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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
WWE SmackDown results, highlights (June 27): CM Punk punks John Cena; Giulia seizes U.S. title
"WWE SmackDown" in Saudi Arabia set the table for "WWE Night of Champions" with three title matches and one of the presumed final interactions between John Cena and CM Punk. Next week, "WWE SmackDown" returns to a two-hour time slot, so the company did its best to pack in all the goods it could. A (failed) Punk'd reboot I have no idea where to start with the final promo battle between Cena and Punk. Advertisement First of all, "Dr. of Thuganomics" Cena is what I would have preferred most for his heel run if he wasn't going to go with the overall opposite "Hollywood Cena" type of gimmick we anticipated. And admittedly, when Punk emerged with the "Word Life" theme, the kid inside of me got chills from that nostalgia hit. That said, Punk looked absolutely ridiculous dressed up like that. It worked and it didn't work because, mind you, this wasn't Punk's first cosplay. My mind went right to his Jeff Hardy feud, when he impersonated the "Charismatic Enigma" at the end of their feud. This was somewhat similar, but as great as the crowd was for most of the night, the roast rapping did not land for them on most lines. Advertisement Cena just going back to speaking how he was before last week's pipebomb promo also felt kind of weird. Because, don't get it twisted, he is fully the face to Punk's heel in Saudi Arabia. This go-home segment was fun for those who have been fans for all of Cena's career, but this felt like the wrong place for it. The most unnecessary and least wanted Last Man/Woman Standing match of all time? That's a genuine question. For me, I think it has to be because I can't think of anything worse than this, simply because Tiffany Stratton and Nia Jax shouldn't be having any more matches of any kind. But this was purely a slow, plodding weapon spot fest, and one that admittedly made Stratton look invincible getting through that table splash spot alone. This can't be what it felt like, but in a way, this legitimately felt like WWE's attempt to replicate the magic of Mariah May and Toni Storm's "Hollywood Ending" in AEW. Well, let's just say it wasn't. It was a waste of the great champion that Stratton is. Ultimately, she thankfully retained, knocking Jax through a pair of tables. (After Naomi failed at attempting to initiate her cash-in.) To conclude all this, I still wonder why more people in this match type don't try to prevent their opponent from getting back up or standing on them. Yeah, yeah, suspension of disbelief, but something that feels like a no-brainer, you know? The tag division problem It's almost as if WWE realizes how absurd the recent booking of the loaded "WWE SmackDown" tag team division has been. The Wyatt Sicks challenged The Street Profits for their WWE Tag Team Championships on this show, which was another one of those classic WWE tropes where someone "earns" a title shot by attacking opponents without winning matches. So, theoretically, if the Wyatts lost, which they should have, then what? The Profits tried to justify it by saying the Wyatts are the only threat. But... in that case, shouldn't they prove that? Advertisement Plotholes galore. We'll get to that title match momentarily. But backstage, DIY questioned that match coming together with all the other tag teams when talking to "WWE SmackDown" general manager Nick Aldis. That was a perfectly logical thing to do. And what did Aldis do? He kayfabe booked DIY in a match against Andrade and someone of his choosing (Rey Fenix). That's despite Fraxiom, Los Garza and Motor City Machine Guns literally standing right there. This has all been handled awfully, but the bad didn't end there. Andrade and Fenix beat DIY clean in the match and delivered several great sequences. Quite frankly, it was a banger, despite being a wicked blow to DIY since they lost to a newly paired team. Advertisement What wasn't a banger was the tag team match, which was barely a match, and as it turns out, ended via a [expletive] DQ when Los Garza attacked the Wyatts outside the ring. This is just an absurd mess, man. It has turned into everyone against the Wyatts, as every team worked together to take them out. So, they're in an impossible position now. WWE has booked the group to be so strong that they can battle four different tag teams. The Wyatts have been booked into a corner where, if they can't win the tag team titles, then they look downright pathetic. It wouldn't make any sense. It already hasn't though, so brace yourselves for the inevitable. And new-lia...! Is that too corny of a headline? Yes, probably, but we're sticking with it because Giulia is officially here to give some merit to the Women's U.S. title, as she dethroned Zelina Vega on this "WWE SmackDown." Advertisement Each women's midcard singles title got off to a seriously bumpy start, especially the U.S. variant, which, until now, was just Chelsea Green going back and forth with Michin and Vega. As a well-established global talent, Giulia makes for the perfect wrestler to help elevate this title, and hopefully, she gets the proper opponents to support that. I don't mean for this to sound like a knock on Vega, because it's not. The match between the two was solid for what it was, but essentially a dominant effort for the new champ. It just appears we've reached Vega's ceiling, and that's evident WWE sees that too. Outside of the pin trade-off that started the match, I don't think Vega was given anything to kick out of. ✍️ Continuity of the Night Thankfully, Ron Killings isn't just ignoring how last Friday's "WWE SmackDown" ended despite his burial of a disappearance to set up Cena's pipebomb promo. "The Truth" rightfully approached the managers backstage and angrily demanded Cena before he took matters to the ring. In the middle of all this was Aleister Black, whom Killings "interrupted" again. Advertisement Killings called out Cena in the ring and immediately ate a Black Mass from Black, who snuck up behind him. So, it was a two forms of understandable continuity. Even if this veers Killings slightly off track for an obvious match against Black, he should not forget all this Cena stuff. There are mixed feelings regarding this direction, but hopefully, Killings can remain somewhat notable after his saga, as the luster has already worn off quickly. 