tonight.
Sami Zayn won the Undisputed WWE Championship at Night of Champions, defeating Cody Rhodes and GUNTHER in a triple threat match. It didn’t take long for that championship to end up on the Second City Saint’s shoulder.
Cody Rhodes earned another title shot by defeating Jey Uso, but GUNTHER attacked him backstage before the championship match could happen. That opened the door for a returning CM Punk, who stepped in and defeated Zayn to win the Undisputed WWE Championship.
GUNTHER and Sami Zayn had one last chance to turn it into a Fatal 4-Way at Saturday Night’s Main Event, but Punk and Rhodes beat them. This week on SmackDown, Punk and Rhodes were on hand for a bit of a promo battle.
Cody Rhodes made his way down to the ring this week on SmackDown, and he called CM Punk out. It didn’t take long at all before Punk and Cody were having a standoff. Punk didn’t trust Cody not to sucker punch him.
This match is all about the Undisputed WWE Championship, and CM Punk was all ears to hear Cody Rhodes out. The American Nightmare was more than happy to talk about how he and Punk had plenty of moments. Then he admitted that he doesn’t like Punk, and he told him why.
Cody Rhodes revealed that CM Punk’s 2011 pipe bomb speech showed people that there’s another way, and Rhodes followed that promo to a tee. He dropped a nuke on the business in the process. Rhodes also said that he was well aware of the fact that fans wished that he was Punk every step of the way as he rode the indie wave.
After Cody Rhodes had a chance to speak, CM Punk started as he admitted to casting a large shadow that a lot of people can’t get out from underneath. Punk went on to “good for you” to Cody Rhodes that he took his words and executed them when he left WWE so many years ago, but it’s up to the people and history books to decide who did it better.
CM Punk then admitted that he was watching Cody Rhodes as he proved that there was a way back to WWE. He said that chasing each other ends at SummerSlam, and Cody is lying to himself if he says that he respects Punk but doesn’t like him. Punk said that Rhodes has to be the victim and make everyone else his enemy, but in the end, Punk said that he is Cody’s only friend. He plans on stabbing Cody from the front at SummerSlam because he is his friend, and he will break his heart.
Punk went on to call Cody “Dusty’s kid,” and the American Nightmare didn’t love hearing that. So, he fired back to have them play his music. Only time will tell how things go at SummerSlam, but this match is heating up.
What’s your take on Cody Rhodes and CM Punk facing each other at SummerSlam? Who do you think will win in the end? Let us know what you think in the comments section!
