SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
WWE NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS RESULTS
JUNE 27, 2026
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA
STREAMING LIVE ON ESPN APP (U.S.) AND NETFLIX (INTERNATIONALLY)
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves
Ring Announcer: Mark Nash
-Michael Cole opened the show describing the event as they displayed a night time aerial view of Riyadh. They showed split screen walk ups of the competitors who faced off tonight.
-Triple H narrated an opening video package that discussed the importance of the King and Queen of the Ring and previewed the event.
(1) OBA FEMI vs. JEY USO – King of the Ring final
Both competitors received loud reactions from the crowd at the start of the match. Oba Femi immediately established his dominance, flooring Jey with a thunderous shoulder tackle. Jey retreated to the outside, but Oba pursued him. Jey gained his first real advantage by slipping out of a powerslam attempt and sending Oba shoulder-first into the ring post. He followed with two dives through the ropes before being cut off by a forearm on his third attempt.
Back inside the ring, Oba delivered a shoulder breaker and methodically targeted Jey’s back. Jey escaped a chokeslam and answered with a volley of superkicks. He later slipped out of Oba’s powerbomb attempt and unleashed another barrage of superkicks, the first being to the back of Oba’s head. Jey followed with a splash, but Oba kicked out and immediately grabbed Jey by the throat. Slowly rising to his feet with Jey still in his grasp, Oba planted him with a massive chokeslam.
Jey stopped a running corner uppercut with another superkick, then connected with yet another series of superkicks, a corner spear, a traditional spear, and two consecutive splashes. Once again, Oba refused to stay down. Jey cinched in a sleeper hold, but Oba powered his way back to his feet. As Jey attempted one more superkick, Oba cut him off with two crushing running uppercuts, a huge belly-to-back throw, and his signature powerbomb to score the decisive three-count.
WINNER: Oba Femi in 8:00 to become The King of the Ring.
(Hubbard’s Analysis: The action in the match was solid, but the structure was its greatest strength. Jey got enough offense to create drama and give Oba opportunities to showcase his toughness, yet Oba consistently cut off any sustained momentum and asserted his physical dominance. I’m continually impressed by Oba’s mannerisms between moves. He carries himself like a star, and even when he’s selling, he does so in a way that reinforces his aura as a dominant powerhouse rather than making him look vulnerable. That’s a difficult balance to strike, and he does it exceptionally well.
I also appreciated that there were no Bloodline shenanigans. This was a clean, decisive victory for Oba over a former champion and Bloodline member. Assuming this victory sets him on the path to challenge Roman Reigns, it feels like a logical step on the path that leads to Reigns at Summerslam.)
-After receiving the King of the Ring crown from SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis, Oba remained in the ring for a post-match interview with Byron Saxton. Standing proudly in the center of the ring with his newly won crown, Oba delivered a passionate, fired-up promo that had the crowd firmly behind him.
(2) IYO SKY vs. LIV MORGAN – Queen of the Ring final
Danhausen’s music hit, and he appeared on the stage, but his entrance was quickly interrupted by Liv Morgan. Liv reminded everyone that Danhausen owed Judgment Day money. Before Danhausen could put a curse on her, Liv brushed him off and made her usual entrance to the ring, followed by Iyo Sky.
The match opened with a series of basic chain wrestling exchanges before the action spilled to the floor, where Iyo connected with a crossbody from the barricade. The first significant momentum shift came when Liv drove Iyo headfirst into the ring post. Back inside the ring, Liv settled into the heat, delivering a running knee in the corner, a bulldog off the second rope, the Three Amigos suplexes, and an enzuigiri before locking in a chinlock. Iyo battled back to her feet, leading to a strike exchange. Liv countered a second-rope dropkick and attempted to apply a Boston Crab, but Iyo cleverly shifted her leverage and countered into a double stomp, leaving both women down.