👍 FRIDAY NIGHT FIRE 👍 Despite the massive negative down below, the Saudi Arabia crowds are insanely hyped for any WWE visit, and they let Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes hear it right as "WWE SmackDown" began. 🤷 IT HAPPENED 🤷 1. Regarding Rhodes and Orton, their opening segment together was good, as should always be expected. However, it doesn't receive a full upvote because of how short this program will last. Advertisement There's so much that can be dug into with a proper feud, and we got glimpses of that when they made great callbacks. Orton mentions last year's King of the Ring, and Rhodes goes back to when he first arrived in WWE. He countered Orton's starting lines, stating he needs the win more. Again, it was good, just bittersweet because of how little it was. 2. JC Mateo beat Jimmy Uso in a relatively nothing match that followed Rhodes and Orton's opener segment. It was essentially set up to determine Uso's allegiance, which resulted in the weakest slap ever seen when he hit Solo Sikoa after the loss. Jacob Fatu made the save after they started to attack, and surely, Uso will help make the save at WWE Night of Champions when Fatu struggles against Sikoa with Mateo in his corner. 👎 DOWN & OUT👎 Saudi Arabia shows as a whole. Advertisement I'm sorry but not sorry. Seeing the female wrestlers at these WWE shows is always a reminder of why this whole partnership is morally problematic, thanks to the human rights discrimination. But on top of that, you would think there'd be more creativity with so much money invested in the partnership. For example, take the LED wall. WWE has propped up a massive wall of screens for this trip to the country, and it just boggles the mind how this is viewed as better than the unique set designs of days past. Additionally, "WWE SmackDown" suffered from technical difficulties with the hard cam almost immediately. 👑 Uncrowned Gem of the Night 👑 Asuka is such a vibe. It's incredible having her back, getting these great reactions, and being treated like a big deal — assuming she keeps it going and beats Jade Cargill, of course. Nonetheless, she's the Uncrowned Gem of the Night. Advertisement The brief "interview" segment she had with Cargill alongside Wade Barrett gave her the moment to shine before Naomi teased that it doesn't matter who wins as long as she holds the Money In the Bank. Asuka looked great and stood tall at the end, and despite her unique, minimal English promo style, she still made Cargill come off as incredibly inauthentic. Asuka has a heel vibe to her at the moment. It might be because of the all-black aesthetic since her return, but everyone still loves her. I'm very curious to see how this run plays out for her. 👑 I give this show a Crown score of: 6/10. 👑
Hindustan Times
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Night Of Champions 2025 Live Streaming: When and where to watch WWE Saudi event live on TV and online
Jun 28, 2025 06:57 AM IST Another WWE premium live event in Saudi Arabia is upon us. The main event of the Night Of Champions 2025 event will see 17-time world champion John Cena taking on his arch-rival CM Punk for the Undisputed WWE Championship title. John Cena, who turned heel earlier this year, will look to defend his title and possibly have the bragging rights for CM Punk, as in all probability this is the one final time the long-time rivals will be squaring off inside the WWE ring. WWE Night Of Champions 2025: Here are the all live telecast and streaming details for the event (Getty Images via AFP) John Cena is all set to retire from in-ring competition later this year. The veteran won the WWE Championship earlier this year at WrestleMania by beating Cody Rhodes. At the Night of Champions, Jacob Fatu will also defend his United States title as he will take on Solo Sikoa. The new King and Queen of the Ring will also be crowned at the event. Cody Rhodes will face Randy Orton in the King of the Ring final, while Asuka will battle it out against Jade Cargill in the Queen of the Ring final. Here is the full match card for the WWE Night of Champions 2025 John Cena (c) vs CM Punk - Singles match for the Undisputed WWE Championship Cody Rhodes vs Randy Orton - King of the Ring tournament final Asuka vs Jade Cargill - Queen of the Ring tournament final Jacob Fatu (c) vs Solo Sikoa - Singles match for the WWE United States Championship Rhea Ripley vs Raquel Rodriguez - Street Fight Sami Zayn vs Karrion Kross - Singles match Here are all the live streaming details for WWE Night of Champions 2025 When will the WWE Night of Champions 2025 take place? The WWE Night of Champions 2025 will take place on Saturday, June 28. The event will start at 10:30 PM IST. Where will the WWE Night of Champions 2025 take place? The WWE Night of Champions 2025 will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Which channels will telecast the WWE Night of Champions 2025? There will be no telecast on television for the WWE Night of Champions 2025. Where will live streaming be available for the WWE Night of Champions 2025? The live streaming for the WWE Night of Champions 2025 will be available on the Netflix app and website. Stay updated with the latest sports news, including latest headlines and updates from the Olympics 2024, where Indian athletes will compete for glory in Paris. Catch all the action from tennis Grand Slam tournaments, follow your favourite football teams and players with the latest match results, and get the latest on international hockey tournaments and series.
