WWE is live from Saudi Arabia this afternoon, as the annual WWE Night Of Champions premium live event goes down from Riyadh, streaming via ESPN Unlimited, starting at 1p/12c. Things get underway prior to that, however, with a two-hour ‘Countdown to WWE Night Of Champions’ pre-show (see video below), which begins at 11/10c.
Countdown To WWE Night Of Champions Kicks Off
‘WWE Then. Now. Forever. Together.’ narrated by Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque gets the ‘Countdown’ pre-show officially off-and-running. The pre-show panelists welcome us to the official lead-in to today’s WWE Night of Champions PLE from Riyadh.
An excellent “cold open” style video package, also narrated by Triple H, airs, before we see the usual Superstar arrival shots as Joe Tessitore gives some background information on each Superstar shown on the screen. We settle at the pre-show panel, which is in a studio with no crowd.
Tessitore welcomes his fellow pre-show panelists, Peter Rosenberg and former WWE Champion Big E. After they do their initial welcome-style banter, Tessitore leads the trio in running down the lineup for today’s show as the official match graphics flash on the screen.
It is confirmed that Oba Femi vs. ‘Main Event’ Jey Uso for the King of the Ring finals will be the opening match of the show. The second bout, which along with the opener, will air live and free as part of the special first hour airing on ESPN.
They kick it to Michael Cole and Corey Graves who are ringside inside Riyadh Arena, which is still empty. Cole mentions it is 112 degrees and extremely hot there. They begin talking about the triple-threat main event title tilt pitting Cody Rhodes vs. Gunther vs. Sami Zayn for the Undisputed Championship.
Cole and Graves send it back to Tessitore, Rosenberg and Big E., who begin breaking down some of the matches scheduled for the show. They then send us into part one of a lengthy one-on-one sit-down interview Jackie Redmond conducted with Liv Morgan ahead of today’s Queen of the Ring finals.
We see some more video packages and panel analysis from the pre-show hosts, before we send it to another sit-down interview, this time with Jey Uso, promoting his King of the Ring finals match against Oba Femi. We then cut to a gym workout and interview with Big E. and Bron Breakker.
Backstage, Tiffany Stratton is interviewed live, as is WWE Chief Content Officer Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque. We get some more panel talk and a few more video packages, and then we begin to wrap up the official pre-show leading into WWE Night Of Champions. The main show is now about to get started.
2026 WWE King Of The Ring Finals
‘Main Event’ Jey Uso vs. Oba Femi
The main show gets started, and we’re starting off hot, as the YEET-tastic ring entrance of ‘Main Event’ Jey Uso takes place. Thousands of fans in Saudi Arabia are loud as absolute hell, doing the ring entrance routine along with the WWE veteran as he comes to the squared circle.
From there, after a super long delay, the lights go down low and the familiar sounds of Oba Femi’s theme hits the house speakers. “The Ruler” emerges, strutting his way to the ring as the crowd continues with their loud reactions, clearly a sign of a hot crowd for the show today.
It’s time to find out who will be the 2026 WWE King of the Ring. The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running. The two stare each other down and then Femi grabs Uso by the scruff of his neck and launches him half-way across the ring into the corner.
Uso goes to hit Femi with a shot, but Femi no-sells it and knocks Uso down with ease. He charges at Uso for a follow-up, but Uso ducks down and rolls under the ropes and out to the floor. Femi follows him out and goes after him. Uso ends up running Femi into the ring post and hitting a dive from the ring to the floor on him.
He looks for a second one, and it connects. When he goes for a third one, however, he runs right into a big shot from the prepared Femi. Back in the ring, Femi goes back to work on Uso. Uso fights back, hits a top-rope Uso Splash right into a cover, but Femi kicks out and takes back over.
As Femi beats down Uso, he sells his ribs from the Uso Splash and the ring post shot earlier on the floor. Uso hits a big spear out of nowhere to shift the momentum, and connects with a second Uso Splash. He can’t follow up with the cover, however, as he hurt himself, too.
He does recover and hits a third Uso Splash right into a cover, but Femi kicks out before the count of three to keep things alive. Uso locks in a sleeper-hold on Femi, which Michael Cole points out on commentary is the move he used to beat Gunther to become WWE Champion in the past.
