Welcome to the Fightful.com live discussion & coverage for the 5/27/2023 edition of WWE Night of Champions.
We will bring full results and breakdowns for every match and segment on the show. Follow Fightful on Twitter.com/Fightful and Facebook.com/FIGHTFULONLINE
Here's what is set for the show.
Preview.
WWE Night of Champions (5/27/2023).
- WWE World Heavyweight Championship Tournament - Final Match: Seth Rollins vs. AJ Styles.
- Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship Match: Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens (c) vs. The Bloodline (Roman Reigns & Solo Sikoa) (w/ Paul Heyman).
- WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: GUNTHER (c) vs. Mustafa Ali.
- Brock Lesnar vs. Cody Rhodes.
- WWE Raw Women's Championship Match: Bianca Belair (c) vs. Asuka.
- WWE SmackDown Women's Championship Match: Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Natalya.
- Becky Lynch vs. Trish Stratus.
Refresh the site for the latest updates as the show happens.
Live Coverage.
- The show starts with Michael Cole and Corey Graves welcoming viewers to the Jeddah Superdome in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
WWE World Heavyweight Championship - Tournament Final: Seth "Freakin" Rollins vs. AJ Styles
AJ Styles is out first and gets a great reaction, as what should be expected from the Jeddah crowd. We get a video package before Seth Rollins makes his way out. The crowd is singing along to Seth Rollins's music which is now a tradition.
The bell rings, and the crowd and the crowd is chanting "AJ Styles." Styles and Rollins go for a lock-up but fakes Styles out and gets a crowd reaction. Rollins tries it again but is met with a dropkick from Styles. Rollins hits Styles with a Sling Blade; Styles rolls out of the ring. The action goes back into the ring, and Styles takes control shortly after. Styles nails Rollins with a few chops.
Styles sends Rollins into the corner. However, Rollins was expecting Styles behind him and countered and threw Styles into the middle turnbuckle face-first. The match goes back and forth now, with Styles and Rollins exchanging strikes. Styles hits Rollins with an inverted DDT, he then goes for the pin, but Rollins kicks out at two.
Rollins takes control and hits Styles with a Buckle Bomb. Rollins goes to the top rope for the dive and hits Styles. Rollins goes for the pin. Styles kicks out at two. Styles will soon take control and hits Rollins with a big neck breaker. Now, both men are at the middle rope. Styles goes for the Styles Clash, but it's blocked. Rollins reverses it with a superplex and then the Falcon Arrow! Rollins goes for the pin, but Styles kicks out.
Styles is back in control and hits Rollins with a release vertical suplex on the apron. Rollins pushes Styles off the rope to stop after attempting the Phenomenal Forearm. Rollins then goes for the tope suicida and connects! However, Rollins may have tweaked his left knee. Now, Styles goes for the Calf Crusher! Rollins rolls back and Styles has to let go. Rollins puts a chin lock on Styles, which forces the pressure off his leg! The hold is broken now.
Rollins and Styles exchange strikes again! Rollins avoids Styles Pele Kick. Styles blocks Rollins's Pedigree attempt. Rollins blocks the Styles Clash! Styles hits the Pedigree! Styles goes for the Phenomenal Forearm and it gets countered with a Superkick! Rollins goes for The Stomp, but his left knee gives out! Rollins hits Styles with The Pedigree. Rollins goes for the pin and Rollins gets the win and is the inaugural WWE World Heavyweight Champion! Triple H enters the ring to hand Seth Rollins the title and raise Rollins's arm.
Winner AND NEW WWE World Heavyweight Champion: Seth Rollins.
- The Street Profits (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins) were shown on the crowd watching the show.
Becky Lynch vs. Trish Stratus.
The match began with Stratus talking trash to Lynch, but Lynch caught her with a jab before firing away with punches and stomping her in the abdomen in the ring corner. Lynch slammed Stratus head into the turnbuckle before tossing her to the outside. Stratus went outside for Stratus, but Stratus slammed Lynch into the ring stairs before slamming her head into the broadcast table. Back in the ring, Stratus punted Lynch in the ribs before placing Lynch in the corner and hitting three guts kicks and locking in a sleeper on Lynch from the middle rope. Stratus broke the hold and bowed to the crowd, btu Lynch responded with a jab before Stratus hit a Tornado DDT for a near fall. Stratus got Lynch and locked in a Camel Clutch before gauging her face cheeks and slamming her face-first into the mat.
Stratus dominated the proceedings. Lynch tried to regain some offense, btu Stratus responded with a Thesz press & a Neck Breaker for a near fall. Stratus slammed Lynch into the corner and hit a series of chops on Lynch before going for another one, but Lynch caught it and fired away with punches before hitting a forearm strike, a elbow strike intothe corner, a springboard boot kick into the corner, an Exploder Suplex, and the Guillotine Leg Drop on Stratus for a near fall. Stratus rolled to the outside, but Lynch caught her with a sliding dropkick before hitting a lariat off the apron. Lynch tried to get back in the ring, but Stratus hit the Tijeras on Lynch into the ringpost before getting her back in the ring and hitting a Spinebuster on Lynch for a near fall. Stratus went for Stratus faction, but Lynch evaded and hit the Diamond Dust before hitting a Leg Drop off the Middle Rope for a near fall.
