By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Night of Champions
June 27, 2026, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, at Kingdom Arena
Streamed live on ESPN Unlimited, Netflix internationally (first hour simulcast on ESPN)
Michael Cole and Corey Graves were on commentary. Cole said there were over 18,000 in attendance. Ring announcer Mark Nash delivered the introductions for the opening match. Jey Uso entered through the crowd. Oba Femi made his entrance via the stage. The Saudi fans popped just as big for Oba as the rest of the world…
1. Oba Femi vs. Jey Uso in the King of the Ring tournament final. Cole said the winner would become the 25th King of the Ring. Oba sent Jey to the corner. Jey threw a punch that Oba no-sold. Oba put Jey down with a shoulder block. Oba charged Jey, who ducked under the bottom rope and headed to the floor. Oba followed and hit Jey from behind.
Oba scooped up Jey, who slipped off his back, and shoved him into the ring post. Jey hit two suicide dives. Jey went for a third, but Oba caught him with a punch from the floor. Oba returned to the ring and performed a shoulder breaker. Oba sold rib pain from a suicide dive that sent him into the barricade.
Oba went for a chokeslam, but Jey slipped away and superkicked him. Oba came right back with a Fall From Grace attempt, but Jey slipped away again and superkicked him. Jey threw more kicks and then hit the Uso Splash, but Oba grabbed him by the throat as he stood up and then chokeslammed him for a near fall.
Oba went for a spear, but Jey superkicked him. Jey threw two more superkicks and then performed a shoulder block to Oba’s ribs. Jey speared Oba and then went up top and hit another Uso Splash. Jey followed up with another Uso Splash and got a two count. Oba sat up and held his ribs.
Jey applied a sleeper hold on the mat. Oba pounded the mat and then stood up and tossed Jey across the ring to break the hold. Oba hit a running uppercut and then threw him across the ring. Oba hit the Fall From Grace and scored the clean pin.
Oba Femi defeated Jey Uso in 8:00 to win the King of the Ring tournament.
After the match, SmackDown General Manager presented the King of the Ring crown to Oba, who shook his hand. Byron Saxton interviewed Oba in the ring. Oba said it felt good to go from being The Ruler to The King. Oba rattled off a bunch of descriptions for himself, and then his music played. Oba held up the crowd while the fans chanted his name. They cut to a commercial break… [C]
Powell’s POV: A good opener. Jey had a mildly suspenseful near fall or two. He maintained his credibility by getting some offense before Oba went over strong in the end. Oba didn’t mention which champion he intends to challenge at SummerSlam, and Cole played up the mystery of which champion he will choose.
Cole hyped SummerSlam for August 1-2 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, at U.S. Bank Stadium… Cole said Night of Champions was sold out with over 18,000 in attendance…
Danhausen made his entrance. The live crowd said “you are cursed” along with his entrance theme. He said it was his first time in Saudi Arabia. He said he recently came into a substantial amount of human money.
Liv Morgan’s entrance music interrupted Danhausen. Morgan walked out onto the stage and said Danhausen owes Judgment Day a lot of money. She threatened that bad things would happen to him if he didn’t repay it. Danhausen cursed Morgan, who slapped him and then made her entrance. Iyo Sky’s entrance followed…
Powell’s POV: Cursed? Do we have to wait to congratulate Iyo Sky for winning the Queen of the Ring tournament?
2. Iyo Sky vs. Liv Morgan in the Queen of the Ring tournament final. Cole said that Women’s World Champion Morgan would challenge the WWE Women’s Champion at SummerSlam if she wins. Yes, the female wrestlers wore gear that covered their arms and legs. Sky dove through the ropes and tried to sunset bomb Morgan off the apron, but Morgan stuffed it.
Sky followed Morgan on the floor. Sky climbed on the barricade in front of a group of excited kids and then performed a crossbody block on Morgan. Sky returned and celebrated with the kids. Sky turned her attention back to Morgan, who ran her into the ring post. Morgan rolled Sky back inside the ring and hit her with a running knee in the corner.
Morgan sat on the top rope and choked Sky while picking her up off the mat. Morgan drove Sky’s face into the mat and then covered her for a two count. Sky hit a step up enzuigiri and covered Sky for another two count. Sky fought back briefly and went for a missile dropkick from the middle rope, but Morgan caught her legs and went for a Boston Crab. Sky rolled over with her and then stood up and performed a double stomp.
