SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
WWE NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS
JUNE 27, 2026
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA
STREAMING LIVE ON ESPN+
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves
Ring Announcer: Mark Nash
[HOUR ONE – SIMULCAST ON ESPN CHANNEL]
-Michael Cole introduced the show as they showed an aerial view of Riyadh. He noted it was over 100 degrees outside. They showed Seth Rollins, Bron Breakker, Gunther, Sami Zayn, and Cody Rhodes. Cody was booed as Cole noted that it’s a favorable crowd for Sami. They cut to inside the arena.
-A Paul Levesque video package aired previewing the line-up.
-They went to ringside where Cole said it was an honor to be sitting alongside Corey Graves (as opposed to last night on Smackdown, where he made it sound like a last resort because no one else was available!). Cole touted the crowd as a sellout of over 18,000.
(1) OBA FEMI vs. JEY USO – King of the Ring final
Cole said Jey has a lot of pressure as he has orders from his Tribal Chief to win the King of the Ring and take the WWE Title away from whoever ends up being champion at the end of the night. Fans cheered and Yeeted and danced during Jey’s entrance. Then Oba came out on the extra large entrance stage. Fans chanted “Ohhhh-buh! Ohhhh-buh!” as he strutted out. The bell rang 10 minutes into the hour.
Oba overpowered Jey at the start, but Jey sidestepped him and punched him a few times. Oba staggered, but then shook it off. He checked Jey down and then charged. Jey rolled to ringside to avoid the charge. Oba went after Jey at ringside. Jey slipped out of his grip and shoved Oba into the ringpost. He followed with a dive through the ropes, knocking Oba into the ringside barricade. He did it a second time, but when he went for a third, Oba punched him out of mid-air.
Back in the ring, as “Oba!” chants rang out, Oba gave Jey a shoulder breaker. Cole noted that Jey was favoring his ribs from the dives by Jey at ringside. Oba waited for Jey to stand and then went for a chokeslam, but Jey slipped free and kicked Oba. Oba responded by lifting Jey for a powerbomb, but Jey slipped free and then kicked the back of Oba’s head twice. He climbed quickly to the top rope and then leaped with a frog splash for a one count. Oba powered out and grabbed Jey’s throat and chokeslammed him mid-ring for a two count. (Cole’s mic was somewhat overmodulating throughout this, unfortunately. Not his fault, but just a poor mic set-up. It sounded like he was calling the show. through his iPhone mic or a cheap karaoke mic.)
Oba charged, but Jey caught him with a kick. He followed with two more superkicks and then a spear in the corner. He then leaped off the top rope with a splash. Jey sold that he was hurt upon impact. Both were down and slow to get up. Jey went for another top rope splash seconds later and landed it. Oba kicked out at two. Jey applied a sleeper. Cole noted that’s how Jey won the World Title from Gunther at WrestleMania. Oba sat up and then stood up and then powered out of it. Jey superkicked him again, but Oba followed with a running European uppercut. He hit another and then lifted tossed Jey half way across the ring. He then gtave Jey hit Fall from Grave sitout powerbomb for the win.
Graves said Oba is “headed for Minnesota.”
WINNER: Oba Femi in 8:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: That was the right length. Jey’s offense was mostly generated from avoiding Oba’s own velocity on charges or slipping out of his grip. Oba sold just enough to make it seem like Jey had a fighting chance. Oba came across as a star who you’d want to pay to see and get on the bandwagon for now if you haven’t already. So now the question is does he choose to face Roman Reigns already at Summerslam or is he being set up to face the winner of the WWE Title match later instead. If he does that, will it look like he’s ducking Roman?)
-Aldis handed Oba the King of the Ring crowd mid-ring after the match. Byron Saxton then interviewed him. “It feels so good to go from being The Ruler to The King.” He said Jey can’t beat fate and destiny “and most importantly, you can’t beat me.” He closed with a passionate declaration he is the mountain you cannot climb. Cole said the question is now who would Oba choose to face at Summerslam. “Maybe we’ll find out Monday night at Raw in Atlantic City.” [c]
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL WITH LIVE SHOWS, SHORTS, AND OTHER CONTENT WEEKLY
PWTorch On YouTube
-Cole plugged tickets for WWE Summerslam in Minneapolis, Minn.
