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WWE NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS
JUNE 28, 2025
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA AT KINGDOM ARENAZ
STREAMED LIVE ON PEACOCK (U.S.) & NETFLIX (International)
Commentators: Michael Cole, Wade Barrett
-They opened with a aerial shot of Riyadh as Michael Cole listed all the big sporting events that happen there. Then they went to shots of the arrivals of Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, Sami Zayn, Karrion Kross & Scarlett, Rhea Ripley, Jade Cargill, and C.M. Punk. The image of Punk got a big rise out of the crowd.
-A preview video aired for the show with backstage footage of wrestlers warming up. It’s theme was that athletes face the “central question: Are you enough?”
(1) CODY RHODES vs. RANDY ORTON – King of the Ring final
Orton made his entrance first. Cody got emotional on his way to the ring. Fans were really really into both entrances. The bell rang 14 minutes into the hour. Cole noted Orton has a 7-3 singles record against Cody Rhodes. Barrett said for many fans, Orton is the “sentimental favorite” to right the wrong of what happened last year with Gunther. Fans were chanting “RKO! RKO!” Cole said there are no words to describe the atmosphere in the arena “as it’s absolutely electric.” Fans were singing and waving their phones with the flashlights on. Orton and Cody soaked up the scene before getting into the action. Orton shoulder blocked Cody to the mat. Cole said they haven’t face each other one-on-one in 12 years, so they’re engaging in a feeling out process.
Orton landed a top rope suplex at 5:00, but then clutched his lower back. Cole and Barrett talked about Orton’s history of back problems. Cody elbowed Orton’s lower back and then delivered a Disaster Kick for a two count. Orton winced in pain.
Orton made a comeback, but continued to favor his back. He scored a two count, but struggled to stand. Barrett said perhaps endorphins are helping Orton cover up the pain. Orton set up a draping DDT, but Cody slipped free and elbowed him in the back. Cody landed a Cody Cutter for a two count. Cody followed with a top rope springboard Cody Cutter for a two count at 12:00.
Orton countered a minute later with a draping DDT that popped the crowd who wanted to see it earlier. He bent over and sold back pain while also playing to the crowd, calling for an “RKO!” Orton pounded the mat as Cody began to stand. Cody blocked it and landed a Cross Rhodes for a near fall.
Cody stood and looked dismayed over Orton’s kickout. Orton then caught him with an RKO Out of Nowhere for a near fall. Orton set up a Punt, but Orton paused and rubbed his face. Cole asked if he was second-guessing himself. Orton psyched himself iup and went for it. Cody recovered enough to avoid it and then promptly applied a figure-four leglock. Barrett called Orton’s pause “a massive gift” for Cody.
Cody and Orton stood and leveled up the pace and intensity with an exchange of wild swings. Orton then countered a springboard Cody Cutter attempt with an RKO mid-air for a near fall that popped the crowd. Orton grabbed a chair from ringside in frustration. Referee Charles Robinson yanked the chair away and yelled, “What are you thinking?” Robinson turned to hand the chair back to a ringside worker. Orton removed the turnbuckle pad and tried to ram Cody into it. Cody blocked it and tried. Orton blocked it. Orton went for an RKO, but Cody blocked it and shoved Orton into the exposed turnbuckle and then landed a Cross Rhodes for the win.
WINNER: Cody in 20:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Lumbering action as expected, but also totally completely effective with the live crowd. Every move, every gesture between moves, was part of a story they told that pulls from their vast history together and individually. Orton playing up an early back injury was a clever way to “explain” the lumbering pace of the action. Orton, especially, was the story here as he vowed to do anything to win, but paused early in a way that cost him when he could have landed the Punt kick. Then when Orton did commit to cheating, it backfired. So while Cody advances to a WWE Title match at Summerslam, Orton has to cope with his betrayal of his own commitment go go for a win at any cost. The action, though, could have fit into a house show main event in 1978 for the most part. That’s not an insult, as it was an illustration of how the basics can really work with a crowd. The only downside here is that fans seemed more into seeing moves than seeing someone win, but given it was two popular babyfaces, it’s more understandable than usual. Overall, because of the effectiveness of the psychology of the match mixed with the lumbering rudimentary moves, it was around that three-and-a-half star range that seemed to be near the ceiling for these two in 2025.)
