CM Punk is determined to reclaim the WWE Championship after Sami Zayn ended his 67-day reign on Friday’s SmackDown in Mexico City.

Following the main event defeat, Punk took to Instagram Stories with a message about disappointment, gratitude and his determination to keep competing. The 47-year-old made it clear that he sees wrestling as an opportunity he treasures, with another title pursuit already on his mind.

“I lost. 67 day undisputed title run. At 47. I’d like to say that I did it on purpose for my boy @wwejevonevans but nobody wants to lose. Here’s the thing: Winners lose way more than losers do. I don’t have to try again. I get to try again. I didn’t have to come to Mexico. I don’t HAVE to do house shows. I get to. I get to wrestle in front of the best fans in the world in Guadalajara, Monterrey and Mexico City. I don’t have to get the title back. I get to try to get the title back. I don’t HAVE to come to work. I GET TO COME TO WORK. So I’ll SEE you all in Corpus Christi. I will get MY title back. You don’t have to watch. You get to.

BITW”

Zayn’s victory marked the fifth WWE Championship change of 2026, continuing a busy year for the title.

Drew McIntyre started that sequence by defeating Cody Rhodes in a Three Stages of Hell match on the January 9 episode of SmackDown. Rhodes regained the championship in Portland on March 6, before Zayn captured it in a triple threat match involving Gunther at Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia.

Punk then defeated Zayn on the July 6 episode of Raw just outside Chicago to begin the reign that ended on Friday.

During his time as champion, Punk successfully defended against Rhodes at SummerSlam, Kevin Owens on the August 21 SmackDown in Toronto and Johnny Gargano at the August 28 SmackDown taping in Cleveland.

With Zayn back on top and Punk promising to regain the gold, their championship rivalry could have another chapter ahead.

Would you like to see CM Punk reclaim the WWE Championship, or should Sami Zayn enjoy a lengthy reign? Share your thoughts in the comments.