Sky caught Morgan with a back elbow. Sky wrenched Morgan’s arm over the top rope and then hit her with a top rope missile dropkick. Sky hit the Bullet Train Attack for a near fall. Sky went for a double underhook move, but Morgan slipped out and hit a Backstabber that sent Sky to the floor. Morgan went for a suicide dive, but Sky hit her from the floor. Sky followed up with an Asai moonsault. Graves acknowledged that the move was made famous by Ultimo Dragon.
Back in the ring, Sky performed a double underhook backbreaker and covered Morgan for a two count. Sky went up top for her finisher, but Morgan shoved her, causing Sky to land feet first on the steps before falling to the floor. Sky sold knee pain. Morgan got her back inside the ring and applied the half crab, which Cole noted was the same move that put Charlotte Flair away in a semifinal tournament match.
The wrestlers traded strikes in the middle of the ring. Morgan took a shot at Sky’s knee. Sky hit her with a palm strike. Sky tried to run the ropes, but her knee gave out. Morgan put her down with a springboard into a Codebreaker before covering her for a near fall. Morgan went for Oblivion, but Sky stuffed it and had Morgan hanging over the middle rope. Sky dove from the ropes, but Morgan moved, and Sky’s bad knee hit the mat.
Morgan went up top. Sky cut her off and performed a top rope Spanish Fly. Sky followed up with Over The Moonsault and got the three count…
Iyo Sky defeated Liv Morgan in 14:55 to win the Queen of the Ring tournament.
Morgan exited the ring. Sky limped. Smackdown General Manager Nick Aldis entered the ring and presented Sky with the Queen of the Ring crown. Byron Saxton asked Sky how it felt to be Queen of the Ring. “I am the Queen,” Sky yelled. Sky pointed at Morgan, who was seated on the floor. Sky told Morgan that she would see her at SummerSlam…
Powell’s POV: A solid match. Sky selling a knee injury added some suspense, and yet I never bought into any of Morgan’s near falls. I guess they didn’t want people to speculate that Sky might opt to challenge her old pal Rhea Ripley if the WWE Champion is healthy, as they wasted no time in having Sky announce that she will challenge Morgan at SummerSlam. I think they got it right with the KQOTR tournament winners.
Cole set up a video package on the Cody Rhodes vs. Gunther vs. Sami Zayn match for the WWE Championship and noted that it would only be available via ESPN Unlimited (for fans in the United States)… Cole hyped the remaining matches. The cage lowered around the ring while Cole hyped the Bron Breakker vs. Seth Rollins match… [C]
Cole and Graves checked in from their broadcast table. They introduced the Arabic broadcast team, who spoke briefly. Graves thanked Pitbull, Ne-Yo, and Afrojack for the Night of Champions theme song…
Mark Nash read through the rules of the cage match. Seth Rollins made his entrance while the fans chanted his theme song. Rollins threw tables, chairs, and kendo sticks inside the cage. Bron Breakker made his entrance. Cole mentioned that Breakker was coming out alone because Paul Heyman was still sidelined. Breakker pulled some weapons of his own out from underneath the ring and tossed them inside the ring. Breakker brought a trash can in addition to chairs and kendo sticks…
3. Bron Breakker vs. Seth Rollins in a steel cage match. Cole said this was the first traditional steel cage match in Saudi Arabia (he later corrected himself, saying it was actually the second steel cage match in Saudi Arabia). Cole said Breakker won his only previous cage match.
Both wrestlers sat on chairs and looked at one another. Referee Charles Robinson essentially shrugged his shoulders and called for the opening bell. Rollins asked what kind of man Breakker is and said they were going to find out. Both men got up and traded punches. Breakker took Rollins down and catapulted him toward the cage wall, but Rollins caught himself.
Rollins tried to run Breakker’s head into the cage wall, but Breakker stopped. Breakker performed three German Suplexes. Breakker picked up Rolilns and tossed him into the cage wall. Breakker slammed a kendo stick over Rollins’ back twice. He set up a chair in the middle of the ring and slammed Rollins’ backbreaker style onto it before covering him for a two count.
Moments later, Breakker appeared to be going for a mid-ring Frankensteiner, but Rollins countered with a powerbomb. Rollins worked over Breakker with a kendo stick until it broke. Rollins ran Breakker into the cage wall three times. Rollins fishhooked Breakker and then slammed his head into the side of the cage several times. Cole asked what it was like to destroy your creation. Graves said he didn’t know because he’d never created anything. Cole said it was a rhetorical question.
Rollins threw chairs at Breakker, who didn’t put his hands up (hopefully they hit his shoulder rather than his head). Rollins went to the ropes with a chair, but Breakker stood up and cut him off with punches. Rollins bit Breakker, who dropped down the mat. Breakker ran up the ropes and performed a Frankensteiner onto some chairs in the ring, then covered him for a near fall.
