The landscape of WWE Raw was dramatically altered following Seth Rollins’ legitimate shoulder injury sustained at Crown Jewel. General Manager Adam Pearce confirmed on the subsequent Raw that Rollins required surgery and, as a result, was stripped of the World Heavyweight Championship. A new champion is set to be crowned at the upcoming Saturday Night’s Main Event special on November 1st.
CM Punk, already established as the number one contender before Rollins’ injury, secured his place in the championship match. To determine his opponent, a Battle Royal was held in the main event of Raw, which was ultimately won by “Main Event” Jey Uso. This sets the stage for a highly anticipated clash between two of WWE’s most popular stars, CM Punk and Jey Uso, for the vacant World Heavyweight Title. While both men are fan favorites, several signs point towards CM Punk emerging victorious.
Firstly, CM Punk has a compelling narrative driving his quest for the championship. He originally won the World Heavyweight Title at SummerSlam 2025, only to have it snatched away minutes later by Seth Rollins’ Money in the Bank cash-in. Regaining the championship would provide a “poetic end” to this storyline arc.
Furthermore, a title win could allow Punk to seamlessly transition into a feud with the remnants of The Vision, Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed, who betrayed Rollins and have aligned with Paul Heyman. This built-in story gives Punk a strong claim to the gold.
Secondly, CM Punk as World Heavyweight Champion arguably presents WWE with more possibilities for major, high-profile matches down the line. The potential for dream matches against Roman Reigns or even Stone Cold Steve Austin exists, along with blockbuster encounters against Brock Lesnar or GUNTHER. Feuds with current top stars like LA Knight and Bron Breakker have also been teased recently. While Jey Uso is a main event star, he has already faced Breakker and Knight in singles competition. Punk holding the title opens a wider array of fresh, potentially massive box office attractions, making him perhaps the more strategically advantageous choice.
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Finally, WWE appears to have separate, significant plans for Jey Uso that do not require the World Heavyweight Championship. For weeks, tension has been escalating between Jey and his twin brother, Jimmy Uso. Jey has been focused on his singles career, while Jimmy desires a return to their tag team roots.
This conflict intensified during the Battle Royal when Jey eliminated Jimmy, leaving Jimmy visibly angry. This seems to be setting up another chapter in the ongoing Bloodline saga, a personal story that can proceed effectively whether Jey holds the world title or not. Punk winning allows Jey to continue this compelling family drama without the championship being a necessary component.
With Survivor Series: WarGames just over a month away, the vacant World Heavyweight Championship adds a significant layer of intrigue. The winner of the Punk vs. Uso match at Saturday Night’s Main Event will likely become a central figure in the WarGames scenario, potentially captaining a team against the newly formed alliance of Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, and Paul Heyman, or even against the forces of The Bloodline, making the outcome on November 1st crucial for the direction of Monday Night Raw.
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