WWE/Getty Images
Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.
CM Punk's Status for SummerSlam Unknown
In the wake of Drew McIntyre's attack last week on Friday Night SmackDown, CM Punk's status for SummerSlam remains up in the air.
On Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News), Dave Meltzer noted it's "touch and go" if Punk will be able to wrestle at SummerSlam.
"It's touch-and-go about SummerSlam," Meltzer said. "They're hoping for SummerSlam. It (the attack on SmackDown) buys them more time. The hope is Punk's ready for SummerSlam—it was not a sure thing. That's the big show, that's where they want it."
It was notable that Punk's reason for appearing on SmackDown, aside from the show being in Chicago, was for him to provide an update on his status after visiting his doctor earlier in the week.
While Punk was on the episode, he never addressed his medical status prior to being attacked by McIntyre. This does give WWE more time in the event the Best in the World doesn't get cleared in time for the Aug. 3 event from Cleveland.
McIntyre will be in a triple-threat qualifying match for Money in the Bank against Sheamus and Ilja Dragunov on next week's Raw. It wouldn't be a surprise if McIntyre won that match and Punk cost him again at Money in the Bank to set up the SummerSlam bout.
Of course, this is dependent on Punk's health status. We will almost certainly know the answer by the end of the Money in the Bank show on July 6.
WWE Keeping Options Open for Rhea Ripley
As Liv Morgan continues to dig herself deeper into the Judgment Day, the anticipation continues to build for Rhea Ripley's return.
Even though there is no definite date set at this point, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select (h/t H Jenkins of Ringside News) reported WWE has "constructed" scenarios for Ripley to slide in and start a program with Morgan as soon as she is ready.
"There had been reports that Rhea Ripley wasn't scheduled for WWE SummerSlam," Sapp wrote. "However, WWE sources had indicated that they have things constructed that Ripley can slide in and return to the program whenever she's ready, even in a non-wrestling capacity."
It wasn't clear how long Ripley was going to be out when she originally relinquished the women's world title on the April 15 episode of Raw. Her timetable would be determined based on whether or not she needed surgery on her shoulder.
As recently as June 7, Meltzer reported (h/t Aaron Varble of SEScoops.com) that Ripley is still rehabbing the injury and surgery remains an option.
It could speak to WWE's confidence in Ripley returning that there are currently no challengers set up for Morgan right now. She hasn't wrestled on television since beating Becky Lynch in a cage match on May 27.
The Judgment Day angle with Morgan working her way into the group is one of the top storylines in WWE right now. Ripley was in the midst of arguably the best run for a women's wrestler in company history prior to her injury.
When Ripley returns to television, it will be one of the biggest moments in WWE this year.
Rumors on 2-Night Royal Rumble
WWE's deal to bring a Royal Rumble, WrestleMania and SummerSlam to Indianapolis included one notable announcement that could lead to another in the future.
It was confirmed that SummerSlam will be a two-night event whenever it is held at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. WWE previously announced the 2026 SummerSlam event in Minneapolis would be two nights.
This plan seems to indicate that will be the schedule for the event going forward, but now the focus has turned to the possibility of a two-night Royal Rumble.
Per Sapp (h/t Jenkins), there are currently no plans to turn the Rumble into a two-night show, but it could easily be adapted into that format.
Even though the current Royal Rumble format with the two 30-person matches taking place on the same show has worked fine since the women's rumble was added in 2018, it can be taxing to have two hour-long bouts on a single night.
With the exception of WrestleMania, which is a show that will always more matches than normal to get as many superstars on the card as possible, the Royal Rumble makes the most sense to be a two-night event.
The main event for each night is already locked in place. You hold the men's rumble on one night and the women's on the other night, then you only need three to four more matches on each night to fill out the card.
Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode below.