With Rollins seated on a chair in the ring, Breakker jumped from the ropes and hit him with a clothesline. Breakker yelled that Rollins would regret even saying his name. “You’re gonna die,” Breakker said twice. Breakker swung a chair at Rollins, who avoided it. Rollins tossed a chair to Breakker, who caught it, and then Rollins kicked the chair into his face. Rollins ran toward Breakker for a Stomp, but Breakker speared him and covered him for a near fall.
Cole noted that neither man had attempted to escape the cage. He said it was about carnage and putting the opponent out of his misery. Breakker placed Rollins on a table. Breakker went to the top rope, then opted to go to the top of the cage. Rollins got up and joined Breakker. Both wrestlers sat on top of the cage and traded blows. Breakker raked Rollins’ eyes.
Rollins stood on the top rope and pulled Breakker into a superplex through a table in the ring. Cole noted that Breakker was bleeding from a cut near his eye. Rollins got up first and was looking for a Stomp, but Breakker cut him off with a clothesline. Breakker lowered the straps on his gear before running the ropes and spearing Rollins for a near fall. “Rollins does not quit,” Cole said.
Breakker had blood all around his left eye. Breakker tried to escape through the cage door. Rollins grabbed Breakker’s foot. Breakker kicked him, but Rollins scrambled to stop him from escaping. Rollins put Breakker in a chinlock and then talked smack until Breakker got the better of the obligatory cage door to the head spot.
Breakker went for a spear, but Rollins moved, and Breakker crashed through a table. Rollins hit a Pedigree and a Stomp before covering Breakker for a great near fall. “How the hell did Breakker kick out?” Cole asked. A “this is awesome” chant broke out. Rollins sent for another Stomp, but Breakker put his hand up, and Rollins stopped. The fans booed. Breakker acted like he was breaking something with his hands. Rollins went to the ropes and performed a Stomp before covering Breakker for the three count.
Seth Rollins defeated Bron Breakker in 19:05 in a steel cage match.
Rollins sat on the cage and celebrated…
Powell’s POV: An entertaining cage match, but I’m not a fan of Rollins going over to apparently win what seemed like it was going to be a breakout feud for Breakker. That said, I’m open to the possibility that there’s a storyline reason for Breakker losing. I would hope there is given that Rollins basically said this would be a test to see what Breakker is made of, only for Breakker to come up short.
Sami Zayn was shown taping his hands and wrists while Cole questioned if he could finally get the job done by winning the WWE Championship. Cole also hyped the men’s U.S. Title match… [C] Cole said this was the tenth WWE PLE to be held in Riyadh. He also hyped the WWE Unreal season three premiere for Tuesday, July 21…
Ricky Saints made his entrance to a tame reaction. The fans did cheer along while Saints stood on the ropes and pumped his arms as part of his usual pre-match routine. The fans yelled “Whoop That Trick” while the U.S. Champion made his entrance with Lil Yachty. Graves mentioned that the movie Hustle & Flow was the origin of the Whoop That Trick chant…
4. Trick Williams (w/Lil Yachty) vs. Ricky Saints for the U.S. Championship. Saints attacked Trick while he was still wearing his jacket. The referee looked like a dope for rewarding Saints for cheating by calling for the opening bell. Trick fought back and removed his jacket before throwing kicks at a seated Saints in the corner of the ring. Trick went for the Trick Shot, but Saints rolled to the floor to avoid it.
Saints took the white kendo stick from Lil Yachty and slammed it on the ring steps before lying down on the floor. The referee, who was tied up with Trick, continued to look like an idiot by ejecting Yachty. Trick and Yacthy protested to no avail, and Saints attacked Trick while Graves said it was the most aggressive he’d seen Saints since he arrived in WWE.
Back in the ring, Saints held Trick’s arm while doing his cocky Old School-style rope walk. Ricky put Trick down and then struck his pose while Cole questioned why he didn’t go for the cover. Graves said it was because Saints wasn’t ready to. Saints performed a sunset flip for a two count.
Trick came back with a backbreaker. Saints cut him off with a neckbreaker for a near fall. Saints set up for a move that Trick countered with a backbreaker. Both wrestlers traded punches and kicks in the middle of the ring. Trick got the better of it and put Saints down with a neckbreaker for a two count. Saints performed the Revolution DDT and followed up with a top rope elbow drop for a near fall.
Saints countered a Bookend attempt, but Trick caught him with a Trick Shot and pinned him.
Trick Williams beat Ricky Saints in 10:50 to retain the U.S. Championship.