-Byron Saxton interviewed Cody Rhodes afterward who paid respect to Orton. He said he is well-aware of the arduous path he had to take. He called Jey Uso “the moved beloved character in all of WWE.” He said he knows he now has to face either C.M. Punk or John Cena (or Seth Rollins?). He said he was born to do this. He said Cena or Punk are just holding onto the belt for him because “at Summerslam, I get the ball back.” [c]
(2) RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ vs. RHEA RIPLEY – Street Fight
Cole said Ripley and Rodriguez had a Last Woman Standing match in NXT, which Raquel won. He said since then, Ripley is 4-0 against her. Barrett said some wrestlers when they move to the main roster, they raise their game and others walk on egg shells and struggle. He said Raquel hasn’t been as effective while Ripley has. Cole wondered why Raquel was “poking a bear” by challenging Ripley. Barrett said she wants to make a point. Cole called it a must-win for Ripley tonight since she’s had a rough patch the last couple of months, citing a comment made by Jackie Redmond on the pre-show.
The bell rang 50 minutes into the hour. Cole noted they were in front of a sellout crowd. Raquel threw around Ripley early with power moves. Ripley took over, though, by 4:00 and battered Raquel at ringside. Barrett said Rhea needed just one window of opportunity. Ripley set up a suplex off the table, but Raquel blocked it. Ripley headbutted her to the floor. Ripley flip dove at Raquel, but Raquel caught her and powerbombed her into the time keeper’s area through the announce desk cover that had been tossed here. Fans applauded as Raquel stood and fired up.
Raquel pulled a table out from under the ring. Fans cheered. Raquel slid the table into the ring and leaned it in the corner. Barrett said he’s never week Ripley treated like this. Raquel placed the top of the steps onto the ring apron. Ripley recovered enough to ran Raquel into the steps. Ripley then took off her belt and whipped Raquel with it over and over at ringside and then back in the ring. She followed up with a Razor’s Edge and a roundkick for a two count.
At 9:00, Roxanne Perez showed up and went after Ripley. Cole said she had been recruited into The Judgment Day by Finn Balor. Barrett said it’s “all legal” in a street fight. Perez applied a guillotine on Ripley at ringside, but Ripley suplexed out of it. Ripley pulled a trash can out from under the ring. She kicked the can after placing it over Perez’s head. Raquel picked up Ripley and rammed her head-first dart-style into the ringpost. Raquel then threw Ripley into the top of the ringside steps that were on the ring apron. She followed with a corkscrew splash off the second rope for a two count at 11:00.
Raquel bridged a table in the corner on the top rope. Ripley shoved her into it, though. Ripley and Raquel battled on top of the table. The ref helped steady the table as Ripley set up a move. The table rocked as Cole said he wasn’t sure it would hold them. Ripley then delivered a Riptide for a three count. Barrett said it was an incredible from Raquel, but it wasn’t enough to win.
WINNER: Ripley in 14:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: That finisher looked dangerous, so it’s a relief they seemed just fine afterward. A well laid out and well executed match. Roxanne’s help didn’t ultimately really help much, so that’ll be a talking point on Raw on Monday, presumably. A good win for Ripley and an overall exciting match that filled it’s allotted time well.) [c]
(3) SAMI ZAYN vs. KARRION KROSS (w/Scarlett)
The bell rang 14 minutes into the hour. Cole talked about Kross’s popularity on social media. Barrett said it’s because fans hear what Kross is saying and agree with him. Kross got in early offense. Sami made a comeback and clotheslined Kross over the top rope to the floor. Scarlett gave Kross a pep talk. Kross re-entered the ring and delivered a Doomsday Saito suplex to Sami. Kross took Sami down with an elbow to the chest and scored a one count at 4:00. Cole described Kross’s style as “plodding.” Barrett said he was drawing out the pain and torture. Cole said he seems to enjoy playing mind games with his opponent.
