Sami Zayn shocks Cody Rhodes to win WWE title at Night of Champions

Sami Zayn walked out of Kingdom Arena with the Undisputed WWE Championship after pinning Cody Rhodes and GUNTHER in a triple-threat match that changed the shape of WWE’s summer plans. The upset gave Night of Champions its defining result and turned the show into a hard reset for the top of the card.

The loss knocked Cody Rhodes off the immediate center of the title scene and gave Zayn the clearest momentum of his WWE run. With SummerSlam set for Aug. 1 and Aug. 2 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, WWE now has a new champion to build around as it moves toward the company’s first stadium event in that city. Rhodes and GUNTHER leave Riyadh with their paths less certain, while Zayn carries the company’s top title into the next stretch of programming.

The tournament finals added even more clarity. Oba Femi defeated Jey Uso to win the 2026 King of the Ring, and IYO SKY beat Liv Morgan to take the 2026 Queen of the Ring. Those victories mattered beyond the trophies: WWE has said both winners earn world title matches at SummerSlam, putting Femi and SKY directly into the championship picture for the two-night event in Minneapolis.

Seth Rollins also left Riyadh with a notable win, defeating Bron Breakker inside a steel cage. The match did not change a title race, but it reinforced Rollins as a major player in the post-Night of Champions lineup and gave the show another outcome with booking value heading into August.

Night of Champions returned to Kingdom Arena in Riyadh for the second consecutive year after WWE announced the event on April 23 in cooperation with the General Entertainment Authority and Riyadh Season. The U.S. broadcast streamed on the ESPN App with ESPN Unlimited, with ESPN also simulcasting the Countdown and opening hour. By the end of the night, WWE had tightened the SummerSlam road map: Zayn as the new undisputed champion, Femi and SKY locked into title opportunities, and Rhodes pushed into a new chase after the biggest surprise of the card.