Undisputed WWE Champion CM Punk and Cody Rhodes come face to face before SummerSlam

CM Punk and Cody Rhodes will come face to face one final time before their blockbuster Undisputed WWE Championship Match this weekend at SummerSlam. Things have certainly reached a boiling point between the longtime friends en route to their highly-anticipated title encounter, manifested in an extremely tense war of words last Friday night. What will happen when The Best in the World and The American Nightmare engage each other one night before The Biggest Event of the Summer?




— Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, Tiffany Stratton & Chelsea Green, B-Fab & Michin and Jade Cargill, Lash Legend & Nia Jax, Giulia, Damian Priest & R-Truth, and The War Raiders (Ivar & Erik) are all shown backstage before the show.

— Wade Barrett and Joe Tessitore greet audiences at home as Finn Balor makes his way to the ring.

Balor says with SummerSlam coming up, he can't help but think about his first SummerSlam in 2016. He says he went from the high of becoming the first ever Universal Champion to the low of having to relinquish it 24 hours later due to injury. He says he's been clawing to get back to the glory of that night, but before he can continue, Sami Zayn's music cuts him off and he makes his way out.

Zayn says he understands this is an emotional time for Balor, but he has stuff to get off his chest. He begins to vent once more about how he feels that the Undisputed WWE Championship SummerSlam match should be a Triple Threat with him. He says he would love to see Cody Rhodes dethrone CM Punk because he already beat Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship, then says he knows for a fact he could do it again. He says there's a big part of him who also wants Punk to retain his title because he's ascended to the high rank of "corporate poster boy #2". He says he has lots of respect for Balor, but Balor tells Zayn to come into the ring and say whatever it is he wants to his face.

Zayn makes his way down the entrance ramp and gets inside the ring. He says he has a lot of respect for Balor and says anyone who's watched Balor over the last 10 years knows how great he is. He says Balor should've probably been a WWE Champion anywhere from 2 to 5 times, then says there needs to be justice for him. Balor asks where his justice is, but Zayn says Balor might want to take the hint after 10 years. Balor responds by saying Zayn held the Undisputed WWE Championship for nine days not because of an injury, but because he lost it.

Zayn says he's the last real good guy in WWE and says he's going to walk away. He says he'll see Balor at SummerSlam, but GUNTHER blindsides both men from behind and levels Zayn with a clothesline. GUNTHER calls Zayn and Balor a joke, then says he's the rightful Number One Contender for the Undisputed WWE Championship. Adam Pearce appears, and GUNTHER asks him what he has to do to get what's rightfully is. He asks Pearce if he has to beat him too, but Balor blindsides GUNTHER from behind. Zayn pulls Balor off GUNTHER to fire off right hands on him before Zayn and Balor brawl. GUNTHER levels them both with clotheslines and sends them into the metal barricades, but Nick Aldis appears to dump GUNTHER in the ring. Security runs out to separate Aldis and GUNTHER.

— Michin, B-Fab, and Jade Cargill make their way to the ring. Tiffany Stratton and Chelsea Green are already waiting inside.

Tiffany Stratton and Chelsea Green vs. Michin and B-Fab (w/ Jade Cargill)

Stratton and B-Fab begin the action. The bell rings and B-Fab rocks Stratton with a forearm. Stratton lands a shotgun dropkick to send B-Fab crashing into the ropes, but Michin and Green tag in. Stratton and Green deliver knees to Michin and B-Fab, and Green then delivers a kneeling flatliner to both women.

B-Fab tags in during the break and delivers a boot to Green. She levels her with a clothesline and goes for a pin, but Green kicks out and Michin tags in. Michin levels Green with a clothesline and steps over her, then wears her down with a version of a Bow and Arrow. Green counters into a pinfall, but Michin kicks out and levels Green with a clothesline.

B-Fab tags back in, but Green delivers a jawbreaker to her back from the break. Stratton and Michin tag back in, and Stratton delivers a dropkick to send B-Fab crashing off the ring apron. She lands an Alabama Slam to Michin and drags her into the corner, then ascends to the top rope and delivers a Swanton Bomb to Michin. She goes for a pin, but Michin kicks out.