Femi survives, however, and gets back to his feet, tossing Uso half-way across the ring. Femi hits a running uppercut and then runs over Uso. Femi hoists Uso up with ease and rag-doll power bombs him into the mat. He picks Uso up again and hits his Fall From Grace finisher for the win to become 2026 WWE King of the Ring.
Winner and 2026 WWE King of the Ring: Oba Femi
2026 WWE Queen Of The Ring Finals
Liv Morgan (c) vs. Iyo Sky
Straight out of the King of the Ring tournament finals, we head into the finals for the 2026 WWE Queen of the Ring tournament. Reigning WWE Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan defends her already established throne by looking to secure the annual QOTR throne, too, with a win over Iyo Sky.
Morgan and Sky make their respective walks to the ring. Danhausen curses Morgan as she walks to the ring. The pre-match ring introductions are in the rear view mirror. Morgan stands near the Queen of the Ring crown and yells repeatedly “It’s mine!” at Sky.
The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with our second match of the show. Morgan takes down Sky with a hurricanrana and follows up with a running knee shot in the corner. Morgan chokes Sky against the bottom turnbuckle, but Sky fights back and levels Morgan with a basement drop kick.
Morgan charges at Sky, but Sky dumps her onto the apron. Sky goes for a sunset flip powerbomb off the apron onto the floor, but Morgan hangs onto the top rope to blocks. Morgan takes the fight to Sky on the outside, but Sky connects with a diving crossbody off the barricade.
Morgan slams Sky into the ring post to regain control and then rolls Sky back into the ring. Morgan connects with a running knee shot in the corner and then chokes her from the top turnbuckle. Morgan hits Three Amigos but only gets a two count. Morgan and Sky trade kicks in the middle of the ring.
Morgan locks in a Boston Crab in the middle of the ring, but Sky flips her backward to escape the hold. Sky wrenches Morgan’s arm over the top rope and then connects with a missile drop kick from the top. Sky follows up with a running double knee shot in the corner but only gets a two count.
Morgan fights back with a Backstabber before the action spills to the outside. Sky hits a gorgeous Asai Moonsault and rolls Morgan back into the ring. Sky heads up top, but Morgan knocks her off the top turnbuckle, and Sky lands awkwardly on the ring steps.
Morgan rolls Sky back into the ring and locks in a single-leg crab. Sky crawls to the ropes, but Morgan drags her back to the middle of the ring. Sky rolls out of the hold and slugs it out with Morgan in the middle of the ring. Sky hits the ropes, but he injured knee gives out.
Morgan hits a springboard tornado Code Breaker, but Sky miraculously kicks out at two. Morgan goes for Oblivion, but Sky moves out of the way. Sky misses a missile drop kick but fights back with a Spanish Fly. Sky heads up top and hits the Over the Moonsault for the three count. Sky challenged Morgan for the title at SummerSlam.
Winner and 2026 WWE Queen of the Ring: Iyo Sky
Steel Cage Match
Bron Breakker vs. Seth Rollins
We see the steel cage being lowered down around the ring as the first hour airing live and free on regular ESPN comes to a close. It’s ESPN Unlimited or bust for the rest of the show. Coming up next is the Steel Cage grudge match showdown between Bron Breakker and Seth Rollins.
The two each make their way to the ring and settle inside the steel cage. The bell sounds and off we go. The two start trading punches. Breakker quickly knees him in the midsection and tries to drive him into the cage wall, but Rollins blocks it.
Breakker quickly takes him down and goes for a catapult into the cage wall, but Rollins lands on the second rope and hits a springboard crossbody. Rollins punches away at Breakker. Breakker quickly fires back with a trio of German Suplexes, totally stopping Rollins’ momentum.
Breakker then drives him headfirst into the cage wall. Breakker punches Rollins back and sends him back into the cage wall. Breakker grabs him by the throat and military presses him. Breakker then throws his entire body into the cage wall. Breakker grabs a kendo stick and smashes it on Rollins’ back.
