Cody Rhodes to defend WWE title in triple threat at Night of Champions

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If you’re tuning into WWE Night of Champions, hoping to see Cody Rhodes lose the Undisputed WWE Championship, don’t hold your breath. The last time the WWE’s most prestigious prize changed hands at a premium live event other than WrestleMania or SummerSlam was at Elimination Chamber in 2022, notably in Saudi Arabia, the site of this weekend’s event. It's gonna be CHAOS when @CodyRhodes, @Gunther_AUT and @SamiZayn face off in an Undisputed WWE Championship Triple Threat Match at #WWENOC 😤 🎟️: https://t.co/IAzNlgUQ7t pic.twitter.com/eHH1Al7dWf — WWE (@WWE) June 20, 2026 In total, the WWE Championship has changed hands 15 times since 2020. WrestleMania and SummerSlam combined for five title changes, while events like Elimination Chamber, Hell in a Cell, Day 1, and the Royal Rumble have combined for five. The other five title switches have taken place on WWE’s flagship shows, Raw and SmackDown. There have been three title changes on the red brand in the past five-plus years. Just this year, SmackDown has produced two title changes, first from Rhodes to Drew McIntyre, then back to Rhodes. Despite the blue brand’s championship hot streak, Rhodes left SmackDown last Friday still champion after a tiff between his opponent, Gunther, and special referee Sami Zayn. Now, they’ll all meet in Saudi Arabia, where the only question is who will have the honor of looking up at the lights for “The American Nightmare.” Night of Champions streams live this Saturday at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT on the ESPN App with an ESPN Unlimited plan in the U.S. and on Netflix internationally.

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Cody Rhodes will defend his Undisputed WWE Championship in a triple threat at Night of Champions in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia next weekend.