What To Expect This Weekend At WWE Night Of Champions
This weekend, the action returns to the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Taking place on Saturday 28th June, WWE Night of Champions is the latest in the lineup of WWE events that have taken place in the emerging hub for international wrestling, having last visited the Kingdom for Crown Jewel in October.
Following the first time the King of the Ring and Queen of the Ring were brought together, in Jeddah last May, the exhilarating night will see the crowning of new royalty in the King and Queen of the Ring tournament finals.Bringing together some of the most iconic Superstars, the epic night will also witness the final chapter in one of WWE’s greatest rivalries, when Undisputed WWE Champion John Cena defends the title against CM Punk at WWE Night of Champions.
Additionally, Friday Night SmackDown will emanate from Kingdom Arena the night before on Friday, 27th June, marking the first time ever that the show will air from Riyadh, streaming live on Netflix, in most markets around the world.
As the weekend draws nearer, stay tuned for the latest line-up, surprise appearances and unstoppable action set to take place.
The match card for this event includes:
- Undisputed WWE Champion John Cena vs. CM Punk
Having already retained the title against Randy Orton after winning it from Cody Rhodes on his farewell tour, the self-professed “Last Real Champion” has promised to ruin wrestling by taking the title with him when he leaves.
The pledge is reminiscent of when Punk took the WWE Championship in 2011 after beating Cena to win the title, but The Second City Saint maintains that he was trying to save WWE and not ruin it. Now, he will look to save it once more when he goes to war against his longtime rival in a match that the WWE Universe has been eagerly anticipating for a long time.
- United States Champion Jacob Fatu vs. Solo Sikoa
United States Champion Jacob Fatu with take on his former ally Solo Sikoa in a highly personal title showdown.
Although Fatu captured the United States Title, Solo seemed to feel he was superior to The Samoan Werewolf, bringing in JC Mateo without Fatu knowing and belittling the titleholder behind his back. After Fatu overheard one of these digs, he had enough and ultimately cost Sikoa his opportunity to capture the Money in the Bank contract.
- Queen of the Ring Final – Asuka vs. Jade Cargill
The Empress of Tomorrow will collide with The Storm in the Queen of the Ring Final at WWE Night of Champions.After each won an explosive Fatal 4-Way Match in the first round of the tournament, Cargill overcame Roxanne Perez in one semifinal while Asuka took down Alexa Bliss in the other semifinal.The winner of the match will be crowned the 2025 Queen of the Ring and earn a World Title Match at SummerSlam.
- King of the Ring Final – Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton
Cody Rhodes will go head-to-head with Randy Orton in the King of the Ring Final.After each emerged victorious in a first-round Fatal 4-Way Match, Orton went on to defeat Sami Zayn in one semifinal while Rhodes triumphed over Jey Uso in the other semifinal to earn the right to battle each other. The winner of that showdown will be crowned the 2025 King of the Ring and earn a World Title Match at SummerSlam.
- Rhea Ripley vs. Raquel Rodriguez – Street Fight
The Eradicator has been at odds with Rodriguez ever since the latter returned and aligned with Ripley’s longtime rival, Liv Morgan, as the two usurped Mami’s spot in the Judgment Day and brutalized her on several occasions.
The two were at odds again in the Queen of the Ring Tournament when Ripley cost Rodriguez a chance at the crown, sparking a huge fight between the two that also included Roxanne Perez. Ripley challenged Rodriguez to a Street Fight, and it is destined to be a ferocious affair between two of the most destructive WWE Superstars.
- Sami Zayn vs. Karrion Kross
At WWE Night of Champions, Sami Zayn will look to shut the mouth of Karrion Kross once and for all. Kross has been badgering Zayn for months, constantly mocking him for failing to become a world champion. After Zayn’s loss to Randy Orton in the King of the Ring Semifinal, Kross once again poked fun at Zayn, who erupted and challenged Kross to a match at WWE Night of Champions.
WWE Night of Champions takes place on Saturday 28th June and is scheduled to begin from 7PM (KSA) / 8PM (UAE). Watch WWE Night of Champions live across the region on Netflix.
Friday Night SmackDowntakes place on Friday 27th June November and is scheduled to begin from 7PM (KSA) / 8PM (UAE), watch it live across the region on Netflix.