Zayn captured the championship at Night of Champions on June 27, defeating Cody Rhodes and Gunther in a Triple Threat Match (Image via X)Sami Zayn's reign as Undisputed WWE Champion lasted just nine days and a new report has shed light on why WWE opted to end his title run so quickly. According to the latest reports, CM Punk made a stunning return to WWE television on the July 6 episode of Monday Night Raw, capturing the Undisputed WWE Championship in front of his hometown crowd in Chicago. Punk returned after a long hiatus from WWE programming and stepped into the night's main event as a last-minute replacement for Cody Rhodes, who was unable to compete after being attacked backstage by Gunther earlier in the show. During the match, Zayn was defeated by the Second City Saint in the main event to become the new champion. But why was Sami Zayn's win kept so short by WWE? Let's find out.Why WWE opted for a short title reign for Sami Zayn after defeated by CM Punk on WWE RAWIn a disappointing event, Sami Zayn's reign as Undisputed WWE Champion lasted just nine days, and a new report has shed light on why WWE opted to end his title run so quickly. Zayn reached the acme of success after his emotional triumph at the WWE Night of Champions 2026. His win truly became a historic moment for the sport and for communities worldwide, as Zayn became the first Muslim superstar to ever hold the prestigious WWE title. This feat has not only fulfilled a career-long dream but also sparked fresh interest in the financial success of the WWE star.Sami Zayn became the new WWE Champion by defeating Cody Rhodes and Gunther in the main event of the Night of Champions. His victory was met with widespread praise from fans and fellow wrestlers alike. Eventually, after his victory, WWE star John Cena also sent a heartfelt message to the first-time WWE Champion. However, this reign was cut short by CM Punk on WWE RAW after he returned to Television following a long hiatus, where he defeated Sami Zayn. This did not sit well with fans and Zayn himself. During another edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer commented on the frustration and addressed the logic behind WWE’s decision to keep his reign short.Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Meltzer stated, “I saw a lot of people upset about it. This is what it was going to be. The 2 major men’s titles are in the hands of the people who the perception is ‘are the money players’ and Sami’s not in their mind one of those people.” Meltzer assesses that Sami was never viewed internally as someone meant to carry one of the company’s two top men’s titles for very long.As per reports, WWE's creative team had always planned for Zayn's reign to be a brief transitional one. The company reportedly viewed the title change at Night of Champions as a key step in advancing its long-term creative direction rather than the start of an extended championship run for Zayn. In addition to this, it was also revealed that WWE's ultimate objective is to build toward a blockbuster SummerSlam program involving CM Punk and Cody Rhodes, as Punk is believed to provide a bigger marquee attraction heading into one of the company's biggest premium live events of the year. It will now be interesting to witness what CM Punk and Cody Rhodes will bring to the table in the upcoming main event of the SummerSlam program, which is scheduled to start on Saturday, August 1, and Sunday, August 2, 2026. The event will be held at the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.