After the match, Cole said Saints will be a champion someday. Saints approached Trick, who was on the ropes, but Lil Yachty returned. After Saints was put down with kendo stick shots, Yachty performed a People’s Elbow on him. Cole labeled the move a Yacht Drop…
Powell’s POV: Meh. The live crowd never bought into the possibility of Saints winning. I thought the match would be more about Trick giving an obnoxious heel his comeuppance, but he sold for the majority of the match before hitting his finisher out of nowhere.
Cole plugged the NXT Great American Bash for Sunday night on The CW at 6CT/7ET and hyped the top matches…
Gunther was shown warming up backstage. Jade Cargill was shown walking through another part of the backstage area. They cut to a shot of Women’s U.S. Champion Tiffany Stratton walking elsewhere backstage… [C]
Still shots aired from a WWE live event in Saudi Arabia in 2014, followed by shots of various premium live events held in the country. Cole set up a video package on WrestleMania 43 being held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia…
Cole hyped World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns appearing on Monday’s Raw, which has an early 5CT/6ET start time…
Cole congratulated the New York Knicks for winning the NBA Championship as a shot aired of a Knicks replica title belt…
Jade Cargill made her entrance. Tiffany Stratton got a nice pop during her entrance…
5. Tiffany Stratton vs. Jade Cargill for the Women’s U.S. Championship. The wrestlers and referee Daphanie LaShaunn wore gear that covered their arms and legs. Stratton’s gear had a butterfly design on her chest and back. Jade was the early aggressor. Jade did pushups while Stratton was down in a corner of the ring. Stratton got up and threw some punches, but Jade put her down with a Sidewalk Slam for a near fall.
Stratton came back with a handspring elbow. She went for another handspring move, but Jade caught her and set up for a Jaded, but Stratton rolled out of it and picked up a near fall. Stratton performed a rolling senton and went for the Prettiest Moonsault Ever, but Jade put her knees up. Jade performed a sit-out powerbomb for a near fall.
Jade set up for Jaded, but Stratton countered with a Stunner. Stratton went up top. B-Fab ran out and distracted the referee while Michin shoved Stratton off the top rope. Jade chokeslammed Stratton for a near fall.
Chelsea Green emerged from underneath the ring and roughed up B-Fab and Michin on the floor. Green picked up the title belt and smiled. Jade grabbed her from behind. Stratton rolled up Jade for a two count, but then Jade put her down with a pump kick. Jade got Green in the ring. She looked down at the title belt in the ring while the referee was distracted.
Charlotte Flair showed up and grabbed the title belt before Jade could. Yes, all of the women who showed up wore gear that covered their arms and legs. Flair hit Jade with the title belt. Stratton hit the Prettiest Moonsault Ever and got the three count.
Tiffany Stratton beat Jade Cargill in 7:35 to retain the Women’s U.S. Championship.
Stratton and Green celebrated on the entrance ramp while Flair stayed at ringside…
Powell’s POV: A bad TV finish for a premium live event match. On the bright side, all signs seem to point to a Flair vs. Jade match at SummerSlam.
WWE Champion Cody Rhodes was shown warming up in a ring… [C]
The broadcast team hyped SummerSlam. A graphic was shown for Liv Morgan vs. Iyo Sky for the Women’s World Championship…
Highlights aired of the King and Queen of the Ring finishes with the Arabic broadcast team’s call…
The pre-show crew of Joe Tessitore, Big E, and Peter Rosenberg checked in briefly from a studio. Cole said we’d hear more from the trio during the post-show…
Powell’s POV: Tessitore’s white suit made him look like he was cosplaying as Armando Estrada.
Sami Zayn made his entrance dressed in a thobe and a keffiyeh. Sami yelled about his ride or die fans. Cole said Zayn is a proud Muslim, and there’s a love affair whenever he comes to Saudi Arabia. Gunther’s entrance followed. WWE Champion Cody Rhodes made the final entrance and was cheered. The fans sang along loudly with his entrance theme…
6. Cody Rhodes vs. Gunther vs. Sami Zayn in a Triple Threat for the WWE Championship. Mark Nash delivered in-ring introductions for the championship match. Dan Engler was the referee. Cole said this was Zayn’s tenth opportunity for a world championship. Graves said if Zayn fails to win the title in his tenth attempt, this could be it for him.
Gunther used big chops to put both men down. Cody came back with a Cody Cutter on Gunther. Cody powerslammed Gunther and then hit Zayn with a Side Effect. Moments later, Cody hit a springboard double Cody Cutter on both opponents. Cody hit Zayn with a suicide dive. Cody returned to the ring and set up for CrossRhodes, but Gunther countered with a powerbomb and had Cody pinned until Zayn returned to the ring to break it up.
