WWE has confirmed that talent have successfully arrived in Saudi Arabia for this weekend’s major events, as the company moves forward with Night of Champions 2025 and Friday Night SmackDown despite recent geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
Event Proceeds as Scheduled at Kingdom Arena
Night of Champions will take place on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, featuring wrestlers from both the Raw and SmackDown brand divisions. The premium live event represents a significant milestone as it marks John Cena’s final Night of Champions appearance and his last pay-per-view event in Saudi Arabia as an active in-ring performer, due to his planned retirement at the end of 2025.
The event will be available to stream on Peacock in the United States and on Netflix for international viewers, marking another first for WWE’s global distribution strategy.
Historic Tournament Finals Set for Night of Champions
The event will host the finals of both the 24th King of the Ring and third Queen of the Ring tournaments, with the winners receiving championship matches at SummerSlam.
The King of the Ring final will feature an all-SmackDown showdown between Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes, while the Queen of the Ring final pits Raw’s Asuka against SmackDown’s Jade Cargill.
“The winners of each tournament receiving a match for the world championship of their respective brand at SummerSlam” – WWE Tournament Announcement
Championship Matches and Bloodline Civil War
The main event will feature CM Punk challenging John Cena for the Undisputed WWE Championship, in what promises to be one of Cena’s most significant matches during his farewell tour. The championship bout was set up after Punk confronted Cena on a June episode of Raw, challenging him to put the title on the line in Saudi Arabia.
Another major storyline will culminate with the Bloodline civil war, as Solo Sikoa defends the WWE United States Championship against his cousin Jacob Fatu. The tensions between the family members have been building since Sikoa lost the Anoa?i family’s Ula Fala necklace to Roman Reigns during Raw’s Netflix premiere in January, leading to Fatu’s betrayal of Sikoa at Money in the Bank.
Overcoming Regional Challenges
WWE’s decision to proceed with the Saudi Arabia shows comes after careful consideration of recent Middle East tensions. Reports indicated that some production crew members were initially stranded in neighboring Qatar due to regional conflicts, but the company has successfully coordinated travel for talent and staff.
The Night of Champions event represents the 11th iteration of the pay-per-view and will be the 13th event WWE has held in Saudi Arabia as part of their ongoing partnership with the Kingdom. Tonight’s Friday Night SmackDown will also emanate from the same venue, setting the stage for tomorrow’s premium live event.
With major championships on the line, tournament finals to determine SummerSlam challengers, and John Cena’s farewell tour continuing, Night of Champions 2025 promises to be a historic event for WWE and its global fanbase.