-Danhausen made his entrance. He said it’s his first time there “and it has been quite wonderful.” He said he has continued his experiments because recently he has come to have “lots of human monies.” Liv Morgan’s entrance song interrupted him and she came out and shot him an eye roll and then told him he owes The Judgment Day “a whole lot of money.” She said if he doesn’t give it back, a lot of bad things will happen to him. Danhausen cursed her. She slapped him and then headed to the ring.
(2) IYO SKY vs. LIV MORGAN – Queen of the Ring final
The bell rang 34 minutes into the hour. They battled back and forth in the ring early, then Sky took control at ringside. Back in the ring, Liv took over. Cole said Liv rarely shows panic in the ring. Liv leaped off the second rope with a flying axe handle for a two count. Sky made a comeback and attempted a missile dropkick off the second rope, but Liv caught her legs and stomped her. Liv rolled Iyo over and went for a Boston Crab. She leaned so far back that she fell backwards and Sky flipped out of it and double-stomped Liv. Cole said that had to be great scouting by Sky to know that was a new wrinkle in Liv’s offense.
Sky drove Liv face-first into the mat. She blocked a Liv punch and then leaped off the top rope with a missile dropkick that landed. She flipped and celebrated mid-ring and played to the crowd as Liv leaned in the corner. Then she landed double knees in the corner and scored a two count at 9:00. Liv countered Sky seconds later with a back stabber. Sky rolled to ringside.
Liv dove through the ropes, but Sky caught her with a forearm mid-air. Sky then landed a springboard Asai Moonsault onto Liv at ringside. Sky then delivered a double underhook backbreaker for a two count. Liv shoved Sky off the top rope. Sky held her left knee afterward at ringside. Liv stomped away at the knee. Back in the ring, Liv applied a half crab at 13:00. Sky screamed in pain, but crawled to the bottom rope.
They stood and exchanged punches mid-ring. Sky’s leg gave out. Liv landed a Code Breaker off the second rope for a two count. Sky came back and leaped at Liv, but Liv moved, and then Sky cried out in pain over her knee injury again. Sky met Liv on the top turnbuckle and landed a Spanish Fly followed by her Over the Moonsault for the clean win.
WINNER: Sky in 15:00 to become Queen of the Ring.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good match. I’m mostly relieved they didn’t work anything supernatural into the finish regarding Danhausen’s curse before the match.)
-Aldis presented Sky with the Queen crown afterward. Sky admired it. Saxton asked Sky how it felt to be the 2026 Queen of the Ring. She declared, “I am the Queen!” She looked down at Liv at ringside and said, “Liv, I’ll see you at Summerslam.” Cole said Sky made her choice.
-A video package previewed the WWE Title main event Triple Threat. [c]
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
DID YOU KNOW?… You can read an ad-free, silky-smooth-loading version of this website with a PWTorch VIP Membership?
PLUS… Unlock 35+ years of archives including nearly 2,000 PWTorch Weekly Newsletters dating back to the late-1980s, hundreds of retro radio shows from the 1990s, and two decades of podcasts including Post-PPV Roundtable Podcasts dating back to the mid-2000s. It’s an unmatched online library of insider pro wrestling coverage and long-form insider interviews.
ALSO… New VIP-exclusive articles and podcasts throughout the week, fully compatible with the native Apple Podcasts app and most other iOS and Android podcast apps.
CLICK HERE FOR LATEST DETAILS ON VIP MEMBERSHIP
[HOUR TWO – ESPN UNLIMITED]
(3) SETH ROLLINS vs. BRON BREAKKER – Cage Match
Seth made his entrance and threw chairs, kendo sticks, and tables into the ring. The announcers said you might as well do it before the cage door and closed and locked as anything is legal in a cage match. Seth set up a chair and sat on it mid-ring to watch Breakker’s ring entrance. The bell rang 10 minutes into the hour.
They each sat on chairs and stared at each other. Seth went on the attack. Breakker took over quickly with some German suplexes. Breakker slammed Seth onto a chair and scored a two count. Seth fought back at 6:00 and won a battle of a mid-ring exchange. He then clotheslined Breakker twice and took down with a third running clothesline. “What does it feel like to destroy your creation?” asked Cole. Graves said he’s never created anything. Cole said, “It was rhetorical.”