Kross set up a suplex off the second rope, but Sami elbowed out of it, sending Kross to the mat where he landed on his shoulders and rolled onto his back. Kross then hung Sami upside down and hit him. He scored another one count with a soft cover. Cole noted he didn’t mean “plodding” in a negative way. Barrett said Cole seems to enjoy disparaging Kross. Cole said he thinks Kross “is a fry short of a Happy Meal.” Kross mounted Sami, laughed, and punched him. He bopped his forehead. Sami punched Kross from underneath and broke free. Sami landed a clothesline second later, and Kross took a nice flatback bump.
Sami mounted Kross in the corner and punched away at him. Sami leaped off the top rope, but Kross ducked and delivered a Death Valley Driver for a two count. Kross’s cover felt less casual, but short of trying to actually win. Kross waited for Sami to stand and then he applied a sleeper. Sami slipped free quickly. Sami went for a Blue Thunder Bomb, but Kross elbowed out of it and landed another Saito suplex. Kross signaled for a Cross Hammer. Sami ducked and delivered a Blue Thunder Bomb for a two count.
Kross landed a released German suplex and then laughed in self-satisfaction. He delivered another German suplex. Cole noted Kross is a brown belt in Judo. Barrett said he snaps baseball bats with his bar arms. Sami delivered an exploder suplex into the corner. He went for a Helluva Kick, but Kross countered into a Kross Jacket. He wrapped his legs around Sami’s body while locking on the moveSami’s arm dropped twice, but lifted a third time. (That’s an old school way of deciding if someone is knocked out that WWE hasn’t applied consistently over the years in situations like that.) Sami crawled over to the bottom rope and forced a break.
Kross told Sami, “You gotta learn to stay down.” He chopped Sami aggressively in the corner and told Sami to admit he is a liar and that Kross told the truth. Instead, Sami caught Kross by surprise with a Helluva kick for a three count. Cole called it “a miracle.”
WINNER: Sami in 13:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Quite the moment when Cole called Kross’s approach “plodding” and then clarified he didn’t mean it in a derogatory way minutes later. It was a plodding match, but the story underlying the match helped carry the drama. Kross did all of the between moves mannerisms to play into the story of wanting to prove a point to Sami. Sami showed resilience, although I’m not sure I’d characterize Sami winning as “a miracle.” It’s not like Kross has had big wins against big stars in WWE as a defining part of his journey.) [c]
(4) JACOB FATU vs. SOLO SIKOA – U.S. Title match
The bell rang 40 minutes into the second hour. Cole said the U.S. Title has been held by over a dozen WWE Hall of Famers. Solo punched Fatu before the bell, and the ref rewarded him by calling for the bell right afterward. Solo got cocky and danced a bit. Fatu took over. Solo rolled to ringside. Fatu aggressively went after Solo with a quick leaping clothesline off the ringside steps. Then he landed two sentons inside the ring. Fatu leaped through the ropes, but Solo punched him out of mid-air. Solo gave Fatu a uranage on the floor, then gloated in the ring. The ref began counting out Fatu, as Cole explained that doesn’t benefit Solo if he wants to win the U.S. Title. Solo pulled Fatu into the ring and said he should’ve listened to him.
Fatu went for a diving headbutt, but Solo moves so Fatu crashed into the corner turnbuckle. Solo settled in to a chinlock mid-ring at 6:00. Solo then called Fatu “stupid.” He followed by saying he loved him and that he should’ve listened to him. They exchanged mid-ring strikes. Solo overhead suplexed Fatu, but Fatu no-sold it and danced and then gave Solo a back suplex. He followed with a hip attack (that actually looked to have some impact this time). Fatu leaped off the top rope and landed a swanton for a two count.
