WWE SmackDown Live Updates, Results and Highlights From Aug. 21

Referee Dan Engler took a bump late in the match, introducing a wild and chaotic stretch that saw Owens have a clear win over Punk, but no one to count the fall.

From there, Sami Zayn interjected himself into the match and attacked the champion, but Punk refused to stay down. When the heel insisted Owens use the Undisputed WWE Championship to his benefit, the challenger refused.

That cost him as Zayn rocked him in the face with the title, setting up a Go To Sleep and a CM Punk victory.

After the match, the dismayed Zayn attacked both men and stood tall to close out the show.

A great match that would have been even better without the commercial break in the heart of it, it lived up to the hype thanks to the efforts of Punk and Owens. So much so that the idea of those two running it back on a PLE stage should be at the forefront of the creative team's mind.

The outcome protects Owens by giving him an out, reignites his rivalry with Zayn, and potentially sets up a workrate fan's dream of a Triple Threat Match.