Seth set up a table. Graves noted it takes a lot of time. Breakker recovered and went for a spear. Seth turned and caught Breakker with a boot and then clotheslined him. He threw three chairs into Breakker’s head. He covered Breakker with chairs. Breakker recovered a punched Seth as he sat on the top turnbuckle. He followed with top rope Frankensteiner onto the chairs in the ring leading to a near fall at 10:00.
Breakker took Seth down with a flying clothesline as Seth sat on a chair mid-ring. Some fans chanted, “This is awesome!” Bron trash-talked Seth and said if he ever speaks his name again, “You are going to die!” He put Seth’s head in a chair and swung another chair, but Seth moved. Graves said that would have ended Seth’s career if it connected. Seth then kicked a chair into Breakker’s head. Seth set up a stomp, but Breakker speared him instead for a near fall.
Breakker put Seth on a table and then climbed to the top rope. He paused, smiled, and climbed to the top of the cage. Seth sat up and then climbed up to meet Breakker on the top. While standing on the top rope, Seth superplexed Breakker off the top of the cage through the table. Fans chanted, “Holy shit!” Both were slow to get up. Breakker was bleeding from his forehead pretty heavily at this point
Seth charged, but Breakker clohtheslined him. He let out a yell and hit a spear for a near fall. Breakker sat up, looking shocked at the kickout. Breakker crawled out the doorway, but Seth grabbed his boot and held him back. Seth then put him in a chinlock wrapped in the ropes. “Come on Breakker, finish the fight! Who are you! Find out who you are!” Breakker yanked the cage door into Seth’s head. Seth sold the soft impact like he was hit with a sledgehammer. Breakker went for a spear, but Seth side-stepped him and sent him into a table leaning in the corner. Seth then landed a Pedigree and a Stomp for a dramatic near fall. “How the hell did Breakker kick out?!” asked Cole. He said now Seth was demoralized, trying to figure out what it would take to put Breakker away.
Seth landed a top rope stomp to the back of Breakker’s head and scored a three count. Cole said Seth has put Breakker and The Vision behind him. Cole touted Breakker’s effort and said he was ready for the moment, but Seth ultimately got the win. Cole said Seth can now climb any mountain he wants to climb.
WINNER: Rollins in 19:00.
(Keller’s Analyiss: An intense cage match with big spots and dramatic near falls. It’s interesting to see WWE put Seth over Breakker here clean. It feels like a sign of Breakker losing some standing as a sure-fire next big star, but maybe it’s more of a sign they have big things planned for Seth in the near future. Breakker doesn’t lose here clear if he’s going to be promoted as a heel threat to Oba or Reigns or Lesnar anytime soon, unless the story is that he needs Paul Heyman. It’s still conspicuous that they didn’t mention Heyman’s name in any of the commentary about The Vision.) [c]
(4) TRICK WILLIAMS (w/Lil’ Yachty) vs. RICKY SAINTS – US Title match
When Saints entered the ring, Cole said Saints is overconfident and cocky and that will cost him tonight. Graves said there is a reason he has been a star around the world before he arrived in WWE. Saints struck his poses to his music, then looked around and seemed to soak up the moment a bit. Fans chanted “Whoop that Trick!” as Trick made his entrance.
Saints attacked Trick from behind before Trick took off his robe. The ref rewarded the illegal attack by frantically and immediately calling for the bell 42 minutes into the hour. (This is so stupid. The referee should be portrayed as being in charge of when a match begins, after everyone is ready, and not cave in to a pre-match heel attack. It’s one of the most ridiculous mindless tropes in pro wrestling.) Trick fought back right away. Saints bailed out to ringside after avoiding a Trick Shot. Saints yanked the mic away from Yachty at irngside, hit the ringside stairs, and then fell down and claimed Yachty hit him. The ref turned and ordered Yachty to the back. Trick and Yachty protested. Cole said, “Ricky Saints, a little bit of lying, cheating, and stealing there.”
Saints drove Trick into the ringside barricade and then the ringside steps. Back in the ring, he mounted Trick and punched away at him. Cole said Saints has a great in-ring IQ. Saints controlled the offense for several minutes. Saints landed a top rope elbowdrop for a two count. Saints expressed frustration. Saints set up the Revolution DDT, but Trick broke free and landed a Trick Shot for the sudden three count. Cole said Saints “will be a champion some day.” (Huh?)
