CM Punk won the Undisputed WWE Championship last night, defeating Sami Zayn.
This was Punk’s 4th time winning this version of the WWE Championship (yes, it is named “undisputed” even though there’s another World Title in the company, don’t ask me. Ask Paul.)
It’s his first win of this particular championship since November 20, 2011, when Punk defeated Alberto Del Rio for the title at Survivor Series 2011.
Punk was 33 when he won that title in 2011, putting him firmly in the age group that has typically won it—34. I don’t need to tell you that Punk isn’t 33 anymore, far from it in fact: the current Undisputed WWE Champion is 47 years old.
Punk defeated Zayn to win the title. Zayn is 41. Zayn just 9 days earlier defeated Cody Rhodes in a three-way match at WWE Night of Champions.
Cody Rhodes was 40 years old when he won the title on an episode of SmackDown on March 6, 2026.
Rhodes defeated Drew McIntyre, who won the title on an episode of SmackDown in Berlin this January. He was 40 years old when he won the title.
If you’re sensing a trend here, you’re right.
Read the full piece here: https://www.patreon.com/voicesofwrestling/posts/40-plus-era-how-163173630
