The recent weekend marked a significant milestone for Sami Zayn, who, after over a decade on the main roster, finally secured a world championship. Zayn achieved this feat by pinning Cody Rhodes in a triple-threat encounter that also featured Gunther at Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia. His victory was decisive, occurring without any external interference or strategic distractions, leading to an electrifying reaction in Riyadh as he triumphed over "The American Nightmare."
Zayn's championship win immediately raises questions regarding Cody Rhodes' trajectory moving forward. Analysts have noted that this particular loss stands out, as it has been some time since Rhodes suffered a defeat without the involvement of outside elements or interference.
This outcome highlights the impressive dominance Rhodes has maintained within the organization since his highly anticipated return at WrestleMania 38. His journey over the past ten months has been dynamic; he reclaimed the Undisputed WWE Championship last August by defeating John Cena. He subsequently lost the title to Drew McIntyre in January, only to regain it nearly two months later. Rhodes successfully defended the championship through WrestleMania 42, where he overcame Randy Orton on Night 1. He personally arranged the Night of Champions triple-threat match, seemingly to unequivocally establish himself as the premier star. However, this strategy appears to have been somewhat miscalculated, as Zayn now stands atop the mountain, leaving a stunned Rhodes to look up at an opponent he might have underestimated.
"I think it’s kinda one of those things that would kinda be hard to process. I truly don’t know. I don’t know how the fans would react," Zayn reflected on the potential of a championship win in Saudi Arabia. "I hope they would enjoy it but you never know because my character right now is a little polarizing – I truly don’t know. But I don’t know. I think there’s a lot of like cultural and historical kind of significance that would kinda maybe hit me after the fact."
"From a sentimental point of view, for sure, I think it would be kind of awesome. I think it would be a big cultural moment, actually. I don’t think about it. I kind of dismiss it a lot at this point because we come to Saudi a lot. A lot has been made of the fact that I’m Arab or I’m Muslim or whatever. But growing up, that was not the case. It was not like this was a common thing or something that you could ever even dream. I couldn’t have dreamt that this would happen. So, yeah, that would be a pretty big deal I think."
As Sami Zayn ushers in a new era with his championship reign, the focus now turns to Rhodes' devoted fanbase, eager to see what his next move will be.
Will Ospreay and The Death Riders Forge an Alliance
In another significant event, Will Ospreay emerged victorious over Swerve Strickland in the Owen Hart Foundation Men’s Tournament on Sunday night at Forbidden Door. This win guarantees Ospreay a coveted title shot against the reigning AEW world champion at the upcoming All In event.
While the professional wrestling community celebrates Ospreay’s impending opportunity, the presence of The Death Riders became undeniably more pronounced. Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, Daniel Garcia, Pac, Yuta Wheeler, and Marina Shafir were prominently positioned in Ospreay’s corner as he defeated Strickland. They joined Ospreay and Alex Windsor in the ring for a celebratory moment.
Initially, Ospreay seemed to maintain a certain distance from The Death Riders, but the interaction at Forbidden Door strongly suggested a genuine alliance is taking shape. During the match, Ospreay notably utilized some of Moxley's signature maneuvers to overcome Strickland. Following his win, Moxley and Castagnoli hoisted him onto their shoulders, a clear sign of camaraderie. Even those who previously harbored skepticism about Ospreay's involvement with the group were seen applauding.
As Ospreay and Windsor made their way up the ramp, The Death Riders departed through the crowd, creating an intriguing dynamic. The development of this relationship over the next two months, leading up to All In, will be a compelling storyline, raising questions about the level of trust that will ultimately form between the two parties.
Oba Femi Crowned King of the Ring
Oba Femi secured a monumental victory by defeating Jey Uso to claim the King of the Ring Tournament title. This triumph grants him the right to challenge for a world championship of his choosing.
Following his win, Femi delivered a defiant interview in the ring, asserting his new status.
"It feels so good to go from ‘The Ruler’ to being the king," Femi declared in his post-match address. "Jey Uso did not understand what he was up against tonight. He thought he was just fighting one man. You might be able to beat one man but you can’t beat fate and you can’t beat destiny and most importantly, you can’t beat me. I am the ruler, the destroyer, the bringer of war, the mountain that you cannot climb, the mountain that you cannot conquer, the one-of-one, the beast slayer, the one, the chosen one, the king of the ring, Oba Femi!"
The immediate question now revolves around Femi's booking trajectory. It is widely anticipated that he will set his sights on Roman Reigns, the world heavyweight champion who has exerted considerable influence over the Raw roster, a move that would represent a significant challenge for Femi.
However, another formidable presence looms in the background. Femi's rivalry with Brock Lesnar is far from resolved. Although Lesnar did not intervene in Femi's match against Uso, professional wrestling enthusiasts are hopeful that their ultimate confrontation will take place at SummerSlam, which would provide an epic conclusion to their feud.
This scenario also prompts speculation about Femi potentially competing in two high-stakes matches at SummerSlam. The prospect of facing both Lesnar and Reigns within a single weekend, or even on the same day, highlights the rapid ascent of Oba Femi, who is clearly being propelled forward with significant momentum.
