WWE expands Night of Champions card to six matches in Saudi Arabia

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WWE is breaking its traditional premium live event format at Night of Champions. This Saturday’s show in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, features six matches instead of the usual five, including three title bouts and the finals of the King and Queen of the Ring tournaments. The last main roster PLE outside of WrestleMania and SummerSlam that had more than five matches was Clash in Paris last August. That was also the final PLE under Peacock before WWE moved its big shows to ESPN’s new streaming service in September. The extra bout could help address a complaint some fans have had since WWE began simulcasting a portion of its PLEs on ESPN’s cable networks. Starting in April with WrestleMania 42, the first hour of each major event has aired on either ESPN or ESPN2 and included two matches. At Backlash and Clash In Italy, that meant fans with cable access who were also paying $29.99 for an ESPN Unlimited plan were effectively paying for just three matches. With the first hour of this Saturday’s show airing on ESPN, the extended card may give fans more bang for their buck. Additionally, if Night of Champions runs roughly the same length as recent PLEs, the plus-one could force WWE to tighten the gap between bouts. During his review of Clash In Italy, wrestling legend Jim Cornette noted that the show’s main event began 22 minutes after the last bout finished. The long stretch, a constant theme throughout the show, included recaps, entrances, and commercials, and was longer than four of the matches on the card. However, an extra match could mean more commercials, a trade-off for more in-ring action. The Card Night of Champions carries major implications for WWE’s second-biggest event of the year, SummerSlam. The King and Queen of the Ring winners will each earn a world title match there. Meanwhile, a triple threat match for the Undisputed WWE Championship could determine who faces the 2026 King of the Ring in Minneapolis in August. King of the Ring final: Jey Uso vs. Oba Femi Queen of the Ring final: Iyo Sky vs. Liv Morgan Undisputed WWE Championship: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Gunther vs. Sami Zayn WWE United States Championship: Trick Williams (c) vs. Ricky Saints Steel Cage: Seth Rollins vs. Bron Breakker WWE Women’s United States Championship: Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Jade Cargill How to Watch WWE Night of Champions takes place this Saturday, June 27, at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Time: 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT Streaming: Live on the ESPN App (requires an ESPN Unlimited plan) International Streaming: Live on Netflix Theatrical: Select movie theaters nationwide, tickets available via Fandango.