Iyo ignited the crowd with a comeback that featured a flapjack, a top-rope dropkick, and her Bullet Train attack in the corner. Liv answered by escaping a double underhook suplex and planting Iyo with a backstabber. When Iyo rolled to the floor, she intercepted Liv’s attempted dive and responded with a beautiful Asai moonsault.
Back in the ring, Iyo connected with a double underhook backbreaker and climbed to the top rope for her signature Over the Moonsault. Liv shoved her from the top, and although Iyo landed on her feet on the ring steps, she immediately sold a knee injury. Liv wisely targeted the damaged leg, applying the half crab she had previously used to defeat Charlotte Flair weeks earlier.
Iyo escaped the hold, but Liv regained control with a Codebreaker variation and continued attacking the injured knee. Iyo finally halted Liv’s momentum with a spectacular Spanish Fly off the top rope before connecting with Over the Moonsault to score the victory and become the Queen of the Ring.
WINNER: Sky in 15:00 to win the Queen of the Ring.
(Hubbard’s Analysis: Solid match. Liv Morgan proved she could keep up with Iyo Sky athletically while adding the nasty, mean-girl edge that has become the foundation of her character. That dynamic gave the crowd exactly what it wanted: a fiery babyface to rally behind and a villainous heel to boo. It was a simple but highly effective professional wrestling formula.
The match was well constructed and executed, and it showcased a version of Liv that I wish we had seen more often during her championship reign. Rather than relying solely on her over-the-top character work, Liv demonstrated that she can also be a credible in-ring performer. Had she been given more matches like this over the past several months, her title reign would have felt much stronger. My only real criticism was Iyo’s knee selling. At times it bordered on being overly dramatic, yet during the closing sequence it was almost completely forgotten. There was very little middle ground between those extremes, making the injury feel inconsistent by the time she hit the Spanish Fly and Over the Moonsault for the victory.)
-Iyo was awarded the Queen of the Ring in the center of the ring. She was interviewed by Byron Saxton where she told Liv she would see her at Summerslam.
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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(3) SETH ROLLINS vs. BRON BREAKKER – Cage Match
Both competitors loaded the ring with weapons as they entered the cage. At the opening bell, there was an intense staredown, with both Bron Breakker and Seth Rollins seated on chairs in the middle of the ring, talking trash before the action erupted.
Bron secured the first significant advantage, overwhelming Seth with three German suplexes, a press slam into the cage, and a side slam through a steel chair. The first meaningful momentum shift came when Seth countered a jumping knee with a powerbomb. The two exchanged strikes in the center of the ring, with Rollins gaining the upper hand by landing a running clothesline. Seth then introduced a kendo stick into the match, repeatedly driving Bron into the cage before throwing multiple chairs at him.
Breakker turned the tide, running up the ropes and hitting a Frankensteiner that sent Seth crashing through the stack of chairs. He followed with a flying clothesline from the top rope onto Rollins, who was seated in a chair.
Rollins regained control with a barrage of superkicks, including a chair-assisted Van Daminator-style strike. Breakker quickly swung the momentum back with a sudden spear before placing Seth on a table. Bron attempted to climb to the top of the cage, but Rollins stopped him. After battling atop the structure, Seth delivered a superplex off the top of the cage through the table below.
Breakker survived the fall and answered with a big clothesline. He then repeatedly hit the ropes to build momentum before connecting with a massive running spear that produced one of the match’s most believable near falls.
Bron crawled toward the cage door in an attempt to escape, but Seth cut him off. During the ensuing struggle, Breakker slammed the cage door into Rollins’ face, leaving both men down. Moments later, Seth avoided another spear, sending Breakker crashing through a table. Rollins capitalized with a Pedigree followed by a Stomp, only for Breakker to kick out in another convincing false finish.
As Seth prepared for one final Stomp, Breakker appeared to be begging off, but instead he defiantly fired up, seemingly accepting his fate, almost inviting Rollins to finish the job. Seth obliged, delivering an avalanche Curb Stomp from the second rope for the decisive pinfall.
