CM Punk vs. Kevin Owens Preview and Prediction For WWE Championship Match on SmackDown
Kevin Owens vs. CM Punk is the shot in the arm WWE SmackDown needed to reinvigorate its main event scene.
The blue brand has been a bit of a slog to watch since WrestleMania season. Cody Rhodes has been a remarkable champion over the last two years, but his storylines have mostly grown stale or overwrought.
Even his highly anticipated feud with Randy Orton wasn't enough to improve his current standing. Their latest interactions have been much better, without Pat McAfee involved to distract from their storied history together.
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Conversely, Punk's jump to Friday nights has been a net positive for the brand. His long-awaited encounter with Rhodes at SummerSlam didn't quite live up to expectations, but the weekly segments were worth the price of admission.
Now, The Second City Saint must face an opponent from his past on his home turf, making for a must-see television matchup on SmackDown.
A Fight 20 Years In the Making
Owen's return from a 17-month hiatus was one of the highlights of SummerSlam weekend. More to the point, his victory at the two-night event set the stage for a match many have salivated over since Punk returned to WWE.
It's no secret that these two men don't like each other. Their brief backstage exchange in December 2023 was enough to leave us clamoring for more. They crossed paths again on Jan 31, 2025, but the gloves came off during their latest war of words.
Punk and Owens referenced their infamous 2006 confrontation in the Ring of Honor locker room and the T-shirt that sparked it. Even more, The Prizefighter took jabs at his performative grandstanding, proclivity for burning bridges, and the way he treated his friends.
Obviously, this could refer to Punk's highly publicized altercation with The EliteโKenny Omega and Matt and Nick Jackson. However, you would have to be specific, as the Chicago native bristled because Owens is also friends with Colt Cabana and others.
This worked so well because it plays up what we know about Punk's time with All Elite Wrestling and what we don't know about lingering animosity his current colleagues may have toward him. That didn't feel like a typical wrestling promo. Their tension was believable, and it made for the best segments of the year.
Kevin Owens Is The Ultimate Underdog
Yes, we've seen other heated rivalries where someone expressed how much they despise Punk. However, this one wasn't merely based on his first stint with WWE or the seven years he spent away from wrestling.
His feud with Owens feels deeply personal. Even more, the Canadian wrestler excels at breaking the fourth wall and exposing another side of the top protagonists. That's also what made his storyline with Rhodes so good back in 2024.
Owens is also the perfect avatar for anyone with grievances about how Punk's post-WWE run went because he's not just a WWE guy. He's famously worked with indie promotions like PWG, CZW, and ROH, and he's a part of the same friend group that founded and inspired AEW.
That makes his barbs feel genuine. These aren't just scripted lines from someone with no connection to that part of the industry. His words are more impactful because, under different circumstances, Owens could've shared a locker room with The Elite.
Even if you believe Sami Zayn didn't get a fair shake as champion, that makes it so easy to root for his longtime friend. It's hard to imagine WWE would fully invest in a Punk heel turn in response to the online outrage over his latest world title win.
The undisputed champion is too popular right now to justify it. Still, his upcoming match in Toronto has allowed him to play a more antagonistic role against such a relatable underdog in his home country.
Predictions for Kevin Owens vs. CM Punk
Expect Zayn to take matters into his own hands and get involved in this match. After all, Randy Orton instigated a brawl with Rhodes to close last week's episode, costing him a shot at the winner.
No matter how close Owens gets to his first world title win in 10 years, it's a safe bet that Zayn will interfere. It's plausible that the two could team up again to end Punk's reign, but we're betting he will actually play spoiler.
It makes much more sense for the champion to retain and keep this feud going. Owens and Zayn are also names WWE will likely keep in the mix for the upcoming men's Money in the Bank ladder match.
Considering his claims of conspiracies to keep him out of the title picture, The Last Real Good Guy has the most well-established motives to attain the briefcase. So, Punk is our pick to win, but he'll have an even bigger target ahead of the next premium live event.
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