WWE star breaks 40-year record with controversial Night of Champions win

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - JUNE 27: Cody Rhodes looking at the King of The Ring Crown during SmackDown at Kingdom Arena on June 27, 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Andrew Timms/WWE)
Cody Rhodes has put his name in the history books with another massive win (Picture: Andrew Timms/WWE)

A major WWE superstar made history at Night of Champions with a record breaking victory.

The wrestling giant is in Saudi Arabia this evening and the premium live event (PLE) kicked off on Netflix with the King of the Ring final between Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton.

The two delivered an exceptional match to start the show, with the American Nightmare pulling out all the stops to secure the win.

Despite the crowd being firmly behind his opponent, Cody earned the crown and is now only the third man – after wrestling legends Harley Race and Ken Shamrock in 1986 and 1998 respectively – to win King of the Ring and hold the NWA Worlds Championship.

However, the so-called ‘quarterback’ of WWE has also secured a himself a spot in the record books.

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By matching the two Hall of Famers, he’s also become the first person in ever to win the NWA Worlds Championship, King of the Ring and WWE Championship since the inaugural tournament in 1985.

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - JUNE 27: Cody Rhodes responds to Randy Orton during SmackDown at Kingdom Arena on June 27, 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Georgiana Dallas/WWE)
Cody beat longtime friend and rival Randy Orton (Picture: Georgiana Dallas/WWE)
Cody Rhodes shouts with joy as he enters the ring during WWE Monday Night RAW
The American Nightmare faced his critics head-on (Picture: Scott Brinegar/WWE via Getty Images)

The son of the late, great Dusty Rhodes has been a fan favourite since returning to WWE at WrestleMania 38 in 2022.

In recent weeks, some corners of the audience have started to turn against Cody, with crowds in London and now Saudi Arabia booing him in favour of the likes of John Cena and Randy Orton.

That continued on Saturday, with the former world champion pushing Orton into an exposed turnbuckle – with his opponent has untied – to score a win.

After the bell, he took the unprecedented move of acknowledging the way the audience have started to cheer the likes of Orton, Cena and Jey Uso over Cody himself.

WWE Night of Champions 2025 live results

  • King of the Ring final: Cody Rhodes beat Randy Orton
  • Street Fight: Rhea Ripley pinned Raquel Rodriguez
  • Sami Zayn vs. Karrion Kross
  • United States Title: Jacob Fatu (c) vs. Solo Sikoa
  • Queen of the Ring final: Asuka vs. Jade Cargill
  • WWE Title: John Cena (c) vs. CM Punk

‘I completely get how you feel as an audience when I got up against this beloved characters,’ he said, before making a defiant statement: ‘I was born to do this.’

He claimed that superstars like Cena and CM Punk – who will clash over the WWE Title in tonight’s main event – are only interested in their own legacy.

US wrestler John Cena holds his championship belt in the ring during a presentation on the eve of his match for the undisputed WWE Championship against CM Punk at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on June 27, 2025. (Photo by Fayez Nureldine / AFP) (Photo by FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images)
John Cena is the current WWE Champion (Picture: Fayez Nureldine / AFP)
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - JUNE 27: CM Punk confronts John Cena during SmackDown at Kingdom Arena on June 27, 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Georgiana Dallas/WWE)
Cody will face the winner of Cena and CM Punk at SummerSlam (Picture: Georgiana Dallas/WWE)

Turning boos back to cheers, he promised: ‘At SummerSlam, I get the ball back.’

Elsewhere on tonight’s show, Rhea Ripley and Raquel Rodriguez face off in a Street Fight, while Jacob Fatu defends the United States Title against former friend Solo Sikoa.

The Queen of the Ring final will see Asuka and Jade Cargill competing for the crown, with Sami Zayn vs. Karrion Kross rounding off the card before the Cena/Punk main event.

Netflix is the home of WWE in the UK.

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