USA Today
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
WWE Night of Champions 2025: Start time, how to watch, match card
It's another international trip for WWE, which means an early afternoon of wrestling in the U.S. WWE brings Night of Champions back for the first time since 2023, returning to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for the second premium live event outside of the U.S. this year. While the name of the event implies it will be a night dedicated to championship matches, only two will take place, headlined by another bout between longtime foes in John Cena and CM Punk for the Undisputed Championship. The United States Championship match features former members of The Bloodline. While there aren't many title matches, two will be locked into place in the future with the King and Queen of the Ring finals, with the winners getting a championship opportunity at SummerSlam. Here's what to know for Night of Champions 2025: WWE Night of Champions predictions: John Cena or CM Punk? Who becomes King, Queen of the Ring? When is Night of Champions 2025? WWE Night of Champions takes place Saturday, June 28. Night of Champions 2025 start time Night of Champions starts at 1 p.m. ET. The preshow begins at 11 a.m. ET. Where is Night of Champions 2025? The event takes place at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. How to watch Night of Champions 2025 Night of Champions will be streamed on Peacock, but you must have their premium or premium-plus subscription to watch. Internationally, it will be available on Netflix in most markets. How to watch Night of Champions 2025 preshow The preshow for Night of Champions will be available to watch on Peacock, and on WWE's social channels, including YouTube. Stream WWE Night of Champions on Peacock Night of Champions 2025 match card Matches not in order
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
CM Punk hasn't just elevated the John Cena heel run — he's resuscitated it
If hell froze over when CM Punk returned to the WWE in 2023, then perhaps we need a new meteorological phenomenon to describe what happened this past Friday — when WWE decided to dial up the anticipation for this Saturday's John Cena vs. CM Punk universal title match at Night of Champions with a tribute to the infamous pipe bomb promo. Yes, that pipe bomb. The one that blurred the lines between kayfabe and backstage politics, earning CM Punk an instant suspension from WWE and laying the groundwork for his eventual expulsion a few years later. The one in which Punk took legitimate shots at Vince McMahon, cementing his status as the ultimate outsider and iconoclast. The one that sent internet forums into an instant tailspin and is still being debated some 14 years later. Advertisement The monologue has been consistently cited as one of the most controversial in WWE history — and yet here it was being not just referenced by Cena on 'SmackDown,' but actively embraced and parodied. Then just in case we'd missed the significance of it all, we had a video package on "WWE Raw" containing snippets of the original pipe bomb. Once again, the underworld was looking decidedly chilly. To be fair, perhaps we should have seen it coming. From the moment CM Punk returned, WWE has been at pains to convince us that they've signed the real deal, controversies and all. 'I gotta be me right?' the man himself put it, minutes into his first promo after his return. Less than two weeks later, he proved the point, making a tongue-in-cheek reference to the backstage fight with Jack Perry that had got him fired from AEW. It's no exaggeration to say I gasped out loud when I heard it. Advertisement Clever lines aside, being the rebel is a tricky balance to strike. In his decade away from television, Punk built a reputation as pro-wrestling's biggest truth-teller. But how does that work when you're back in the WWE — a multi-billion dollar company with a knack for enforcing message discipline? For the past 18 months, CM Punk has tried his best to square that circle, but has it worked? There's no doubt that his latest run in WWE has been great. But rebellious? The creatives might want us to think that his barbs at the expense of The Rock ("You bald fraud!") are unscripted. But the fact that they end up approvingly posted to WWE's YouTube channel (albeit prefaced with a rather try-hard "Uncensored!") makes me think they're probably not. Still, when the man is putting together one of the feuds of his career against Drew McIntyre, you quickly learn to put those doubts to the back of your mind. Let the internet obsessives argue among themselves about whether Punk has been "watered down" or not, you think. And then the WWE goes and changes everything: Having Cena launch a direct attack on Punk for his supposed lack of integrity. "You are not against TKO. You are Mr. TKO,' Cena goaded his rival, delivering exactly