Zayn ran Gunther into the ring steps. Zayn returned to the ring and hit Cody with a Clue Thunder Bomb. Zayn set up in a corner of the ring for his finisher, but Gunther reached in and pulled his legs, which drove Zayn’s groin into the ring post.
Moments later, Cody hit Gunther with a Cody Cutter and had him pinned, but Zayn pulled the referee out of the ring. Cole said it was “absolutely legal” in a Triple Threat. Cody was pissed and motioned for Zayn to join him in the ring. The fans sang the Ole song as Zayn returned to the ring, where he and Cody traded punches. Zayn ducked a Disaster Kick and hit a barainbuster. Zayn covered Cody, but Gunther broke up the pin with a top rope splash.
Gunther powerbombed Zayn and then powerbombed Cody onto Zayn. Gunther set up for another powerbomb on Zayn, who countered with a Code Red for a nice near fall. Zayn went up top and had to jump over Gunther, who went for a Helluva Kick that Zayn ducked. With Gunther hung up in the ropes. Zayn hit Gunther with a Helluva Kick. Zayn had Gunther pinned, but Cody pulled the referee out of the ring. There were some boos.
Cody motioned for Zayn to join him at ringside. Zayn obliged. They fought and cleared both broadcast tables. Zayn got Cody on the Arabic broadcast table and sent for a package piledriver that Cody stuffed. Cody back-dropped Zayn from the Arabic broadcast table through the English broadcast table.
Gunther powerbombed Cody on the Arabic broadcast table, then performed another powerbomb that put him through the table. Gunther threw Cody back inside the ring and followed. Gunther put Cody in a sleeper hold and got him down on the mat. Cody stood up and fell backward to break the sleeper, but Gunther quickly reapplied it. Cody started to fade while Graves noted that the rope break rules don’t apply in a Triple Threat. The referee checked Cody’s arm, but Zayn stood on the floor and stopped Cody’s arm from falling.
Gunther got Zayn back inside the ring and chopped him. Zayn hit an exploder suplex. Zayn followed up with a Helluva Kick and covered Gunther for a great near fall. Zayn pulled Gunther to his feet, only to have Gunther drill him with a clothesline. Cody returned and ran up the ropes before hitting a Cody Cutter on Gunther.
Cody grabbed Zayn, who countered with a Cody Cutter of his own. Zayn set up for a Helluva Kick on Cody, but Gunther grabbed him and put him in a sleeper, which Zayn reversed. Cody hit a double CrossRhodes on both men. Cody went for another Cody Cutter, but Zayn countered into a pin and got the three count.
Sami Zayn defeated Cody Rhodes and Gunther in a Triple Threat in 18:40 to win the WWE Championship.
Zayn was immediately emotional. The referee handed him the belt. Zayn stood up and played to the cheering crowd. Zayn dropped to his knees while Cody was shown seated in a corner of the ring. Zayn was shown celebrating with the title belt in the crowd while being mobbed by cheering fans. Gunther was shown seated on the floor. Zayn went to the entrance ramp and held up the title belt while pyro shot off on the stage.
Zayn looked into the camera and said it had been ten years, and people said he’d never do it, but here it is. The executive producer credits were shown. The referee raised Zayn’s arm. Zayn dropped off the ramp and celebrated with the fans while seated on the barricade as the show concluded…
Powell’s POV: A hell of a moment to close a strong Triple Threat. I love that Zayn pinned the defending champion rather than the other challenger. Will this be a short title reign that ends with Oba Femi beating him at SummerSlam? Regardless, it’s great to see Zayn finally win the big one. My only complaint is that the company really had the announcers and countdown show hosts lay it on thick with all the talk about how Zayn couldn’t win the big one, with Graves even saying this might be it if he failed to win the title on his tenth try. They were so heavy-handed that it felt like that was the focus of the match, which may have tipped off the outcome for some viewers.
Overall, the big title change capped off a good show. The secondary title matches were underwhelming, but the King and Queen of the Ring finals were suspenseful, the cage match was solid, and the main event closed the show with the best match of the night and the big title change. It will be hard for the TNA, AEW, and NXT shows to top Zayn’s title win for the most memorable moment of the weekend. I will be back shortly with my weekly same-night audio review of WWE Night of Champions for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons). Let me know what you thought of this event by voting for the best match and grading the overall show below.
Join me for live reviews of TNA Slammiversary and AEW Forbidden Door on Sunday (Don Murphy’s NXT Great American Bash show will be available after the show airs).
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