Breakker tosses a chair aside and cracks Rollins in the spine with the kendo stick again. Breakker sets a chair up in the center of the ring before hitting a sidewalk slam onto it for a two-count! Rollins defiantly shoves Breakker’s head. Breakker grabs the garbage can, but Rollins kicks him in the midsection before he can hit him.
Rollins chops him, but Breakker cuts him off and lawn darts him headfirst into the cage wall. Breakker grabs Rollins for another lawn dart, but Rollins slides off and forearms him. Breakker quickly knees him in the face, so Rollins forearms him. Breakker goes for a hurricanrana, but Rollins counters with a powerbomb.
Rollins and Breakker get to their knees. Rollins talks major trash to him. They trade punches as Rollins continues to challenge him. Rollins has him rocked and hits the ropes twice for clotheslines, but Breakker stays standing. Rollins hits the ropes, ducks a pair of clotheslines, and finally takes Breakker down with a clothesline.
Rollins grabs a kendo stick and smashes him in the midsection before destroying it over Breakker’s back. Rollins drives Breakker into the cage wall three times. Breakker is between the ropes and the cage wall. Rollins rips at Breakker’s face before smashing his face off the metal fencing.
Rollins then avalanches him into the wall. Breakker collapses in a heap back into the ring. Rollins goes over to one of the tables and grabs it. Rollins leans it against the corner. Breakker goes to spear him through the table, but Rollins kicks him in the face and takes him down.
Rollins throws three chairs into Breakker’s face. Rollins throws some chairs onto Breakker and goes to the second rope with a chair. Breakker pops up and attacks Rollins. Rollins bites Breakker’s forehead to knock him down. Breakker then scales the ropes.
He then hits a Breakkensteiner off the top rope, flipping Rollins onto the pile of steel chairs for a two-count. Breakker climbs to the top rope and walks on it. Rollins pulls himself up and sits in a chair. Breakker hits a diving clothesline, knocking Rollins out of the chair for a near fall.
Breakker says Rollins doesn’t know when to quit. He calls Rollins a “crazy old man.” He’ll beat it out of Rollins. Breakker chokes him with his boot before sticking his head through a steel chair, shouting, “You’re gonna die!” Breakker swings a second chair, but Rollins moves.
Rollins superkicks Breakker, tosses a chair to him, and superkicks it into his face! Rollins sizes him up for a Stomp, but Breakker cuts him off with a Spear for a near fall. Breakker sets the second table up and angles it near the corner. Breakker lays Rollins on the table. He puts him through it.
He can’t finish Rollins off. He goes to escape the cage, but Rollins slaps a sleeper hold on. He yells at him. Breakker slams the cage door into Rollins’ head to escape. Rollins hits a stomp but can’t finish Breakker off. He climbs the top rope and stares at a bloody Breakker, who looks at him and yells. Rollins leaps and lands an avalanche stomp for the win.
Winner: Seth Rollins
WWE United States Championship
Trick Williams (c) vs. Ricky Saints
The pre-match video package airs to tell the story leading up to our next match of the show, which features Trick Williams putting his WWE United States Championship on-the-line against Ricky Saints. We return live and Ricky Saints makes his way out.
Reigning and defending WWE United States Champion Trick Williams, with hip-hop star Lil Yachty by his side per usual, makes his grandiose walk to the ring, with the crowd loudly behind him. Saints ends up sneak-attacking Williams to get things started in a hurry.
Williams traps Saints in the corner and stomps a mudhole in him. Saints rolls to the outside and waits for Williams to join him. Saints slams Williams into the barricade and the stairs before rolling him back into the ring. Saints levels Williams with a clothesline.
He then walks the top rope and once again dropping Williams. Saints drives a knee into Williams’ back and hits a snap suplex. Williams fights back with a suplex of his own followed by two consecutive spin kicks. Williams rips Saints off the mat and hits a Book-End.
Saints regains control with a clothesline from the second rope and follows up with a neck breaker for a two count. Williams catches Saints with a back body drop, but Saints retaliates with the Revolution tornado DDT that connects with authority.
From there, we see Saints head up to the top-rope. He leaps off and connects with a diving elbow drop for a two count. Saints goes for another Revolution tornado DDT, but Williams evades and hits the Trick Shot for the win. With the victory, he retains the U.S. title. Afterwards, Lil Yachty hits The People’s Elbow on Saints.
