CM Punk Wrestles First SummerSlam Match Since 2013

Punk, Drew McIntyre, and Seth Rollins combined for a very entertaining match at SummerSlam

CLEVELAND, OHIO – CM Punk wrestled his first match at SummerSlam in over a decade.

And it exceeded expectations.

With Seth Rollins acting as special guest referee, Punk took the loss in a very compelling match against Drew McIntyre.

Punk looked strong in defeat–hitting a GTS on both McIntyre and Rollins. That was the problem for Punk, who became too focused on Rollins instead of keeping his focus on McIntyre.

This program will continue. McIntyre got his long-awaited victory against Punk, while Punk was able to get physical with Rollins. The three have combined to make this an outstanding program, the type that is so strong that it doesn’t need a title to enhance it.


Some may have wished for more physicality. While part of me expected there to be blood, this is not the end of the feud. I never anticipated WWE having a program around a friendship bracelet, but there is symbolism behind it.

Including Rollins added another element, and McIntyre continues to flourish as a heel. Using Punk to elevate him at SummerSlam was the right choice.


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Justin Barrasso

JUSTIN BARRASSO

Justin Barrasso has been writing for Sports Illustrated since 2014. While his primary focus is pro wrestling and MMA, he has also covered MLB, NBA, and the NFL. He can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com and followed on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.