WINNER: Trick in 10:00 to retain the US Title.
-When Saints approached Trick from behind after the match as Trick was celebrating, Yachty came back with a kendo stick and hit Saints. Yachty then landed a People’s Elbow. (None of that got much of a reaction.) Cole revised it to a Yacht Drop. Graves said he was going to call it The People’s El-Boat. [c]
-Cole celebrated the history of WWE in Saudi Arabia and then a video hyped WrestleMania there in 2027.
-Cole said Roman would be on Raw on Monday.
(5) TIFFANY STRATTON vs. JADE CARGILL – US Title match
The bell rang 6 minutes into the hour. They battled back and forth early. Tiffany knocked Jade to rikngside and then leaped through the ropes at her. Jade caught her mid-air and then kneed her. Jade gloated after throwing Tiffany back into the ring. Jade charged, but Tiffany moved. Jade caught Tiffany mid-air and took her hard to the mat with a sitout powerbomb.
Tiffany fought back with some forearms out of the corner. Jade whipped Tiffany across the ring. Tiffany fought back again with forearms and then dropkicked her. She followed with a handspring elbow. She landed a basement dropkick next for a two count. Jade lifted her knees on a Prettiest Moonsault Ever attempt and then landed a Sand Storm sitout powerbomb for a near fall. Tiffany came back with a crucifix driver. She lost her grip on Jade’s shoulders and adjusted and got a two count. When Tiffany climbed to the top rope, B-Fab distracted the ref as Michin shoved Tiffany off the top rope. Jade then gave Tiffany a chokeslam for a two count.
Chelsea Green showed up and attacked B-Fab and Michin at ringside. Green grabbed the US Title belt and admired it. Jade pulled Green’s hair. Tiffany rolled up Jade for a two count. Jade hit a pump kick and grabbed Green by her hair and pulled her into the ring. Jade cornered Green angrily. The ref backed her away. Jade went to grab the US Title belt. Charlotte Flair then suddenly showed up at ringside and pulled the belt away. (She traveled to Saudi Arabia ostensibly for what purpose?) She waved at Jade, then hit Jade in the head with the belt. Tiffany then landed a Prettiest Moonsault Ever for a three count.
WINNER: Tiffany in 8:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: The match was clunky and choreographed, but on a curve, it was in the realm of what you’d expect with these two. The finishing sequence was overly contrived. Why were Green and Charlotte, ostensibly within the storyline, in Saudi Arabia if they weren’t on the card? The story is Jade deserved to lose by outside interference since her Baddies interfered first, but the win did nothing for Tiffany. The finish does further Tiffany trusting Green.)
-They showed Cody warming up in an empty ring. Cole said he has “no champion’s advantage” in a Triple Threat match (because of the insanely unnecessary and stupid Triple Threat no-DQ rule.) [c]
-Cole and Graves plugged Summerslam tickets and noted the line-up was beginning to take shape with Sky choosing to face Liv.
-They aired their Arabic announcers calling big moments on the card so far.
-They went to Joe Tessitore, Big E, and Pete Rosenberg previewing their post-show.
(6) CODY RHODES vs. SAMI ZAYN vs. GUNTHER – Undisputed WWE Title match
Sami made his entrance first. Then Gunther. Then Cody. Sami was cheered. Gunther was booed. Cody got what seemed like mild applause. Cole said this is Sami’s tenth chance at a World Title. The bell rang 32 minutes into the hour. Sami ducked a charging Gunther, who flew over the top rope to the floor. Cody and Sami squared off. Graves said Cody was cheered about as loudly as Sami. Cody threw Sami into the ropes and hten leapfrogged him. Gunther yanked Sami to the floor and threw him into the ringside steps. Cody and Gunther battled briefly at ringside. Cody threw Gunther into the ring.
Gunther chopped Cody’s chest in the corner. Gunther raked Cody’s face against the ropes. Sami went after Gunther. Gunther threw Sami to the floor and then went on the attack against Cody. Sami re-entered the ring, but Gunther chopped him out of mid-air. Cody caught Gunther with a cutter. Cody gave Sami and Gunther a double Cody Cutter a minute later. Cole said Cody looked good tonight. Cody sunset flipped Gunther for a two count. Gunther blocked a Crossroads and then landed a powerbomb. Sami broke up the cover. Sami landed a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall at 6:00.