Cargill sends Stratton crashing into the ring post on the outside as the referee has her back turned. Inside the ring, Green delivers a dropkick to Michin off the top rope. B-Fab tags in and Green sets up for the Unprettier on her, but Michin comes to B-Fab's aid. Michin and B-Fab the end Green crashing into the mat with the BTA for the win.

Winners: Michin and B-Fab

— After the match, Cargill, B-Fab and Michin celebrate in the ring. Charlotte Flair's music hits and she slowly makes her way out to the ring. Stratton and Green pull B-Fab and Michin out of the ring and start beating them up. Cargill is left in the ring and Flair gets in the ring. Flair runs at Cargill and the two trade punches. Flair kicks Cargill to the mat and she rolls out of the ring as Flair stands tall in the ring.

— Fraxiom (Nathan Frazer & Axiom) talk with Rey Fenix backstage. Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh ask them if they've seen Danhausen. Fenix gets in Mysterio and McDonagh's faces and McDonagh says he's going to Pearce to ask for a match against Fenix.

— We cut to a promo for MFT. Tama and Talla Tonga talk about walking away and doing everything for Solo Sikoa. They say they'll think of their immediate family first. Haku comes in and tells them they are the sons of Haku and to go back everyone fear them again.

— Damian Priest and R-Truth make their way to the ring. The War Raiders follow.


Title for Title Match: Damian Priest & R-Truth vs. The War Raiders

Erik and Ivar attack Priest and Truth. Truth is knocked out of the ring by Ivar and Erik and Priest go at it in the ring. Priest punches out Erik in the corner and tags in Truth. Erik is double teamed and Truth slams into Erik in the corner. Truth goes after Ivar and Erik strikes Truth and knocks him out of the ring. Truth is double teamed outside the ring. Priest runs at them and jumps off the steel steps towards The War Raider but they catch Priest and throw him into the barricades. Ivar splashes into Truth and Priest on opposite ends outside the ring and we cut to a commercial.

Back to the match, Priest and Ivar are battling in the ring. Priest sends Ivar crashing with a top rope hurricanrana. Erik was tagged in before Ivar gets taken down. Priest gets double teamed and covered and Truth breaks the pin. Erik and Ivar attack Truth and The War Raiders and Priest push the ref aside. The ref calls for the bell.

No Contest

— After the match, Priest, Truth, Ivar and Erik battle outside the ring. The four men fight into the crowd. Truth jumps off the railing onto The War Raiders and Priest. Priest sends Ivar and Erik back towards the ring. Tama and Talla Tonga run down and take out Erik and Ivar. They then go after Priest and Truth. Haku comes down and stands in the ring with The Tongas as they raise both the AAA belts and the WWE Tag belts.

— Cathy Kelley talks to CM Punk backstage. Kelley asks Punk about his friendship with Cody Rhodes and how he's handling that they have a match at SummerSlam. Punk says they're not friends when they're competing and he will be the champ at the end. Trick Williams comes by and tells Punk that sooner than later he will be coming for Punk's title. Punk invites Williams to come for him and he's excited to Whoop that Trick when the time comes.

— A video package for Nick Aldis plays. The video package plays some highlights of his wrestling career and how being a General Manager wasn't his first dream and how he's been pushed too far and he's getting back in the ring to take down Gunther.

— Trick Williams makes his way to the ring.

Williams says he's finally arrived, then gets straight to calling out Baron Corbin and says Corbin came back to "SmackDown" to hate on him. He says Corbin woke up one morning, shaved and shined his head, and decided to hate on "The Annointed One". He calls Corbin out to the ring to trick slap him to Minnesota.

Corbin's music hits and he makes his way out. He says he bets Williams loves to hear the sound of his own voice and says he learned some valuable lessons in his time away from WWE. He says one thing he learned was patience, then says WWE selected Williams for a major push and says he wants everything now. He says that will be Williams' downfall and says Williams will feel like he's in quicksand at SummerSlam. He says when the panic sets in, he'll cut the blood to Williams' brain by choking him out.

