By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Smackdown (Episode 1,403)
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, at Paycom Center
Aired live July 10, 2026, on USA Network and streamed internationally on Netflix
[Hour One] Joe Tessitore opened the show on commentary and set up a video package of Gunther attacking Cody Rhodes, and CM Punk stepping in and beating Sami Zayn to win the WWE Championship on Raw… Wade Barrett was on color commentary…
Nick Aldis stood in the ring. A “CM Punk” chant broke out. Aldis welcomed fans to the show. He announced that he had been reinstated as the Smackdown General Manager. Aldis introduced the new WWE Champion.
CM Punk made his entrance wearing jeans and a t-shirt, and had the WWE Championship around his waist. Punk slapped hands with fans at ringside before going to the ropes and holding up his title belt. Aldis said he was happy that Punk took his call on Monday, and then congratulated him before moving to the corner of the ring.
Punk, who had a black eye, said he missed the fans. Punk said he’d been negotiating with WWE management and NBC Universal for the past few months about moving to Smackdown. Punk credited Aldis for helping with those negotiations. Punk said that when championship opportunities fall out of the sky, he catches them.
Punk said he’s not like other wrestlers or champions. He said he would wrestle on television and defend the belt every chance he gets. He said he calls himself the Best in the World because it puts pressure on him, and there’s a target on his back as the champion.
Punk said that if anyone backstage thinks he has something that belongs to him, come and get it. He said he would defend the title with his blood, sweat, and tears, and he’ll do it all for the fans. Punk said he heard what Sami Zayn said about him on social media and would give him a shot.
Punk said he might regret saying Gunther’s name. Punk said they’re not strangers, and they both remember what happened the last time they wrestled. Punk recalled “going to war” with Finn Balor. Punk said they met in Balor’s home country and then in his hometown of Chicago. Punk said they could do it again on neutral ground. Punk also mentioned Damian Priest before entrance music cut him off, which brought a smile to his face.
Cody Rhodes made his entrance wearing non-wrestling attire and joined Punk inside the ring. Cody examined Punk’s black eye. Cody asked Punk how his eye was. Punk said it looked worse than it felt, but he knew Cody didn’t come out to ask him about his eye. “What do you want to talk about?” Punk asked.
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