Overview
- On Friday night at SmackDown in Kansas City, Sami Zayn served as special guest referee for Cody Rhodes vs. GUNTHER and delivered a fast three-count that allowed Rhodes to retain the Undisputed WWE Championship.
- After the pin, the match was restarted when Rhodes and GUNTHER argued the finish, and Zayn then attacked both men in backstage and in-ring chaos that left officials and fans demanding clarity.
- Multiple outlets reported that WWE is moving toward a triple-threat title match — Cody Rhodes vs. GUNTHER vs. Sami Zayn — for the Night of Champions pay-per-view on June 27, though that booking was described as developing and not yet formally announced by WWE.
- SmackDown also set other Night of Champions stakes: Jey Uso and Liv Morgan advanced to their King and Queen of the Ring finals, Ricky Saints earned a No. 1 contender shot at the U.S. title, and Damian Priest and R-Truth retained the tag belts against the MFTs.
- The outcome deepens GUNTHER’s controversial run of near-misses and elevates Zayn’s unpredictable role, creating short-term booking pressure for WWE and potential storyline ripple effects if injuries or faction shifts force late card changes.