WWE Night of Champions predictions: John Cena wins? Who becomes King, Queen of the Ring?
WWE's return to Saudi Arabia has the potential to be a compelling night of wrestling. But will it actually?
Plenty of notable names will be in the ring for Night of Champions, and while we'll get some highly anticipated matches, the event will mostly set the tone for the rest of summer. The King and Queen of the Ring finals feature some intriguing matchups, and the intensity will be turned up with the winners of each tournament getting a title opportunity at SummerSlam on Aug. 2-3. That also includes the three singles matches taking place, which feel like the start of rivalries.
Plus, there's two of the biggest names in the past 20 years in wrestling will square off for likely the last time in John Cena and CM Punk. Will Cena's reign of terror continue, or will Punk pull off another signature title moment?
USA TODAY Sports' wrestling reporters give their Night of Champions predictions:
Sami Zayn vs. Karrion Kross
Jordan Mendoza: After fans have been clamoring for months, Kross gets his first premium live event match in more than a year. He really has pushed Zayn's buttons recently, and it's gotten us pretty close to seeing a different side of him. Kross sacrifices himself to bring out Zayn's dark side, setting the tone for a possible heel run. While he is the loser, Kross is the one at the end laughing. Winner: Sami Zayn.
Richard Morin: Kross has been the devil on Zayn's shoulder for several weeks now, attempting to turn the well-liked Zayn against himself. Kross, who has become a fan favorite since WrestleMania weekend, can accomplish his goals even without a win if he forces Zayn to compromise himself during the match. Winner: Sami Zayn.
Street fight: Rhea Ripley vs. Raquel Rodriguez
Jordan Mendoza: It's refreshing to see Ripley do something outside of a title run. Rodriguez really is the only person that can match with Ripley's power style of wrestling, so the chemistry will be something to watch as they each try to unleash punishing blows. With no disqualification, it's practically a guarantee Roxanne Perez shows up to help her new "friend" in Rodriguez. "The Prodigy" gets involved to make sure The Judgment Day member wins and sets the stage for the new Women's Tag Team Champions with Liv Morgan out. Winner: Raquel Rodriguez.
Richard Morin: With Liv Morgan out due to injury, the WWE is kicking off its pivot program with a very cool match here. Rodriguez, who is currently a tag champion with Morgan, has clashed with Ripley in recent weeks. Roxanne Perez continues to earn Rodriguez's good graces by helping her defeat Ripley. Ultimately, I see this leading to a tag-team match at Evolution with Nikki Bella pairing with Ripley. Winner: Raquel Rodriguez.
United States Championship match: Jacob Fatu (c) vs. Solo Sikoa
Jordan Mendoza: A match that's been brewing for months, and it should be a definite treat. There's no denying the in-ring skill of Fatu, but this one will bring one of the best versions of Sikoa. He's great at being comedic relief, but the intensity of this will be reminiscent of the NXT toughness he had. Sikoa would be the best person to take the title off Fatu, but it's still too early to make that move. Perhaps JC Mateo gets in the fold and inadvertently costs Sikoa the match, or there's a punishing attack afterward. But the title stays with the "Samoan Werewolf." Winner: Jacob Fatu.
Richard Morin: I saw this match as a better for SummerSlam, but here we are. With the lack of build for what could be a very emotional match, it's hard to see Fatu dropping the title at Night of Champions. Winner: Jacob Fatu.
Queen of the Ring final: Asuka vs. Jade Cargill
Jordan Mendoza: A match you wouldn't expect to see, but will really test each stars' skills against contrasting styles. Asuka is among the top talent in the ring and Cargill will really be tested in her ability to survive it. Even though Cargill is billed as an unstoppable force, this is a different version of Asuka. Whether it's the old entrance music or the more serious tone, she is back on the way to dominate the women's division. Asuka hands Cargill her first clean singles loss, and sets up the amazing match against Iyo Sky. Winner: Asuka.
Richard Morin: I picked Naomi to win Money in the Bank because the three-way feud between her, Cargill and Bianca Belair needs a world title in the mix to bring it to the next level. If Naomi cashes in successfully and Cargill wins here, we can get the dream match at SummerSlam for the WWE Women's Championship. Winner: Jade Cargill.
King of the Ring final: Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton
Jordan Mendoza: The teacher and student finally meet again. They have long been intertwined and after several times on the same team, they get to go against each other. There's a strong case to be made for either to get the championship match. Orton has been so close to title No. 15 and he could get Cena again. Rhodes wants his title back and should get the rematch. "The American Nightmare" gets the better of it to set the stage for a WrestleMania rematch at SummerSlam. Winner: Cody Rhodes.
Richard Morin: WWE wants to run it back between Rhodes and Cena at SummerSlam so this one feels fairly easy to project. It's a bit strange they felt the need to use the KOTR vehicle to do it since Rhodes pinned Cena at Money in the Bank, but here we are. The best we can hope for is planting the seeds for a future feud between Rhodes and Orton. Winner: Cody Rhodes.
Undisputed WWE Championship match: John Cena (c) vs. CM Punk
Jordan Mendoza: It's a shame this matchup isn't happening at SummerSlam, but that's just how Cena's farewell tour works. Plus, it's still a must-watch event. Punk has really brought out the best version of heel Cena, and the "pipe bomb" was excellent TV. That type of animosity will be on display again in their first match against each other since 2013. Expect this one to follow the typical script we've seen from Cena's recent matches: the challenger looks to be closing in on the win, until Cena pulls something to prevent it from happening. The champion then capitalizes and walks away with the title. However, this should be Cena's best match of 2025 so far. Winner: John Cena.
Richard Morin: I don't know when, or if, Cena will drop the title before he leaves but it still feels too early. After Cena's pipe bomb reprisal, it feels as though the John Cena Retirement Tour has finally started. I see Seth Rollins teasing a cash-in here, but it ultimately costs Punk the match while Rollins continues to wait for his moment. Winner: John Cena.
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