WWE SummerSlam 2026 Night Two kicked off with a shocker. The first match on the card was the #1 contender’s match for CM Punk‘s Undisputed WWE Championship, which was initially booked between Finn Balor and Sami Zayn.
Before the match could have started, the reinstated Friday Night SmackDown General Manager, Nick Aldis, came out to make a jaw-dropping announcement of adding a new challenger to the contender’s match and welcomed The Ring General, who shook the GM’s hand. As everyone thought it was a triple threat match, Aldis revealed that someone else would also be added, making it a fatal four-way.
Thanks for the submission!
In a shocking turn of events, Kevin Owens was revealed as the fourth challenger for the match. Everyone was stunned to see The Prizefighter back in action, overcoming a career-ending injury that kept him out of the ring.
All four men delivered a classic performance, but the ending moments of the bout saw things come down between Owens and Zayn after Finn Balor and Gunther were taken out. KO managed to connect a Stunner, pinning Sami to win the number one contendership for CM Punk’s title.
Heading into the #1 contender’s match, Finn Balor was the favorite to win, get flowers for his work, and earn the title shot, but he was completely snubbed.
Here we explore three reasons why WWE didn’t crown Finn Balor the No.1 contender at SummerSlam 2026:
#3. WWE needed to pull a big surprise
WWE indeed needed a big surprise, and what could have been better than crowning the returning Kevin Owens the number-one contender for CM Punk’s World Heavyweight Championship?
Hence, to produce a shocking outcome and revive Friday Night SmackDown for good, WWE pulled the trigger on crowning The Prizefighter as the number one contender for the title, and robbed Finn Balor of his chance of coming close to winning the title.
#2. Finn Balor and CM Punk have already had WWE title matches
The Prince winning the contender’s match would have added no hype to the Undisputed WWE Championship picture, as Balor and Punk had already crossed paths in two high-stakes matches early this year when The Best in the World was the World Heavyweight Champion.
They had their first encounter on the January 19 episode of RAW in Ireland, with the World Heavyweight Championship on the line, where Punk defeated Balor in his home country.
They had their rematch on a big stage as The Best in the World defended his title at the 2026 Elimination Chamber in Chicago. Punk overwhelmed the former Judgment Day member by defeating him once again.
Therefore, their match for the Undisputed Championship wouldn’t be a bigger surprise, as the company had already milked it earlier this year. Kevin Owens vs. CM Punk was a far better option on board.
#1. WWE might want to work on babyface Balor more
Since being kicked out of the Judgment Day and jumping ships to Friday Night SmackDown, WWE has managed to turn Finn Balor into a believable babyface, and fans are finally behind him after years.
Before handing The Prince any big spot, the Stamford-based promotion may be working to make Balor a white-hat babyface, then crown him a champion, giving fans a vintage Finn Balor title reign. Hence, the company did not pull the trigger on crowning Balor as a contender tonight, waiting for the right moment.
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Edited by Angana Roy
