The vision for SummerSlam is beginning to come into picture after an eventful WWE Night of Champions 2025 event on Saturday at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
WWE crowned a new King of the Ring and Queen of the Ring, Solo Sikoa regained his footing, and Karrion Kross was finally provided space to earn more television time. As we unpack all that went down, with Saturday Night’s Main Event right around the corner, here are our biggest takeaways from WWE Night of Champions 2025.
1. John Cena’s greatest hits run continues
John Cena’s final championship run has mapped out against essentially his greatest hits. In true goodbye tour fashion, his programs against Randy Orton, R-Truth and Punk served their purpose in providing the nostalgia fans expected. With a rematch against Cody Rhodes now slated for SummerSlam, the only ghost from Cena’s past missing from this existing run was a showdown with Seth Rollins.
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Mr. Money in the Bank made his presence felt in a chaotic main event — and he’s someone who should certainly be waiting in the wings. While Cena ultimately came out on top despite interference from Rollins, Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, Sami Zayn and Penta, the path forward is less clear than it was coming into the night. What happens from here through December between the featured trio of Cena, Rhodes and Rollins serves as WWE’s most intriguing storyline heading into the back half of the year.
2. King Cody Rhodes
Since losing the WWE championship at WrestleMania 41, Cody Rhodes’ absence from WWE programming gave John Cena time to run through his past. Now back in the fold, Rhodes has swiftly regained his momentum and his upcoming tilt with Cena feels fresh again. With Cena vs. Rhodes 2 slated to headline the first-ever two-night SummerSlam, here’s to hoping it lives up to the hype after their first match fell flat.
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Saturday’s finish to Rhodes vs. Orton — and the aftermath, as Rhodes gave an interview in the ring in front of a stewing Orton — also seems to allude to this being just the beginning of their potential rivalry. We’ll see if “The Viper” plays any role in the build to SummerSlam.
3. Jade Cargill can taste championship gold
Jade Cargill’s presentation in the WWE essentially since Day 1 has been building toward this moment.
Her WrestleMania 41 match against Naomi gave WWE confidence that she’s ready for a championship run, and dispatching Asuka in a hard-hitting match to be crowned Queen of the Ring did more to boost her stature. Even still, Naomi waiting in the wings with the Money in the Bank briefcase promises to make her first chance at WWE gold as chaotic as ever.
4. Solo Sikoa’s Bloodline is back
The leader of the renewed Bloodline, Solo Sikoa, desperately needed a strong showing at Night of Champions. Over the past six months he’s fallen as a potential title contender, seen his program with Roman Reigns end, and ultimately Jacob Fatu leapfrogged him on his way up the WWE roster.
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Sikoa needed some help, but a revitalized Bloodline giving Sikoa the United States Championship on Saturday makes him a threat once again. The rivalry with Fatu isn’t close to being over, and with Sikoa now flanked by JC Mateo, Tanga Loa and the debuting Hikuelo, he’s gotten his mojo back.
5. Karrion Kross earns his moment
Fans have been clamoring for Karrion Kross to get more television time, and him serving as the proverbial devil on Sami Zayn’s shoulder was an excellent way to give him his sink or swim moment.
While nothing to write home about, the match served its purpose, gave Zayn his moment in front of the Riyadh crowd, and most importantly of all, furthered the movement to get Kross on television.