The Undisputed WWE Champion competed in the main event after WWE kept his role unannounced
Summary
– CM Punk wrestled in the main event of the August 15 NXT live event in Petersburg, Virginia
– Punk teamed with Tavion Heights and Myles Borne against Jackson Drake, Brad Baylor, and Ricky Smokes
– Punk’s team won after Jackson Drake was sent through a table to close the show
CM Punk gave fans in Petersburg, Virginia, more than the advertised appearance at Saturday night’s NXT live event.
WWE had announced that the Undisputed WWE Champion would appear at the August 15 show inside the VSU Multipurpose Center, but did not reveal what role he would have.
That changed when Punk stepped into the ring for the main event. He teamed with NXT Tag Team Champions Tavion Heights and Myles Borne in a six-man tag team match.
The trio faced Vanity Project members Jackson Drake, Brad Baylor, and Ricky Smokes.
Punk, Heights, and Borne picked up the victory after Drake was put through a table during the closing stretch of the match.
Several NXT babyfaces then joined Punk and his partners inside the ring for a group celebration as the show came to an end.
The match turned Punk’s appearance into a major attraction for the Petersburg crowd, with WWE placing its top champion directly into the NXT live event main event.
Punk had only been advertised for the Petersburg show and did not appear at NXT’s live event in Salisbury, Maryland, the previous night.
CM Punk clips from #NXTPetersburg hugging with Tavion Heights and Myles Borne ❤️ and punching Vanity Project’s Brad Baylor 😂
📸: mryeah3x | IG pic.twitter.com/oRWyvzaYxX
— Teffo (@Teffo_01) August 16, 2026