Winner and STILL WWE United States Champion: Trick Williams
WWE Women’s United States Championship
Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Jade Cargill
From one U.S. title tilt into another we go, as the women are up this time with reigning and defending WWE Women’s United States Champion Tiffany Stratton putting her gold on-the-line against Jade Cargill. The pre-match video package airs now to tell the story leading up to this one.
After the two make their respective ring walks, they settle in the ring and the formal pre-match ring introductions take place for this scheduled one fall title tilt. From there, Stratton lands a drop kick as soon as the bell rings.
Cargill rolls to the outside, so Stratton goes for a suicide dive, but Cargill catches her. Cargill slams Stratton into the ring apron and rolls her back into the ring. Cargill traps Stratton in the corner, but Stratton punches her way out.
Stratton lands a drop kick and follows up with a back elbow shot in the corner. Cargill goes for Jaded, but Stratton rolls through to counter. Stratton hits a rolling senton and follows up with a crucifix driver for a two count.
B-Fab and Michin charge down to ringside, but Chelsea Green emerges from under the ring to take them out. Cargill drags Green into the ring, but that distracts the referee long enough for Charlotte Flair to level Cargill with the title. Stratton follows up with the Prettiest Moonsault Ever for the win to retain.
Winner and STILL WWE Women’s United States Champion: Tiffany Stratton
Undisputed WWE Championship
Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Gunther vs. Sami Zayn
It’s main event time!
Sami Zayn comes out wearing the Saudi attire per usual when in Riyadh. The crowd loves him like always. He settles in the ring and “The Career-Killer” Gunther makes his way out. Last, but not least, is the reigning and defending Undisputed WWE Champion, “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes.
The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with our high stakes final bout of the show. Zayn dumps Gunther to the outside to start and then faces off with Gunther. Gunther pulls Zayn to the outside and whips him into the ring steps. Gunther heads into the ring and begins to work over Rhodes.
Zayn attacks Gunther from behind, but Gunther quickly tosses him to the outside and returns his attention to Rhodes. Rhodes catches Gunther with a power slam and follows up with a Side Effect to Zayn for a two count. Gunther goes for a powerbomb on Rhodes, but Rhodes slides out.
Zayn and Gunther head to the outside, and Zayn whips Gunther into the ring steps. Zayn charges back into the ring and catches Rhodes with the Blue Thunder Bomb for a two count. Rhodes catches Gunther with Cross Rhodes, but Zayn pulls the referee out of the ring to prevent the three count.
Gunther powerbombs Rhodes onto Zayn and then goes for a powerbomb on Zayn, but Zayn flips over and counters into a sunset flip for a two count. Gunther goes for a Big Boot to Zayn in the corner, but Zayn evades. Zayn hits the Helluva Kick and makes the cover.
Before anything else can happen, however, Rhodes pulls the referee out of the ring to prevent the three count. Zayn clears off the announce table and goes for a package piledrive to Rhodes through the table, but Rhodes counters into a back body drop that sends Zayn through the adjacent announce table.
Gunther powerbombs Rhodes through the first announce table, and now Gunther is the only man standing. Gunther drags Rhodes toward the ring and rolls him back into the ring. Gunther locks in the sleeper hold in the middle of the ring, but Rhodes fights back to his feet.
Rhodes breaks the hold, but Gunther immediately locks it in again. The referee checks Rhodes’ arm, but Zayn catches Rhodes’ limp arm before it hits the mat. Gunther chops Zayn’s chest and muscles him into the corner. Zayn hits Gunther with an Exploder suplex in to the corner and follows up with the Helluva Kick.
Zayn makes the cover, but Gunther still manages to kick out at two. Zayn drags Gunther back to his feet, but Gunther levels him with a clothesline. Rhodes catches Gunther with a Cody Cutter and goes for Cross Rhodes, but Zayn breaks hit up. Rhodes goes for Cross Rhodes on Zayn, but Zayn counters and rolls up Rhodes for the win.
It happened.
We have a new Undisputed WWE Champion, and his name?
Sami Zayn.
Winner and NEW Undisputed WWE Champion: Sami Zayn
