John Cena vs. CM Punk (Undisputed WWE Championship Match with special guest referee Triple H)
Having each earned the right to call themselves the WWE Champion, John
To ensure that this bout is called down the middle and that there is no outside interference, WWE’s Chief Operating Officer Triple H will serve as special guest referee to personally crown the first-ever Undisputed WWE
For the first time since the title’s inception in 1963, two ring warriors are in possession of the WWE Championship, thanks to Punk’s shocking re-emergence on the July 25 edition of Monday Night Raw. Just moments after Cena had bested newly crowned WWE Champion Rey Mysterio that night to win the title for a ninth time (his eleventh World Title overall), a smirking Punk confidently strode down the entrance ramp to offer his own unique form of congratulations to The Champ – by confronting Cena and holding his own WWE Championship high above his head.
Aiming to provide some semblance of order to this complicated WWE Championship scenario, Triple H mandated the following week that both titleholders clash at SummerSlam, with the victor going down in the history books as the one, true WWE Champion.
At WWE Money in the Bank – held in his hometown on what was believed to be his final night as a WWE Superstar – Punk accomplished what many believed to be an impossible feat. Despite Mr. McMahon’s best efforts to ensure that The Second City Savior would not leave WWE with its most cherished prize fastened around his waist, Punk ultimately finished off The Cenation Commander-in-Chief with a Go to Sleep to ensnare the coveted title before vanishing from WWE forever … or so we thought.
With Punk’s controversial victory and subsequent departure seeming to vacate the WWE Title, The Chairman scheduled a tournament to establish a new champion. Although the tournament was successful in naming a new WWE Champion in Rey Mysterio the following week, it would come to be known as Mr. McMahon’s final executive decision. Citing a vote of no confidence from WWE’s Board of Directors, Triple H relieved his father-in-law of his duties, revealing himself as the new COO of WWE.
In his first-ever “State of the WWE” address, The Game announced the beginning of a new era under his regime. Chief among The King of Kings’ decrees was a WWE Championship Match pitting Cena against The Ultimate Underdog on the same night Mysterio won the title for the very first time. Ever the fighting champion, The Master of the 619 was more than willing to put it all on the line against Cena, whose hustle, loyalty and respect prevailed that fateful night in Hampton, Va. For the second time in as many hours, a new WWE Champion’s hand was raised high in victory.
However, The Champ had little time to savor his incredible WWE Title win, as his victory celebration was crashed by the returning Straight Edge Superstar, who made it abundantly clear to the WWE Universe that “the best in the world” was back to question the legitimacy of Cena’s reign. However, with The Cerebral Assassin officiating, such questions will indeed be answered at SummerSlam.
Will CM Punk solidify himself as the undisputed WWE Champion? Or will John Cena make The Second City Savior regret stepping back into a WWE ring? To find out, tune in to SummerSlam, August 14, live on pay-per-view.
