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SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…
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. Its 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 saeid 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 othre 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. as
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 as “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 thru 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 amazing from Raquel, but it wasn’t
enough to win.
WINNER: Ripley in 14:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: That finisher looked risky, 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
