Our WWE Night of Champions results for tonight include the King and Queen of the Ring Tournament finals, featuring Randy Orton taking on Cody Rhodes, and Asuka battling Jade Cargill, Solo Sikoa challenging Jacob Fatu for the United States Championship, Rhea Ripley clashing with Raquel Rodriguez in a Street Fight, Sami Zayn Zayn seeking redemption against Karrion Kross, John Cena defending the Undisputed WWE Championship against CM Punk. Here’s our review and grades for today’s show, live from the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
WWE Night of Champions Card:
- Undisputed WWE Championship match: John Cena (c) vs. CM Punk
- King of the Ring Tournament Final: Randy Orton vs. Cody Rhodes
- Queen of the Ring Tournament Final: Asuka vs. Jade Cargill
- United States Championship Match: Jacob Fatu (c) vs. Solo Sikoa
- Sami Zayn vs. Karrion Kross
- Street Fight: Rhea Ripley vs. Raquel Rodriguez
WWE Night of Champions Results:
King of the Ring Tournament Final: Randy Orton vs. Cody Rhodes
After a long feeling-out process, Rhodes takes control after a dropdown uppercut and a bulldog. Orton kicks out. Rhodes goes up top. Orton cuts Rhodes off and lays in a few strikes. Superplex by Orton. Orton clutches at his back as they land. Rhodes it down, but Orton seems to have injured himself on the move. Orton is hurting. Rhodes notices Orton favoring his back. Rhodes elbows Orton in the back and lands a disaster kick. Kick out by Orton. Rhodes works over Orton’s back. Orton surprises Rhodes with an Orton backbreaker. Orton hurts himself in the process. Rhodes continues his assault as the crowd boos him and chants for Orton. Orton fires up and blasts Rhodes with a powerslam. Kick out by Rhodes.
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Rhodes surprises Orton with a Cody Cutter. Orton kicks out. Super Cody Cutter by Rhodes. Orton kicks out again. Rhodes works over Orton’s back. Orton surprises Rhodes with an Orton backbreaker. Orton hurts himself in the process. Rhodes continues his assault as the crowd boos him and chants for Orton. Orton fires up and blasts Rhodes with a powerslam. Kick out by Rhodes. Rhodes surprises Orton with a Cody Cutter. Orton kicks out. Super Cody Cutter by Rhodes. Orton kicks out again. Orton sends Rhodes into the corner. Rhodes goes up in over, Ric Flair-style, but ends up eating an Orton DDT. Orton calls for the RKO. Rhodes reverses it into Crossroads. Orton kicks at 2.9.
Vintage OUTTA NOWHERE! ? pic.twitter.com/AMmxtTxZvr
— WWE (@WWE) June 28, 2025
Rhodes walks into an RKO. Rhodes kicks out at 2.999. Orton is stunned. Orton sets up the Punt. Rhodes avoids it and locks in a figure-four. Orton reverses the hold. Rhodes rolls to the ropes to force a break. Orton and Rhodes trade strikes, which turned into a hockey fight. Rhodes tries another Cody Cutter. Orton counters with a mid-air RKO! Rhodes kicks out! Orton brings a chair into the ring. The referee takes the chair. While the referee is distracted, Orton removes one of the turnbuckles. Rhodes and Orton take turns trying to throw each other into the turnbuckle. Orton attempts an RKO. Rhodes pushes Orton into the exposed turnbuckle. Rhodes drops Orton with Crossroads and gets the three count.
Winner and King of the Ring, Cody Rhodes!
After the match, Bryon Saxton asks Rhodes how it feels to be heading to SummerSlam to challenge for the Undisputed WWE Championship. Rhodes gives props to Orton, who is walking up the ramp, dejected. Rhodes says that at SummerSlam, he gets the ball back.
