CM Punk's Crown Jewel Plans Take A Shocking Turn As WWE Books Him Against Former Universal Champion

CM Punk is set to face Kevin Owens in a major WWE match before Crown Jewel 2026© NDTV Library

CM Punk and Kevin Owens will go one-on-one on the November 6 episode of WWE SmackDown, just a day before Crown Jewel 2026. SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis confirmed the singles bout during a tense face-to-face segment on October 23, and neither former champion looked ready to give an inch. The match goes down at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, as their fight over the Undisputed WWE Championship rolls on. Neither one is happy with how the title picture turned out, and this latest exchange showed the bad blood is still there.

Will @CMPunk and @FightOwensFight finally settle the score in TWO WEEKS in Brooklyn?! ???? https://t.co/u2ygaeK78p

— WWE (@WWE) October 24, 2026

CM Punk and Kevin Owens will settle their bitter dispute in Brooklyn before Crown Jewel

Aldis made the announcement straight to both wrestlers, so there was no confusion about what comes next in their rivalry.

“Two weeks from tonight, SmackDown. Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York. CM Punk and Kevin Owens, one-on-one,” Aldis said.

Insults got traded during the segment, and their long-running issues came right back into focus. Punk believes Owens cost him the championship. Owens, on the other hand, has argued that Punk's actions stopped him from winning the gold himself. 

Each has a different version of how the title opportunities slipped away, and neither seems willing to take the blame. The match is set for the November 6 SmackDown broadcast, which WWE is taping in Brooklyn ahead of the November 7 Crown Jewel event.

The Undisputed WWE Championship and their previous clashes have kept the rivalry alive

Things between Punk and Owens grew after their August 21 championship match, where Punk successfully defended the Undisputed WWE Championship against his rival. 

Owens later interfered in Punk's title bout against Sami Zayn, which helped derail Punk's attempt to keep the gold. Then Punk returned the favor by preventing Owens from taking the championship from Zayn.

They also crossed paths in the Men's Money in the Bank Ladder Match, but that one didn't put the dispute to rest. The latest face-to-face showed both still think the other guy is responsible for where they're standing outside the title picture.

Owens brings an extensive championship history into this one, having held titles across WWE, NXT and its tag team division, along with the United States and Intercontinental Championships. Now he gets another shot at dealing with Punk directly, and it lands on the final SmackDown before Crown Jewel.