As Fatu climbed to the top rope, J.C. Mateo distracted the ref. Tonga Loa gave Fatu a spinning neckbreaker off the top rope. Solo made the cover and scored a two count at 9:00. Solo went for a Samoan Spike, but Fatu blocked it and kicked Solo. Fatu then turned to knocked kick Mateo off the ring apron. He the did a running flip dive onto both Matao and Loa. Fatu gave Solo a pop-up Samoan Drop. He again fended off an interfering Mateo. Fatu landed a top rope moonsault. When he made the cover, a new Samoan (Hikuleo) attacked Fatu. Cole said he’s the brother of Tonga. He said they’ve seen him destroy people in Japan and now he’s destroying Fatu. He chokeslammed Fatu onto the announce desk. Barrett said Solo’s army has just grown.
Solo gave a Samoan Spike to Fatu for the win.
WINNER: Solo in 12:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Solo has been awakened as an act lately, so it’s not a shock to see him win the U.S. Title to give him an additional boost of relevance as the leader of his crew, which now has expanded again. The match itself was a solid three-star range battle.) [c]
(5) ASUKA vs. JADE CARGILL – Queen of the Ring final
The bell rang 5 minutes into the third hour. Asuka side-stepped an early Jade kick and then yanked on her through the ropes. Cole said a weakness is Jade’s game is she gets frustrated. Barrett said that’s typical of wrestlers who are bigger and stronger than their colleagues as they’re used to dominating. Asuka landed her signature roundkicks to Jade’s chest. She followed up with a kneebar. Barrett said not a single thing has gone right for Jade. Jade finally landed a spinebuster and fired u. The crowd didn’t respond much. She landed a fallaway slam and then kipped up. Cole said he’s not sure how wise that was on a bad knee, but she pulled it off. (That almost felt like Cole critiquing the ring psychology of Jade’s selling.) The crowd wasn’t into Jade. Jade landed a chokeslam for a two count.
Jade kicked Asuka in the head, then chokeslammed her for a two count. Barrett said Jade is getting better every time they see her. Asuka fired back with a spinning backfist. She landed a running spin kick and then a top rope dropkick for a two count at 6:00. Jade powered Asuka up and landed a sitout powerbomb for a two count. Asuka surpriserd Jade with an armbar and got full extension. Jade leveraged Asuka’s shoulders down for a two count to break the armbar.
Asuka fired up and went for an Empress Impact, but Jade caught her and landed a Jaded for a three count. It appeared Asuka’s shoulders was lifted, though, but the camera angle hid it. The finish was kinda flat as a result.
WINNER: Jade in 8:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: We’re reached the point with Jade where you’re not likely spending every second thinking how inexperienced and tentative she looks. That said, she’s still just not where you’d ideally want her to be at this stage given her big push. If they’re not giving up on Jade, it’s good to give her this win as Asuka didn’t really need it.)
-Raw G.M. Adam Pearce entered the ring and presented Jade with the crown as fans booed. Jade said if anyone doubts you, you persevere through the boos. She said to show them who you are, not let them tell you who you are. Scattered cheers. She said the grind doesn’t stop. She said the storm is coming at Summerslam. [c]
(6) JOHN CENA vs. C.M. PUNK – WWE Title match
They cut to the crowd where a “C.M. Punk!” chant was taking place, with some Cena chants in the mix. Then Punk’s music played. Fans cheered and sang his song. Punk sat cross-legged mid-ring and rocked and soaked up the moment. A “C.M. Punk!” chant rang out. Then it shifted into a “Cena! Cena!” chant. The camera focused on Punk for about 30 seconds. Then Cena’s music played and the crowd roared. Fans sang “John Cena sucks!” They sang it even after the music stopped.
Formal ring introductions then took place. The bell rang 32 minutes into the hour. Cole said this is a renewal of one of the greatest WWE rivalries ever. A graphic said they have a 6-6-2 record against each other and eight title matches. Fans danced in the crowd and sang “Ole! Ole!” They engaged in a test of strength early. Cole said the crowd is goose-bump inducing “and they haven’t done anything yet.” A loud “C.M. Punk!” chant rang out. Punk applied a standing side headlock.
