Cody Rhodes’ reign as Undisputed WWE Champion came to a dramatic end at WWE Night of Champions 2026 as Sami Zayn emerged victorious in a chaotic Triple Threat Match that also featured Gunther.
Gunther established himself as the dominant force early in the contest, overpowering both opponents with his trademark power and relentless offense. Rhodes eventually shifted the momentum by taking out both challengers with a spectacular double Cody Cutter, but the champion was unable to capitalize for long.
Gunther quickly regained control and planted Rhodes with a devastating powerbomb, only for Zayn to break up the pinfall. Moments later, Zayn nearly stole the victory himself with a Blue Thunder Bomb on Rhodes, but Gunther intervened before the referee could complete the count.
The match continued to escalate as Rhodes connected with a Cross Rhodes on Gunther, seemingly setting himself up to retain the championship. However, Zayn yanked the referee out of the ring before the three count could be completed, keeping the contest alive.
Zayn then blasted Gunther with a Helluva Kick and appeared poised to capture the title, but Rhodes returned the favour by pulling the referee out of the ring. The champion and Zayn brawled around ringside, culminating in Rhodes sending Zayn crashing through the announce table with a back body drop.
Gunther capitalized on the chaos by delivering a brutal powerbomb to Rhodes onto the announce desk before lifting him again and driving him through the table on a second attempt. Back inside the ring, Gunther repeatedly locked in his sleeper hold, but Rhodes refused to stay down. Zayn briefly kept the champion alive by preventing the referee from calling the match while Rhodes was fading.
In the closing moments, Zayn nailed Gunther with another Helluva Kick, but the former World Heavyweight Champion astonishingly kicked out. As all three competitors exchanged counters in a frantic finish, Rhodes attempted to hit Cross Rhodes on Zayn. Zayn reversed the move into a pinning combination, catching the champion off guard for the three count.
With the victory, Sami Zayn captured the Undisputed WWE Championship, ending Cody Rhodes’ title reign in one of the biggest moments of WWE Night of Champions 2026.
What did you think of the Triple Threat main event? Share your reaction in the comments below.
WHAT A MOMENT FOR SAMI ZAYN!!! 🥹 pic.twitter.com/NPgf2Anv8x
, WWE (@WWE) June 27, 2026