League: WWE Sport: Wrestling Country: United States Category: Scores & Results

Sami Zayn wins WWE Championship at Night of Champions in Riyadh

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 28, 2026, 12:11 AM

Last updated Jun 28, 2026

Sami Zayn wins WWE Championship at Night of Champions in Riyadh

Summary

Sami Zayn captured the WWE Championship by defeating Cody Rhodes at WWE Night of Champions in Riyadh on June 27. Zayn executed a roll-up pin as Rhodes attempted a CrossRhodes, receiving a strong reaction from the local crowd. The victory marks a significant milestone in Zayn’s decade-long journey in WWE, though it has sparked criticism from some fans who believe the decision was poorly made and influenced by sponsorship concerns. Critics expressed disappointment over how the moment unfolded and labeled it as an example of ‘terrible booking’. Future storylines may emerge as Zayn's win opens potential feuds in the current WWE narrative.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

By the Numbers

•Sami Zayn pinned Cody Rhodes to win the WWE Championship.
•The event took place at WWE Night of Champions in Riyadh.
•Fans reacted negatively, labeling the decision as 'the worst of all time'.
•Zayn's victory opens new storylines for WWE programming.
•Many fans believe the decision was influenced by supporters in Saudi Arabia.

Latest Updates

12:11 AMYahoo Sports — WWE fans claim Triple H just made the ‘worst decision of all time’ at WWE Night of Champions

What they're saying

"
WWE Night of Champions is in the bag and we have a new WWE Champion after Sami Zayn unexpectedly pinned Cody Rhodes to win the title. Zayn rolled up Rhodes while he was attempting a CrossRhodes and got the one, two, three to a huge pop in front of a Saudi crowd clearly keen to see Zayn win out.
— Yahoo Sports

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