Seth Rollins Cashes In, Spoils CM Punk's World Heavyweight Title Win At WWE SummerSlam 2025

It's Clobbering Time

The beginning stages of the main event match featured lots of back-and-forth exchanges and a balanced display of technical wrestling. The Ring General also established his signature chop within the first few minutes of the match.

Play-by-play announcer Michael Cole likened one of Gunther's chops on Punk to a "shotgun blast".

A slow methodical pace soon followed. Punk would counter some of Gunther's arsenal for small bursts of offense, but it became clear as the match continued that the 2-time World Heavyweight Champion had firm control of the match.

Gunther's control of the match was made evident when he executed the Sharpshooter submission maneuver while flexing his bicep in the middle of the ring. More than a dozen chops and a frog splash later, Gunther still maintained control of the match late.

The trend of Punk achieving small bursts of fury rather than consistent streaks of high-impact offense continued into the final stages of the match. Punk kicked out of every powerful chop and a pair of ruthless powerbombs from the Ring General.

The Comeback

"The reluctant Punk will not die!"Michael Cole describing Punk's effort

It wasn't until Punk swept the legs of the confident World Heavyweight Champion while the champion was taunting the crowd on top of the announcer's table that it felt like Punk had a chance to win the match.

Gunther was cut badly at the top of his forehead following the brutal fall onto the announcer's table. Things were finally looking up for the Second City Saint.

Punk, quite literally, smelled blood in the water as a wounded Gunther rose from behind the announcer's table. The 5-time WWE World Champion took advantage of the situation, executed two massive GTS's to the skull of Gunther, and pinned the Ring General to become a 6-time WWE World Champion.

In one of the greatest in-ring comebacks in recent WWE history, CM Punk overcame the odds and slayed the beast that is the Ring General.

Gunther's World Heavyweight Championship reign came to an end at 54 days.

Seth Rollins Strikes With Money In The Bank Again!

As Punk celebrated his unlikely world championship victory in the ring, Seth Rollins' theme music blasted throughout Metlife Stadium. Paul Heyman and Rollins, using crutches to walk, made their way to the top of the ramp to remind Punk of their presence.

Rollins dramatically dropped the crutches to reveal he in fact was not injured. The healthy 2-time Mr. Money in the Bank rushed down the ring to ambush Punk. He cashed in his contract, stomped Punk's head into the mat, and pinned his longtime rival to become the brand new World Heavyweight Champion.

Punk's sixth world championship reign came to an end at just a few minutes. Rollins captured his sixth world championship after defeating Punk in his cash-in. Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed then joined Rollins and Heyman to celebrate the championship together as SummerSlam Night 1 came to an end.