WINNER: Rollins in 19:00
(Hubbard’s analysis: This was a very good match that felt much more like a classic WWE Extreme Rules match than a traditional steel cage match. Rather than repeatedly teasing escapes, the competitors focused almost exclusively on inflicting punishment and ultimately defeating one another. It was a refreshing approach that made the cage feel like a weapon instead of an obstacle. The match was also exceptionally well constructed. Every major spot served as a meaningful transition rather than existing solely for spectacle, allowing the drama and intensity to build naturally as the contest progressed. Nothing felt wasted, and each escalation raised the stakes.
I was genuinely surprised that Seth Rollins went over, but I was even more surprised by the manner in which he won. There were no outside distractions, no interference, and no controversial finish. Rollins simply defeated Bron Breakker clean in the middle of the ring after surviving everything Breakker threw at him. Clean finishes in major matches have become increasingly rare, so I applaud WWE for having the confidence to let the result stand on its own.
That said, the finish leaves me with plenty of questions. What does such a decisive loss mean for Bron Breakker, who has been positioned as one of WWE’s fastest-rising stars? And just as importantly, where does this victory leave Seth Rollins as SummerSlam approaches? This felt like a statement win, and I’m interested to see how WWE capitalizes on it in the weeks ahead.)
(4) TRICK WILLIAMS (w/Lil’ Yachty) vs. RICKY SAINTS – US Title match
Ricky Saints attacked Trick Williams before the opening bell, catching him before Trick had even removed his white entrance robe. Despite the ambush, Trick quickly avoided a Ricky clothesline and answered with a big jumping clothesline of his own. Trick capitalized on the early advantage in the corner and looked for an immediate Trick Shot, but Saints wisely retreated to the outside to regroup. There, Ricky pulled out an old Eddie Guerrero classic, pretending that Lil Yachty had struck him with a kendo stick. The referee bought the deception and ejected Lil Yachty from ringside. As Trick argued with the official, Saints took advantage of the distraction to seize control.
Ricky worked a methodical heat segment, first on the floor and then back inside the ring. Trick finally broke the momentum by countering a suplex attempt with one of his own, giving him the opening for his comeback. He followed with a pair of side kicks, a flapjack, and the Book End for a near fall. Saints escaped another Trick Shot attempt and answered with a reverse DDT variation. Trick then backdropped his way out of a Rochambeau attempt before the two engaged in a strike exchange. Trick gained the upper hand with a capoeira kick into a quick neckbreaker combination, but it was only good for another two count.
Ricky avoided another knee strike and connected with the Revolution DDT before adding a top-rope elbow drop. Trick kicked out, survived another Revolution attempt, and finally caught Saints with the Trick Shot to score the victory.
WINNER: Trick in 10:00 to retain the US Title.
(Hubbard’s analysis. It was an okay match, hampered by a crowd that started hot but gradually lost interest during Ricky Saints’ extended heat segment. The pacing never quite recovered, and the audience’s declining engagement was noticeable throughout the middle portion of the match.
There is still something missing with Ricky Saints as a performer. Nothing about his presentation truly stands. He is not big enough or athletic enough to stand out without another defining characteristic and right now he has not found something that sticks and works. As for Trick Williams, many of his familiar shortcomings were once again on display. Several of his strikes were bad, and there were moments where his timing and placement were noticeably off. While those issues remain areas for improvement, they never became significant enough to derail the match. In the end, the match accomplished what it needed to accomplish. It built to a clean, decisive finish that effectively reinforced Trick Williams’ victory while giving Ricky Saints a competitive performance in defeat.)
-As Trick Williams celebrated in the corner, Ricky Saints tried to sneak up behind him. Trick turned around quickly, only to find Lil Yachty standing behind Ricky. Ricky wasn’t able to recover in time, allowing Lil Yachty to hit a slow-motion parody of the People’s Elbow on him.
