Chairshot Wrestling News Report: Sami Zayn Fires Back At CM Punk, Jack Perry Contract Watch & AEW Dynamite Preview (7/8/2026)

Sami Zayn fires back at CM Punk, Jack Perry’s AEW contract remains unsigned, NXT sets new contenders, and more!

Welcome to The Chairshot Wrestling News Morning Report for July 8, 2026, bringing you the biggest wrestling news stories, results, and announcements from the past 24 hours. Today’s report starts with the fallout from CM Punk ending Sami Zayn’s short Undisputed WWE Championship reign on Raw, then moves through NXT title developments, Jack Perry’s AEW contract status, AEW’s legal fight with Ryan Nemeth, and a loaded Wednesday night slate featuring AEW Dynamite and WWE Evolve.

Don’t miss this week’s edition of Bandwagon Nerds!

Sami Zayn Unloads On CM Punk As Reports Question WWE’s View Of Him

Sami Zayn’s nine-day run as Undisputed WWE Champion may be over, but WWE is clearly not treating the fallout like a quiet reset. In a WWE-released backstage video after Raw, Zayn erupted over CM Punk walking back into WWE after months away and immediately getting the championship opportunity that ended Zayn’s first world title reign. The kayfabe anger works because it lines up with the fan frustration: Zayn finally reached the top after years of scratching for it, only to lose the title in Chicago to a returning Punk in a moment that felt designed to be historic for everyone except Sami.

That frustration has only grown with reports around why the reign was so short. Dave Meltzer said on Wrestling Observer Radio that WWE’s top titles are currently held by performers viewed internally as “money players,” and that Zayn is not seen that way by top WWE decision-makers. Maybe that is true, maybe it is overstated, and maybe it is the kind of backstage framing that gets attached to a decision after the fact. Either way, it gives WWE an obvious story if they want to tell it: Sami Zayn as the overlooked champion who proved he could get there, lost it too fast, and now has every reason to fight like he was robbed.

Jack Perry Reportedly Still Has Not Signed New AEW Deal

Jack Perry’s AEW future remains a situation worth watching. Bryan Alvarez of F4WOnline reported that, as of July 7, Perry still had not signed a new AEW contract and that his current deal is up “very shortly,” though the exact expiration date has not been reported. Earlier reporting had Perry and AEW in negotiations, and there has been an expectation that he could still re-sign, but the longer this remains unresolved, the more interesting it becomes for a former TNT Champion who has already had one of the strangest AEW career arcs of anyone on the roster.

NXT Sets New Contenders As Kendal Grey Retains

Tuesday’s NXT kept the post-Great American Bash reset moving, with Kendal Grey successfully defending the NXT Women’s Championship against Nattie in the main event. Elsewhere, Sean Legacy and Dorian Van Dux won the four-way tag team match to earn a shot at the NXT Tag Team Championship, while Layla Diggs won the fatal four-way to become the next challenger for the NXT Women’s North American Championship. Next week will also feature Kali Armstrong, Lola Vice, and Kelani Jordan in a number one contender’s match for Grey’s NXT Women’s Championship, keeping the women’s division at the center of the brand.

WWE NXT Quick Results And Fallout

• Kendal Grey defeated Nattie to retain the NXT Women’s Championship.
• Sean Legacy and Dorian Van Dux won the four-way tag team number one contender’s match.
• Layla Diggs won the fatal four-way to become number one contender to the NXT Women’s North American Championship.
• Keanu Carver defeated Tank Ledger.
• Niko Vance defeated Shiloh Hill before Shawn Spears attacked Vance after the match.

Check Out Steven Mitchell’s WWE NXT Coverage!

AEW Reportedly Faces Locker Room Pushback Over Potential WWE Arrivals

The possibility of more former WWE names landing in AEW is reportedly not being met with universal enthusiasm backstage. According to reporting relayed by 411Mania, some people in AEW are not thrilled about the idea of names like The New Day and possibly Sheamus joining the company, not because of personal issues with them, but because of concern over more established outside names taking spots from wrestlers already on the roster or younger talent trying to rise. It is a familiar AEW tension: star power helps the company, but roster depth only matters if people believe there is room to move.

Judge Rules AEW Cannot Fully Seal Ryan Nemeth Contracts

AEW received a partial ruling in its ongoing arbitration-related dispute involving Ryan Nemeth, with a judge ruling that the company cannot fully seal three of Nemeth’s wrestler contracts from public view. Fightful reported that AEW had moved to seal the contracts in the arbitration matter, but the ruling requires redacted versions rather than allowing the documents to be completely hidden. It is not the kind of story that changes television tonight, but it is another reminder that AEW’s backstage and legal issues continue to create off-screen headlines.

Kevin Owens Teases Possible WWE Return

Kevin Owens added some fuel to return speculation with a cryptic social media post featuring The Boogeyman holding a clock. Owens has not provided additional context, but the obvious fan interpretation is that the clock may be ticking toward his WWE comeback after a long absence tied to neck surgery and recovery. It may be nothing, because cryptic wrestling posts are practically their own genre now, but with SummerSlam season approaching, Owens is a name worth keeping an eye on.

Tonight’s Watch List

Wednesday’s biggest in-ring attraction is AEW Dynamite: Beach Break, headlined by MJF defending the AEW World Championship against Kenny Omega in Clearwater, Florida. The show is also advertised to include Konosuke Takeshita vs. Kyle Fletcher, giving AEW a strong one-two punch at the top of the card and a chance to build momentum heading deeper into its summer schedule.

WWE also has WWE Evolve airing Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on Tubi. WWE’s weekly schedule confirms the show’s Wednesday night slot, while the July 8 episode is centered around Nikkita Lyons beginning her reign as WWE Evolve Women’s Champion with Big Kat Kita’s Championship Celebration.

Must Read: Chairshot Top 5: Shortest WWE World Championship Reigns

The Sami Zayn story is the one with the most juice because it mixes television fallout, fan frustration, and the kind of backstage reporting WWE can either ignore or turn into storyline fuel. Add in Jack Perry’s unresolved AEW status, NXT reshuffling its contenders, and a major MJF vs. Kenny Omega title match tonight, and Wednesday gives wrestling fans plenty to track before the next report.