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After winning a Gauntlet Match, CM Punk will face Gunther for the World Heavyweight Title at SummerSlam. The two had brief encounters after The Ring General regained the title from Jey Uso after Money in the Bank.
With only two weeks of build, however, there haven't been many layers added to the feud. The opponents traded promos on the last two episodes of RAW. Gunther claimed he was the true "Best in the World" because he was the champion.
He even claimed to have gotten the best of arguably the best promo guy in the game. Punk didn't hold back in their latest encounter, saying he earned the right to the moniker since he defeated a long list of WWE Legends and Hall-of-Famers.
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The champ, on the other hand, hasn't done that yet. The next five finishes are possible when Gunther puts the World Heavyweight Title on the line against Punk at SummerSlam.
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#5. CM Punk wins the title at SummerSlam
Punk has been on a mission to win a world title since returning to WWE in late 2023. He wasn't able to win either the Royal Rumble or the Elimination Chamber matches he participated in.
He finally challenged John Cena for the Undisputed WWE Title at Night of Champions, but interference from Seth Rollins helped Cena cheat Punk out of winning.
Since he's one of the industry's top stars and best promos, he's a believable threat to dethrone Gunther. It would open up new feuds on RAW.
If The Ring General retains, it would be the same potential feuds for him since he was champion from SummerSlam 2024 to WrestleMania 41. Punk capturing the title is a strong possibility.
#4. Gunther cheats to win
While he's been able to dispatch most of his opponents in WWE, there have been times when Gunther's frustration took over. He almost cheated against Jey Uso, but the ref stopped him.
If Punk proves to be as wily a veteran in the ring as he was on the mic, The Ring General may get frustrated. He's been able to defeat other physical stars, but may resort to other measures if Punk refuses to give up.
He could blast his opponent with the title belt, use a chair, or deliver a low blow to retain his title at SummerSlam. This could open up the possibility for a rematch at Clash in Paris.
#3. Seth Rollins cashes in to make it a Triple Threat
Seth Rollins' injury is a major albatross hanging over both of WWE's major titles. The injury could be legitimate, but without an official announcement of the exact injury and the time he'll be out, the window remains open for it being a work.
His absence has allowed both Cena and Gunther to walk around without looking over their shoulders. That could have been the plan all along - lull them into a false sense of security to build up to the shocking master plan of cashing in.
The Visionary did this at WrestleMania 31 against Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar. Doing so again, especially if this match is the main event, would make sense instead of having a random tag team match with Reigns in the closing spot on Saturday.
#2. Gunther cleanly retains the World Heavyweight Championship
If officials want to keep Gunther atop WWE RAW and looking strong, he could soundly defeat CM Punk. Jey Uso passed out while in a choke, so the same could happen to The Best in the World.
He can then claim he didn't tap out, but that explanation doesn't help since it still means the person lost. The Ring General may also keep the title if a Draft is upcoming.
Gunther could move to SmackDown, opening up several new feuds. After an underwhelming feud with Jey Uso and Goldberg, Triple H may want to revamp The Ring General's image with a big win at SummerSlam.
#1. Seth Rollins cashes in after CM Punk wins the title
Along with Drew McIntyre, Seth Rollins was the most vocal with his displeasure over CM Punk's return to WWE. His mission statement is that he'd do whatever he could to ensure Punk never won a major title.
This is the second title match for The Best in the World, and The Visionary stuck to his word by interfering at Night of Champions. He may be injured, but if he isn't, it's all a setup for a huge moment to ruin Punk's chances.
The Best in the World could take the title from Gunther only to get blindsided by Rollins and his allies. He could then cash in his contract and start his vision of the future at SummerSlam.