Grade: B
The crowd was hot for this one, singing both men’s themes for what seemed like forever. This one wasn’t quite a WrestleMania-caliber match, but it was close to it. Orton and Rhodes told a story in several parts here tonight and built to a finish that saw Rhodes do what needed to be done to beat his former mentor. Rhodes has turned the corner since losing the championship to John Cena at WrestleMania. Cena won’t be able to rely on Rhodes’ silly-good-guy empathy getting in the way this time.
Street Fight: Rhea Ripley vs. Raquel Rodriguez
Rodriguez tosses Ripley around the ring. Ripley tries a few clotheslines, but Rodriguez walks through them. Rodriguez floors Ripley with a clothesline of her own. Fallaway slam by Rodriguez. Rodriguez works over Ripley. Rodriguez ties Ripley up in the ropes and continues her assault. As Ripley tries to escape, Rodriguez brings a few weapons into the ring. Rodriguez canes Ripley. Rodriguez charges in with a chair. Ripley boots the chair into Rodriguez’s face. Ripley escapes and dropkicks Rodriguez out of the ring. Rodriguez gets launched into the steps by Ripley. Ripley clears the commentary desk and puts the desk’s hood across the timekeeper’s area. Ripley tries to suplex Rodriguez. Rodriguez escapes and powerbombs Ripley through the desk hood into the timekeeper’s area.
You could hear the SNAP on that one! ? pic.twitter.com/mlk1Ryc3nW
— WWE (@WWE) June 28, 2025
Rodriguez sets up a table in the corner. Ripley bounces Rodriguez’s head off the ring steps that Rodriguez set up on the apron. Ripley takes off her belt and whips Rodriguez with it. Rodriguez stumbles into the ring. Razor’s Edge by Ripley. Ripley puts Perez in the Prism Trap. Roxanne Perez breaks it up. Ripley puts a trash can on Perez’s head and kicks it. Rodriguez pushes Ripley into the ring steps. Rodriguez sets up her finish. Ripley reverses it into a rana. Rodriguez almost goes through the table, but she puts on the brakes. The table ends up lying across the top rope. Ripley slams Rodriguez’s head into the table. Ripley hits Riptide off the top for the win.
Winner- Rhea Ripley
Grade: B-
As far as street fights go, this one was tame. The finish of this one was creative, but we’ve seen Ripey hit Riptide off the top and not need a table to do it. That seemed like a hat on a hat.
Sami Zayn vs. Karrion Kross w/Scarlett
Kross is in control early, landing a few strikes. Zayn sends Kross out of the ring and sets up a dive. Kross moves, but Zayn flips off the ropes and lands on his feet. Kross surprises Zayn with an exploder suplex. Kross works over Zayn. Zayn leaps over Kross and lands a flurry of offense. DVD by Kross. Zayn kicks out. Kross locks Zayn in the Kross Jacket. Zayn escapes. Doomsday Saito by Kross. Kross calls for the Kross Hammer. Zayn counters with the blue thunder bomb. Kross kicks at two. Zayn struggles to pick Kross up off the mat. Kross slips behind and lands several German suplexes.
Sami Zayn brings the FIGHT! pic.twitter.com/PAiY2inqp6
— WWE (@WWE) June 28, 2025
Kross walks into an exploder in the corner by Zayn. Zayn calls for the Helluva Kick. Kross counters with the Kross Jacket. Zayn struggles to get to the ropes. Kross drops down and puts the hooks in. Zayn almost passes out. Zayn fights to get to the bottom. Kross taunts Zayn. Zayn manages to get to the bottom rope to break the hold. Kross yells at Zayn about learning how to stay down. Kross lays in a series of running clotheslines while demanding that Zayn admit to being a liar. Zayn surprises Kross with a Helluva Kick for the win.
Winner- Sami Zayn
Grade: C
This one felt like a Raw match. You’d think Zayn would have had more fire for someone who has been tormenting him for months. Also, how many times have we seen one of Zayn’s matches end with the same finish?