Cena knocked Punk to the mat with a shoulder block and then circled Punk. Barrett said Cena knew he had to use shortcuts and become a different human being to achieve his goals on his return. Cole said he has become a different human being.
They reset and circled each other. Cena kicked Punk in the gut and took over. Punk went for a surprise GTS. Cena scurried out of the ring. Cena took over in the ring and punched away at Punk on the mat. Cole asked Barrett if this was the pace he expected. Barrett said it is Cena’s pace his whole career, and when he controls the match and sets this speed, “he tends to win.” Cena landed a kick to Punk’s forehead. Punk stood and caught Cena with a neckbreaker and a running knee followed by a clothesline. Punk climbed to the top rope and leaped off with a flying elbowdrop. He signaled for the GTS. Cena countered mid-move and applied an STF. Punk slipped out and applied the Anaconda Vice. Cena leveraged Punk’s shoulders down to force a break and then hit a quick Attitude Adjustment for a two count at 12:00.
Punk avoided another AA and then DDT’d Cena. Punk then applied his own STF. Cena grabbed the bottom rope to force a break. They went into a series of counters. Cena delivered an AA for a near fall. Fans chanted, “This is awesome!” and a softer “Fight Forever!” chant. Cena set up an AA off the second rope. Punk elbowed Cena to stop him and shoved Cena to the mat. Cena rolled through on a Punk crossbody and delivered an Attitude adjustment for a two count. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” said Cole.
Both were down and slow to get up as fans chanted, “This is awesome!” again. Cena went to ringside and brought his title belt into the ring. The ref told him not to use it. Fans chanted, “No! No! No!” Cena threw the belt down. Fans cheered. Cena went for an AA, but Punk slipped free and hit a GTS for a near fall at 17:00. Barrett said he was shocked that Cena didn’t resort to a DQ to protect his title. Cole said “maybe he let the fans get to him there.” Both stood as fans chanted, “Let’s Go Cena! / Cena sucks!” punk punched away at Cena. Cena fired back. Cena landed a shoulder tackle. When he went for another, the ref went down. Punk landed a GTS and covered Cena as fans counted well past three.
Seth Rollins’s music played and he walked out with Paul Heyman, Bron Breakker, and Bronson Reed. Barrett said Seth cannot cash in without a referee, and the ref was down at ringside. Cole said it’s an opportunity for Seth to screw Punk tonight. Heyman handed Seth the briefcase. He pointed at the ring as fans continued to sing his song. Breakker and Ree charged into the ring and attacked Punk. Punk clotehslined Breakker over the top rope and tossed Reed to the floor. he slingshot himself toward both of them. He overshot and almost landed on his head. (Yikes!) Reed and Breakker slammed Punk onto the Arabic announce table. Fans chanted “OTC!”
Seth called for a ref. Charles Robinson sprinted to the ring, but Cena gave him a Pounce at ringside. Cena entered the ring and yelled at Seth. Cena gave Seth an AA. Breakker and Reed attacked Cena. Penta’s music played and he came out. (What’s he even doing there, storyline-wise?) He attacked Breakker in the aisle. Breakker overhead suplexed Penta. Sami’s music played and he charged out and went after Breakker. As Breakker and Sami fougth on the floor, Penta leaped off the ramp onto both of them.
Back in the ring, Reed climbed to the top rope to splash Cena, but Punk shoved him down. Cena gave Reed an AA. Cole said had Seth cashed in, it would’ve been a Triple Threat, but now it’s back to one-on-one. Punk and Cena reset and stared at each other and appraached each other like warriors. Punk offered a handshake. Cena shook his hand and hugged him, but then got that look. Cena tried to kick Punk low, but Punk blocked it and set up a GTS. Seth charged into the ring and hit Punk with the briefcase. Cena threw Seth out of the ring and then covered Punk for the win.
WINNER: Cena in 26:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Lots of bells and whistles to cover for the lack of Cena’s athletic output. The story was all over the place, but when it appeared Punk was naive at the end, he was saved by being prepared for the low kick. The announcers framed Cena’s actions as a hint of a start of a babyface turn.)
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