(5) TIFFANY STRATTON vs. JADE CARGILL – US Title match
The match started aggressively, with Tiffany Stratton using her speed to get the early advantage over Jade Cargill. Jade quickly turned things around by stopping a dive through the middle rope and throwing Tiffany into the ropes on the outside, following up with a stiff knee strike. She then tossed Tiffany back into the ring and connected with a powerful powerbomb, followed by a Black Hole Slam.
Tiffany shifted the momentum with a pop-up dropkick. She rolled through a Jaded attempt and followed with a dropkick to a seated Jade, then countered a powerbomb attempt into a hurricanrana that sent Jade into the corner. Tiffany went for the Prettiest Moonsault Ever, but Jade got her knees up to block it.
Jade regained control with a torture rack into a powerbomb for a near fall. Tiffany answered by countering another Jaded attempt into a stunner, followed by a sequence that ended with Tiffany countering a Samoan Drop attempt into a crucifix driver. However, the pin attempt was awkward, as Tiffany couldn’t fully secure Jade’s shoulders.
The match broke down at ringside when B-Fab distracted the referee while Michin shoved Tiffany off the top rope, giving Jade the opening to hit a chokeslam. Chelsea Green then appeared and took out the Baddies before grabbing the US Title. Jade grabbed Chelsea on the outside, which allowed Tiffany to roll Jade up for a two count, but Jade immediately regained control with a pump kick.
Jade then attempted to grab the championship belt, but Charlotte Flair appeared, using the distraction to hit Jade with the title. That opening allowed Tiffany to finally connect with the Prettiest Moonsault Ever and secure the pinfall victory.
WINNER: Tiffany in 8:00 to retain the U.S. Title
(Hubbard’s analysis. This was not a very good match. The structure clearly aimed for a dramatic, big-moment-heavy encounter, but the execution never fully supported that intention. The spacing between the major spots wasn’t well capitalized on, and several of the moves themselves didn’t land cleanly. Both competitors also struggled with their striking and timing at various points. Many of the transitions between sequences felt more like a walkthrough of planned spots rather than a competitive exchange, which took away from the sense of struggle the match needed.
Given that this was the first use of outside interference on the show, the finish itself wasn’t necessarily a negative. It protected Jade Cargill in defeat while still giving Tiffany Stratton a meaningful victory, which is an important balancing act in a match like this.
That said, the performance raises questions about both competitors moving forward. It is fair to wonder whether Jade or Tiffany will reach a point where they can consistently deliver above-average matches without heavy structure, or whether they will always require tightly planned layouts and especially strong opponents to elevate their performances.)
(6) CODY RHODES vs. SAMI ZAYN vs. GUNTHER – Undisputed WWE Title match
Sami Zayn made his entrance first in a traditional Arab robe and headdress, receiving a thunderous crowd reaction. Zayn fully embraced the positive response during the ringside introductions and was clearly the emotional favorite heading into the match. Gunther was heavily booed, while Cody Rhodes received a more mixed reaction in the early stages.
The match followed a classic “two in, one out” dynamic, with Gunter controlling large portions of the early stages through sustained offense and physical dominance. The pace shifted when Cody countered a Gunther suplex attempt with a backflip escape followed by a Cody Cutter and immediately turned the momentum with a powerslam on Gunther, a side effect on Sami, and a double Cody Cutter on both opponents. Cody continued his momentum with a dive through the ropes onto Sami on the outside before re-entering the ring. Back in the ring, Gunther retook control and delivered a powerbomb, but Sami broke up the pinfall attempt.
Sami’s first major offensive sequence came with a Blue Thunder Bomb on Cody, but when he attempted to set up the Helluva Kick, Gunther stopped him and drove him crotch-first into the ring post. A series of reversals between Gunther and Cody eventually led to a Cross Rhodes, but Sami pulled the referee out of the ring to prevent the three count. This received loud cheers.