United States Championship Match: Jacob Fatu (c) vs. Solo Sikoa
Sikoa attacks Fatu before the bell rings. Fatu crushes Sikoa in the corner with a body block. Sikoa falls into the corner. Fatu stomps a mudhole in Sikoa. Sikoa takes over after stopping a dive from Fatu with an elbow to the face. Sikoa works over Fatu. Fatu fires up. Sikoa surprises Fatu with a German suplex. Fatu pops back up, and German suplexes Sikoa. Basement superkick by Fatu. Running hip attack by Fatu. Fatu drops Sikoa with an implant DDT. Fatu lands a swanton. Sikoa kicks out.
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JC Mateo runs down to the ring and distracts the referee. Someone in a hood crotches Fatu on the top rope. It’s Tonga Loa! Loa lands a rope-hanging neckbreaker. Sikoa pins Fatu. Fatu kicks out! Fatu avoids a Samoan Spike and lands a superkick. Mateo and Loa get flattened by a Fosbury flop from Fatu. Sikoa walks into a pop-up Samoan drop. Mateo gets dragged into the ring and hip attacked. Fatu lands his moonsault on Sikoa. As Fatu is pinning Sikoa, someone pulls Fatu out of the ring. It’s Hikuleo! Hikuleo chokeslams Fatu on the commentary desk. Hikuleo sends Fatu back into the ring. Sikoa lands a Samoan Spike and pins Fatu.
Winner and NEW United States Champion, Solo Sikoa!
Grade: B-
The match wasn’t anything special, but the double fake-out finish with Sikoa’s victory makes things moving forward extremely interesting. Fatu is going to be the biggest babyface on SmackDown by the time his feud with Sikoa is over.
Queen of the Ring Tournament Final: Asuka vs. Jade Cargill
Asuka tries to take Cargill down. Asuka avoids several strikes from Cargill and flexes in her face. Cargill throws a clothesline, but Asuka turns it into an octopus hold. Cargill counters with a sidewalk slam. Asuka kicks out. Asuka rolls out of the ring to the apron. Cargill tries a big boot. Asuka avoids it and lands a dragon screw in the ropes. Asuka works over Cargill’s leg.
It's the QUEEN OF THE RING finals! pic.twitter.com/pJLa5iR6QY
— WWE (@WWE) June 28, 2025
Cargill fires up and lands a flurry of offense. Superkick by Cargill. Chokeslam by Cargill. Kick out by Asuka. Asuka and Cargill trade strikes. Missile dropkick by Asuka. Cargill kicks out. Cargill counters the Asuka Lock. Cargill counters that with Jaded, but Asuka turns that into a pin. Cargill kicks out. Cargill turns a knee strike from Asuka into a powerbomb for another near fall. Asuka trips Cargill into an armbar. Cargill turns it into a pin. Asuka kicks out. Big boot by Cargill. Asuka reverses Jaded into the Asuka Lock. Cargill turns it into a pin. Asuka kicks out. Head kick by Asuka. Asuka calls for Empress Impact. Cargill counters with Jaded for the win.
Winner and NEW Queen of the Ring, Jade Cargill!
After the match, Cargill says, ‘Don’t let people tell you who you are; you show them who you are. A storm is coming to SummerSlam. ‘
Grade: C
This one was a bit slow until we reached the finish. Not sure if it was just a style clash, but these two didn’t seem to have much chemistry.
Undisputed WWE Championship match: John Cena (c) vs. CM Punk
Punk and Cena lock up, which leads to a stalemate. Cena body slams Punk and works a rear chin lock. Cena almost runs into a GTS, but he manages to escape and roll out of the ring. Punk and Cena trade strikes. Cena picks Punk up for an AA. Punk escapes and lands a clothesline. Russian leg sweep by Punk. Cena kicks at two. Punk puts Cena in the Black Widow. Cena turns it into a slam. Cena works over Punk. Five moves of doom by Cena, but Punk slips out of the AA and lands a heel kick. Running knee in the corner by Punk. Punk lands a diving elbow off the top. Punk calls for the GTS. Cena reverses the GTS into the STF.