the kind of line that would make us all sit bolt upright. Let's not forget it came just days after one of the biggest mic drop moments in years. It was on "Raw" two weeks ago that Cena taunted Punk about the fact that his much-awaited title shot will take place not in Chicago, but in Saudi Arabia — the very country who Punk previously attacked on social media during his wilderness years, and whose lucrative partnership with WWE is seen as the height of the latter's corporate culture. The message to the shocked crowd was clear: The guy whose name you chanted for 10 years is about to sell his soul to get ahead. For once, Cena really seemed to have outsmarted us all. Advertisement Has this been the best buildup of the entire Cena heel run? Quite possibly. What's undeniable, though, is that it was exactly what this feud needed. All of a sudden, Saturday's main event has that pulsing urgency that has been sorely lacking from so much of the last few months. It helps that, for once, the boldness isn't an illusion. Clearly Triple H and Nick Khan were happy to use the Saudi relationship as a way to generate heat for the Cena/Punk feud, but you have to wonder what Turki Alashikh made of it. After all, he's the one who signs off on all those $50 million dollar checks in the first place. Compared to that potential minefield, the decision to revive the pipe bomb seems almost safe by comparison. Still, at least you certainly can't accuse WWE of resting on their laurels. After so much of the Cena retirement tour has felt tired or derivative, this feud has struck the gold that we've been waiting for. And all it took was a little sprinkling of that old pipe bomb energy — and the bravery to light the fuse.
Time of India
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
CM Punk apologizes to the crowd of Saudi Arabia during the Night of Champions kickoff for posting mean tweet
(Image via X) WWE is back again with the 11th edition of Night of Champions 2025 in Saudi Arabia. Just like other premium live events hosted in 2025 by the Stamford-based promotions, the Night of Champions is expected to be a success, as it will feature several top-tier champions, making it more exciting and anticipated among fans. Among several top-tier talents, CM Punk is also expected to appear on the show for one of the significant feuds with his arch-rival, the Undisputed WWE Champion John Cena. However, it has been reported that CM Punk has faced massive criticisms from the fans when he started addressing the Saudi Arabia crowd during the Night of Champions kickoff event. The reason is said to be a mean comment posted by Punk himself in 2020. When he tried to clear the air, he was heavily booed by the fans in Saudi Arabia. Let's take a look at the incident in detail. CM Punk addresses the crowd in Saudi Arabia during the Night of Champions kickoff CM Punk, who is going to play a major bout in the upcoming 11th edition of the Night of Champions 2025 . The WWE icon was reportedly seen addressing and apologizing to the crowd in Saudi Arabia during the Night of Champions kickoff. During the WWE Night Of Champions kickoff media event today in Saudi Arabia, CM Punk apologized for his infamous tweet to The Miz about Saudi Arabia from years ago. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like These Are The Most Beautiful Women In The World Undo While addressing the crowd, CM Punk said, 'This guy wants me to apologize for a mean tweet I wrote six years ago,' he said. 'Hey, listen, legitimately had nothing to do with Saudi Arabia. I woke up and I was crabby and I wrote a mean tweet to The Miz. And I apologized to The Miz. And sir, what's your name? Mohammed? Mohammed, I sincerely apologize to you. And I love Saudi Arabia.' However, it seemed like the apology did not sit well with the fans present there during the kickoff show. Despite the direct apology, the crowd continued to voice their displeasure, a reaction WWE was reportedly expecting. The boos from the live crowd were a direct response to an infamous, since-deleted tweet from 2020 in which Punk made a crude remark directed at The Miz that referenced 'blood money' and Saudi Arabia. With the air cleared, attention now turns to Punk's Undisputed WWE Championship match against John Cena at Night of Champions, where the atmosphere promises to be electric and thrilling. Also Read : WWE Night of Champions 2025 preview and streaming details (06/28/25): Full match card, show highlights, how to watch, and more WWE's Night of Champions 2025 will emanate live from Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, this weekend. It will be the first, and potentially only, time that WWE will host a PLE in Saudi Arabia in 2025. It will be broadcast live in the USA at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT on Peacock Network and Netflix everywhere. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