Williams stops Corbin and says he's tired of Corbin acting tough. He says the only thing Corbin is collecting is his lemon peppa steppas on him, but Corbin says there will be no preview of SummerSlam. He says he doesn't care what the fans or Corbin want, then calls Williams a rookie and says there's nothing in the world Williams can do to stop him from taking the United States Championship to him. Corbin walks up the entrance ramp, but Williams stops him to let him know that the fans at SummerSlam will be cheering for him.

— Back from a break, Rey Fenix makes his way to the ring. Judgment Day follows.


AAA Cruiserweight Championship Match: Rey Fenix (c) vs. JD McDonagh (w/Dominik Mysterio)

The bell rings and the two go back and forth with one another. Fenix rolls up McDonagh, but McDonagh kicks out and looks to land a standing moonsault on Fenix. Fenix moves out of the way and McDonagh jams his boot into Fenix in the corner.

Fenix delivers a leg drop to McDonagh during the commercial break, but McDonagh wears down Fenix with a submission hold during the commercial break.

Fenix breaks free back from the break and McDonagh charges at him in the corner. Fenix moves out of the way and delivers a springboard cutter to McDonagh, but McDonagh catches Fenix with a Spanish Fly and goes for a pin. Fenix kicks out, but Dominik hops up onto the apron. McDonagh trips Fenix on the ropes, and when the referee sees what's happened, he ejects Dominik from ringside.

Danhausen's music hits and he makes his way out to curse Dominik. Dominik levels Danhausen with a strike, but three Minihausens pounce on Dominik to beat him down adn brawl with him to the back. This opens the door for Fenix to walk the top rope and land a kick on McDonagh, then follow it up with a pair of running double knees in the corner and a Mexican Muscle Buster for the win.

Winner and STILL AAA Cruiserweight Champion: Rey Fenix

— A video package for Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns is shown.

— Lash Legend makes her way to the ring. Giulia follows.

Interim WWE Women's Championship Ladder Match Qualifier: Lash Legend vs. Giulia

The bell rings and Giulia fires off kicks on the back of Legend's thigh. She cinches in a submission on Legend, but Legend sends Giulia crashing into the mat with a version of a Sidewalk Slam to fight her off. Giulia then locks in a second submission on Legend, but Legend escapes and Giulia runs her over with a knee strike. Legend responds with Lash Extension on Giulia for the win.

Winner: Lash Legend

— Back from a break, Cody Rhodes makes his way to the ring. CM Punk's music cuts Rhodes off and he makes his way to the ring, mockingly patting Rhodes on his head as he passes him.

Rhodes says the part of their twenty year friendship is that he knows Punk and sees right through him. He says himself and Punk were running towards each other, but Punk asks if it's great to be alive on a Friday night in Green Bay. He says he knew he would ruffle feathers and counted on hurting feelings by challenging for the Undisputed WWE Championship, then says if he's asked to show up to challenge for a title, he'll do it. He says he ruffled feathers in WWE for over twenty years whether he was signed to the company or not, then says this is about the Undisputed WWE Championship.

Punk tells Rhodes that it's up to him if they're friends after tomorrow night at SummerSlam Saturday, then says he has to know if he's friends with Rhodes. Rhodes asks Green Bay what they want to talk about, then says Punk brought up business purposes. He says it sounds like Punk double talk and says things between them are personal. He says the Undisputed WWE Championship makes Punk "The Best In The World" and he calls the shots because of it, then says Punk said he wasn't in WWE to make friends but to make money.

Punk says he didn't come back to WWE to lose friends, but if it comes to losing a friend or a title, tomorrow night won't favor Rhodes. Rhodes says Punk has made it clear what he's prepared to do at SummerSlam tomorrow night, but asks Punk what he wants to do about it tonight.

Punk lays down his Undisputed WWE Championship belt and takes off his jacket. He sticks his friendship bracelets in his pockets and squares up for a fight, and Rhodes takes off his own jacket.

Punk and Rhodes brawl on the outside of the ring, and Rhodes drags Punk on top of the announce desk. The two men fire off right hands on one another back on the floor, but officials run out to separate the two men. They break free and fire off right hands on one another, but officials pull them apart once again. Punk breaks free and brawls with Rhodes once again, but officials get the two men momentarily separated again until they begin brawling once again as the show goes off the air.