WWE introduces fatal-four-way stipulation ahead of SummerSlam at MSG
New York Knicks player Jalen Brunson makes appearance as Cody Rhodes and CM Punk face Gunther and Sami Zayn in headline bout
WWE returned to Madison Square Garden in New York on Saturday, July 18, for a broadcast of Saturday Night's Main Event on Peacock. The event, traditionally utilised to showcase the promotion's top talent, featured a headline tag team contest that carried significant implications for the upcoming SummerSlam pay-per-view.
Undisputed WWE champion CM Punk and Cody Rhodes faced Gunther and Sami Zayn in the main event. The match was conducted under a specific stipulation introduced by Raw general manager Adam Pearce. Should Gunther and Zayn secure victory, the WWE title match scheduled for SummerSlam would be converted into a fatal-four-way contest.
The stipulation was designed to compel Rhodes and Punk to resolve their internal disputes in order to protect their scheduled encounter at the major summer event. The outcome of this tag team bout directly influences the structure of the championship defence later in the month.
The card also featured the women's tag team championships, with Paige and Brie Bella defending their titles against Lainey Reid and Fallon Henley. In a separate bout, Danhausen competed against Judgment Day's JD McDonagh in a no-disqualification match.
Notable guest appearances included New York Knicks player Jalen Brunson, who appeared alongside world heavyweight champion Roman Reigns. The event was broadcast live on Peacock, marking the promotion's return to one of its most historically significant venues.
