This week’s episode of Friday Night SmackDown featured a huge main event as CM Punk defended the Undisputed WWE Championship against Kevin Owens. Ultimately CM Punk managed to retain the title after Sami Zayn interfered and hit Kevin Owens with the Undisputed WWE Championship belt after Owens refused to hit Punk with it.
After the match CM Punk was walking backwards as he was making his way around the ringside area and video footage shows Punk seemingly tripping on the steel ring steps as he fell to the floor.
Cm punk fainted after Raw went off air
🎥 Beltagi_heelgirlfriend ig pic.twitter.com/GWcPKnqkM4
— ғᴀɪᴛʜ ♡⚠ (@usos_cautionary) August 22, 2026
Another video shows CM Punk jokingly kicking the steps after the fall and then pretending that the steps hurt his foot.
CM Punk suffers a career ending injury as #Smackdown goes off the air💔🥀🥀 pic.twitter.com/tv4NmPuXxQ
— PR1ME🧊 (@Pr1mewrestlin) August 22, 2026
Following his victory on SmackDown, CM Punk posted the following in his Instagram stories:
“Toronto, I appreciate all the love. You were GORGEOUS.
Edmonton on deck. Y’all have some big shoes to fill!
(I know you can do it. Get ready, ’cause you’re going!)”
There are a number of wrestlers on the SmackDown brand who have made it clear they’re looking to step up and challenge CM Punk for the Undisputed WWE Championship. It’s not clear at this point who will be getting the next title shot, but it was reported ahead of the match that CM Punk vs. Kevin Owens was planned to be a one and done match.