Punk counters with the Anaconda Vice. Cena rolls Punk into a pin. Punk kicks out but walks into an AA. Kick out by Punk. Punk traps Cena in the STF. Cena gets to the bottom rope to break the hold. Punk tries another bulldog, but Cena counters with a suplex. Cena tries the five-knickle shuffle, but Punk kicks Cena in the head. Punk tries a swinging neckbreaker. Cena reverses it into the AA. Punk kicks out again. Cena sets up a super AA. Punk elbows his way out of it. Punk tries a crossbody. Cena catches Punk and rolls into an AA! Punk kicks out yet again! Cena brings the championship into the ring. Cena looks conflicted as the crowd chants No. Cena tosses the championship away and gets hit with a GTS. Kick out by Cena!
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Cena and Punk trade punches in the middle of the ring. Cena accidentally shoulder tackles the referee. Punk lands another GTS. Punk pins Cena, but the referee is down! As the referee is out, Punk calls for another referee. Mr. Money in the Bank Seth Rollins‘ music hits. Rollins, Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, and Paul Heyman power walk to the ring. Reed and Breakker hit the ring and attack Punk. Punk manages to dump both men over the top. Breakker and Reed struggle but eventually slam Punk on the commentary desk. Rollins stands in the ring with the MITB Briefcase. Rollins beckons for a referee. Cena clotheslines the referee as he runs to the ring. Cena rolls into the ring and argues with Rollins.
CM Punk was ready for ONE but not the OTHER! pic.twitter.com/z3O2YlRvvA
— WWE (@WWE) June 28, 2025
Rollins tries to hit Cena with the MITB, but Cena ducks and hits an AA. Reed and Breakker attack Cena. Penta runs down the ramp and brawls with Breakker. Breakker suplexes Penta on the ramp. Sami Zayn appears and makes the save for Penta. Penta dives off the stage and lands on Breakker and Zayn. Reed sets up a Tsunami on Cena. Punk pushes Reed off the top. Cena drops Reed with an AA. Cena and Punk are left in the ring and have a staredown. Punk offers Cena a handshake. Cena and Punk shake hands and hug. Cena’s expression changes, and he tries to low-blow Punk. Punk blocks it and sets Cena up for a GTS. Rollins hits Punk in the head with the MITB briefcase. Rollins Stomps Punk. Cena rolls in and pins Punk for the win.
Winner and STILL Undisputed WWE Champion, John Cena!
Grade: B-
We all know Cena isn’t moving at the speed we are used to at this point. With that said, this was the best match Cena has had since returning to WWE. The match had an old-school feel to it, save for the multiple kickouts after finishers. Unfortunately, when we got to the finish, this match devolved into WCW-level booking with what seemed like 457 run-ins. This has become a bit of a trend in all of Cena’s matches since winning the championship. There is nothing wrong with a finish like this here and there, but there is no reason Cena can’t just cheat to win. Too many bells and whistles.
WWE Night of Champions Review:
Nothing world-breaking happened here tonight. The in-ring action was overall solid, with the King of the Ring final taking the match of the night honors. Jade Cargill won the Queen of the Ring, setting up a title match for her at SummerSlam with Miss Money in the Bank and chief rival Naomi looming with her guaranteed title shot. Though Cargill’s match with Asuka didn’t set the world on fire, we are poised for an intriguing title match at SummerSlam. The main event between John Cena and CM Punk was good until the finish turned it into a bit of an overbooked mess. We have a lot of questions coming out of this show. What’s next for Rhodes after his big win? Will Naomi ruin Cargill’s future championship moment with a cash-in? What do you all think? Let us know in the comments!
Rating: B-
This event is ongoing. This information will be updated as the event progresses.
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