As Gunther battled Cody, Cole said there are whispers out there that Gunther can’t beat Cody and that bugs Gunther. Cody leaped off the top rope at Gunther, but Gunther moved. Cody gave Gunther a Crossroads, but Sami pulled the ref out of the ring by his boots as he was counting Cody’s cover. Cole said it was “completely legal” in this match. Graves said he understands Cody being upset, but it was necessary to prevent Cody from winning. A seething Cody waved Sami into the ring. They exchanged wild swings mid-ring.
Sami landed a brainbuster suplex for a two count, with Gunther splashing Sami to interrupt the ref’s count. He powerbombed Sami and then powerbombed Cody onto Sami. Gunther then went for a powerbomb, but Sami countered with a sunset bomb and scored a near fall that popped the crowd. All three were down and slow to get up.
Sami landed a Helluva Kick, but when he made the cover, Cody yanked the ref out of the ring. Cole said, “Turnabout is fair play.” Sami sat up and looked furstrated. Cody yelled at Sami from ringside. Sami went after him at ringside. Cody threw Sami into the announce desk. Cody cleared the announce desk. Sami recovered and cleared the Arabic announce desk and threw Cody onto it. Sami set up a package piledriver on the table. Coles said it was “Kevin Owens-like.” Cody backdropped Sami onto the English announce desk. The desk collapsed.
Gunther came to ringside and powerbombed Cody through the Arabic desk. He dragged Cody back into the ring and applied a sleeper mid-ring. Cole’s mic, not surprisingly, stopped working. Cody stood with Gunther on his back. Cody leaped backwards to break the hold. Gunther put Cody back in the sleeper a second later. The ref sensed Cody was passed out. Sami lifted Cody’s arm to prevent it from dropping.
Gunther lifted Sami. Fans booed as Gunther cupped his ear. Gunther chopped Sami’s chest. Sami fired back with an exploder suplex and then an Helluva Kick for a dramatic near fall that popped the crowd. Cole said that might have been the last chance for Sami.
Gunther recovered, but Cody gave Gunther a super cutter. He set up a Crossroads, but Sami reversed it into his own. He showed fire and tried to get a rise from the crowd. He charged at Cody, but Gunther cut him off with a sleeper. Sami reversed into his own sleeper. Cody gave Sami and Gunther a double Crossroads. Cody then set up a move, but Sami slipped free and leveraged Cody’s shoulders down for the win. “Miracle! Miracle! Miracle!” said Cole. Cole said in his tenth try, Sami was champion. Sami sobbed as he looked at the belt. He then smiled and held it. He lifted it into the air as fans roared approval. Cole said Sami started the journey in 2002. Cody leaned in the corner and observed Sami in disappointment.
WINNER: Sami in 18:00 to capture the Undisputed WWE Title.
(Keller’s Analysis: Exciting match with good use of signature moves and dramatic near finishes. The Sami win has ramifications, of course, for Summerslam. It seems unlikely Oba would choose to face Sami, as that would seem to be going after the “weaker” champion, out of character for Oba, so they’d have to tell a good story for that. Does this set up Cody getting a one-on-one rematch at Summerslam, or something completely different. Could they get Kevin Owens into that challenger spot in just over a month, given all the mentions of KO lately? I’ll discuss this with Todd Martin and Nick Barbati on the PWTorch VIP Post-PLE Roundtable that will be posted for VIP members on our podcast feed in about an hour.)
DID YOU KNOW?… You can read an ad-free, silky-smooth-loading version of this website with a PWTorch VIP Membership?
PLUS… Unlock 35+ years of archives including nearly 2,000 PWTorch Weekly Newsletters dating back to the late-1980s, hundreds of retro radio shows from the 1990s, and two decades of podcasts including Post-PPV Roundtable Podcasts dating back to the mid-2000s. It’s an unmatched online library of insider pro wrestling coverage and long-form insider interviews.
ALSO… New VIP-exclusive articles and podcasts throughout the week, fully compatible with the native Apple Podcasts app and most other iOS and Android podcast apps.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.