Sami later hit a brainbuster on Cody, but Gunther broke up the pin with a top-rope splash. Gunther then powerbombed Sami, powerbombed Cody onto Sami and set up another powerbomb on Sami. On this attempt, Sami countered the powerbomb into a sunset flip bomb for a dramatic near fall. Sami hit a Helluva Kick on Gunther, but Cody pulled out the ref before the three count. This received a chorus of boos.
On the outside, Sami set up a package piledriver attempt on a table. After fighting out of the hold, Cody backdropped Sami from one table through another. Gunther followed up by hitting a powerbomb on Cody onto a table, and then delivered another powerbomb to Cody through the table.
Gunther threw Cody back into the ring, but Cody attempted to crawl away before being caught in a sleeper hold by Gunther. Cody fought out by slamming his weight back onto Gunther, but Gunther quickly re-secured the sleeper. Before Cody’s hand could drop for the submission, Sami intervened to stop the hand drop which prompted Gunther to break the hold.
Sami executed an exploder suplex on Gunther in the corner, followed by another Helluva Kick for a dramatic near-fall. Gunther recovered and set up a powerbomb on Sami, but Cody cut him off with a super cutter. Cody then attempted a Cross Rhodes on Sami, but Sami reversed the momentum and hit a Cross Rhodes of his own on Cody.
Sami set up for another Helluva Kick in the corner, but Gunther intercepted him and locked Sami in a sleeper hold. Sami quickly reversed it into his own sleeper attempt. Breaking the submission chain, Cody hit a double Cross Rhodes on both Sami and Gunther. Cody then set up for a final, deciding Cross Rhodes on Sami. Before he could execute the move, Sami dropped down and rolled Cody up to secure the surprising three-count victory.
WINNER: Sami in 18:00 to capture the Undisputed WWE Title.
(Hubbard’s Analysis. This was an excellent match with an abundance of drama and a surprising, climactic finish. The layout was strong, and the execution was sharp throughout. The match was clearly structured to position Sami Zayn as the emotional babyface, Gunther as the dominant heel, and Cody Rhodes as the established, respected champion who—despite not being fully embraced by the crowd—never crossed into outright heel territory. The pacing and structure allowed each competitor to feel important within the match. Gunther was presented as the controlling force for long stretches, Cody served as the steady, resilient presence, and Sami functioned as the emotional wildcard whose presence elevated the stakes.
The buildup of dramatic near falls steadily increased the energy and investment from the crowd, culminating in a finish that felt both surprising and earned. The closing sequence landed effectively, delivering a genuine shift in momentum at the exact right time.
Even though Sami Zayn has recently been positioned in a more heel-adjacent role in the United States, it was difficult not to view this as a special and deserved babyface moment for him. The reaction suggested the crowd fully embraced the emotional payoff, making the finish resonate even more strongly.)
FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall, this was an easy thumbs-up show. Both King of the Ring matches felt important, and the tournament gave the event a clear sense of stakes and direction. Each match was given the appropriate amount of time to tell its story, and for the most part, the in-ring action was sharp and focused. The drama across the card was consistently high, with several matches effectively building tension through well-timed near falls and escalating sequences. The rougher execution in some spots came primarily from younger, less experienced talent, which is understandable given the reps they are receiving at this level. That said, it is still fair to note a desire for more polished performances, especially when some established and higher-level performers are left off major PLE cards.
The decision to run six matches instead of five also helped the pacing, and five of the six bouts featured clean, decisive finishes. That choice gave the show a feeling of finality and clarity, rather than over-reliance on controversy or overbooking. Most importantly, this event feels like a strong launching pad toward SummerSlam. With a King and Queen of the Ring crowned to challenge the champions, and Sami Zayn emerging as a wildcard titleholder, the road to SummerSlam now has multiple compelling directions. The show effectively set the table for an exciting summer build.
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