WWE Championship:
CM Punk (c) vs. Cody Rhodes
Grady Hooker (78% accurate for 2026):
Punk’s constantly fighting like a man with everything to prove and like any match could be his last. That’s a very dangerous version of the Chicago native to go up against, even if your name is Cody Rhodes.
Winner: CM Punk
Steve McCleary (69% accurate for 2026):
I’m not going to bet against CM Punk when he’s just won a title. Over his career, injuries notwithstanding, he’s traditionally very good at maintaining an iron grip on whatever championship he holds. Rhodes will be one of the strongest challenges he’s faced, but old man Punk will give it all he’s got in what might be his last title run.
Winner: CM Punk
David Dunn (64% accurate for 2026):
I know it was in Chicago, but CM Punk didn’t come back for no reason. After a defeat at WrestleMania, Punk retreated, regrouped, and returned at the top of his game to become WWE Champion once again. Cody Rhodes, meanwhile, had barely scraped by with the title before finally coming undone in Saudi Arabia. These are two men whose momentum is heading in opposite directions.
Winner: CM Punk
AJ Murtagh (58% accurate for 2026):
Tensions are at a boiling point and something has to give. I think this match will push each man to reckon with who they really are. How that shakes out is anyone’s guess.
Winner: CM Punk
Sammy G (65% accurate for 2026):
Punk and Rhodes are both phenomenal talents and proud champions in their own right.
At WrestleMania, we saw World Heavyweight Champion Punk fall to the younger Roman Reigns. Now, at SummerSlam, could we see a similar result with Rhodes? I’d like to hope not!
Winner: CM Punk
Picks Summary
WWE Championship:
CM Punk: Grady, Steve, David, AJ, Sammy (100%)
Cody Rhodes: – (0%)
Hell in a Cell:
Brock Lesnar: – (0%)
Oba Femi: Grady, Steve, David, AJ, Sammy (100%)
Women’s World Championship:
Iyo Sky: David, Sammy (40%)
Liv Morgan: Grady, Steve, AJ (60%)
Gunther: Grady, Steve, David, AJ, Sammy (100%)
Nick Aldis: – (0%)
Jakob Fatu & The Usos: Grady, David, AJ, Sammy (80%)
LA Knight, Royce Keys & Solo Sikoa: Steve (20%)
The Bella Twins & Paige: Steve, AJ (40%)
Fatal Influence: Grady, David, Sammy (60%)
WWE SummerSlam 2026
Sunday, August 2
10am NZST (Countdown to SummerSlam from 7am)
Netflix (Countdown to SummerSlam on YouTube)
World Heavyweight Championship:
Roman Reigns (c) vs. Seth Rollins
Grady:
Reigns knows what he needs to do to win, he needs to get the monkey off his back and stop thinking about Rollins’ betrayal. As long as he can do that, this is his match to win. Also, never bet against Roman Reigns.
Winner: Roman Reigns
Steve:
Roman has never beaten Seth and that’s burned away at what’s left of his soul. With years of obsession boiling away, and a new Bloodline by his side, it’s finally time to exorcise the Shield demons.
Winner: Roman Reigns
David:
Rollins has long been the asterisk against Roman Reigns’ claim to be Head of the Table. But with the World Heavyweight Championship on his shoulder, and having quelled a Bloodline uprising from Jacob Fatu, Reigns’ path of righting past wrongs leads him through his former Shield brother at SummerSlam.
Winner: Roman Reigns
AJ:
The Tribal Chief has carried the impact of Seth Rollins’ chair shot for over 12 years now. His inability to defeat Rollins clearly eats at Reigns. This will be the moment he rids himself of this albatross.
Winner: Roman Reigns
Sammy:
A wise man once said “never go against Roman in a title match at a PLE”. Sometimes you can feel a change, sometimes it’s hope, but on this occasion, I acknowledge The OTC.
Winner: Roman Reigns
Picks Summary
World Heavyweight Championship:
Roman Reigns: Grady, Steve, David, AJ, Sammy (100%)
Seth Rollins: – (0%)
Interim WWE Women’s Championship, Ladder Match:
Charlotte Flair: Grady, Steve (40%)
Chelsea Green: AJ, Sammy (40%)
Jade Cargill: – (0%)
Lash Legend: – (0%)
Tiffany Stratton: David (20%)
No. 1 Contender’s Match to the WWE Championship:
Finn Balor: Steve, AJ, Sammy (60%)
Sami Zayn: Grady, David (40%)
Human Monies on a Pole Match:
Danhausen: Grady, Steve, David, AJ, Sammy (100%)
Dominik Mysterio: – (0%)
United States Championship:
Baron Corbin: – (0%)
Trick Williams: Grady, Steve, David, AJ, Sammy (100%)
Intercontinental Championship:
Chad Gable: Grady, Steve, David, AJ, Sammy (100%)
Penta: – (0%)
WWE SummerSlam 2026
Monday, August 3
10am NZST (Countdown to SummerSlam from 7am)
Netflix (Countdown to SummerSlam on YouTube)