Stratus went for the Sharpshooter, but Lynch evaded before climbing to the top rope. Stratus went for the Hanging Hurricanrana, but Lynch caught her and dropped down to the mat and locked in the Boston Crab, but Stratus was able to break the hold with a rope break before rolling to the outside. Lynch tried to attack Stratus on the outside, but Stratus caught her with a kick to the ribs before trying to get the Count-out win. Lynch got back in the ring at the count of nine, but Stratus greeted her back with a Chick Kick to try and get the win, but Lynch kicked out at two! Stratus slapped Lynch in the face, but Lynch responded by locking in the Disarmer. Stratus got out of the hold by pulling Lynch from the hair before Lynch got a Schoolboy Roll-Up into the Uranage to try and get the win, but Stratus got the rope for the rope break. Lynch got Stratus back in the ring, but Zoey Stark, of all people, got Lynch while the referee was distracted before hitting the Belly-to-Back GTS on Lynch. Stark got Lynch back in the ring, allowing Stratus to hit the Stratusfaction for the pinfall win.
Winner: Trish Stratus.
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: GUNTHER (c) vs. Mustafa Ali.
The match began with Ali & GUNTHER locking up before GUNTHER hit a Headlock toss on Ali. The two locked up again before GUNTHER backed Ali into the corner, but Ali evaded and hit a chop on GUNTHER before hitting a series of kicks on GUNTHER's thigh. GUNTHER went for a sleeper, btu Ali got out of the hold before hitting two dropkicks, btu GUNTHER responded by catching him and hitting a body slam on Ali. Ali hit three body shots on GUNTHER, btu GUNTHER responded by hitting a vicious chop before hitting a second but even more vicious chop on Ali. Ali got back up and hit a punch before going for a forearm, but GUNTHER responded with another body slam before locking in a Boston Crab on Ali. Ali tried to get the bottom rope, btu GUNTHER centered Ali in the ring before locking in an STF. Ali got out of the hold, but GUNTHER tossed him into the apron before catching him with a boot. GUNTHER got to the outside and slammed Ali face-first into the ring post before getting back in the ring.
Ali got back in the ring, but GUNTHER greeted him back with a Short-Hand Chop on Ali. GUNTHER went for a second, but Ali responded with a jab, three chops, and a series of strikes on GUNTHER before hitting a Rolling Neck Breaker on GUNTHER. Ali climbed to the top rope, but GUNTHER caught him with a chop and intercepted him. GUNTHER got Ali and tried to go for a Butterfly Superplex, but Ali hit some punches before hitting a Sunset Liger Bomb before going back to the top rope and hitting a 450 Splash to get the pin, but GUNTHER kicked out at two. Ali went for another move, but GUNTHER caught him with a lariat before catching him with a Swinging Lariat on Ali for a near fall. Ali slapped GUNTHER, but GUNTHER responded with a slap of his own. Ali hit a Thrust Kick on GUNTHER and regained momentum with a Tornado DDT. Ali went for another 450 Splash, but GUNTHER evaded and hit a Shotgun Dropkick on Ali before rag-dolling Ali with a Powerbomb for the pinfall win.
Winner AND STILL WWE Intercontinental Champion: GUNTHER.
- Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn talked backstage, recalling their road from WrestleMania to now. Owens said that The Usos were more a tag team than Roman Reigns & Solo Sikoa and said that he did not come all this way to lose the tag titles. Owens said that he did not care about Roman Reigns getting to 1000 Days as WWE Universal Champion and only cared about winning tonight.
- LA Knight was shown on the crowd for the show.
WWE Raw Women's Championship Match: Bianca Belair (c) vs. Asuka.
Asuka got Belair in a waist lock into a headlock takeover before slamming her ontot he mat to begin the match. Belair hit a takedown on Asuka before the two exchanged punches. Belair hit a shoulder tackle on Asuka before doing a leapfrog to evade Belair, but Asuka caught her with a dropkick before hitting the Bryan Danielson "Kick Your F**king Head In" stomps on Belair. Asuka went for an Irish Whip on Belair, but Belair leaped over Asuka before catching her with a dropkick. Belair got Asuka and hit a Body Slam before going for a Backflip Moonsaut on Asuka, but Asuka rolled onto the apron. Belair dropped Asuka off the apron before getting her back in the ring, but Asuka got her and slammed Belair into the stairs. Back in the ring, Asuka hit a Hip Attack into the corner before hitting a Snap German Suplex and a Running Enziguri on Belair for a near fall. Asuka got the Juji Gatame, but Belair broke the hold and evaded. Belair went for a Vertical Suplex, but Asuka reversed it with a pin before catching Belair with a lariat for a near fall.
Asuka got Belair's arm and stomped away at the arm before trying to go for a wrist lock, but Belair responded with body shots. Belair went for another body slam, but Asuka responded by slamming Belair into the mat from the Pony Tail. Belair hit a series of punches on Asuka to regain some footing until she hit a Running Blockbuster on Asuka. Belair booted Asuka in the head before flipping over her, hitting two shoulder tackles, a dropkick, a Brainsbuster into a kip-up, a shoulder tackle on the abdomen, and firing away with punches on Asuka in the corner before hitting a Side Back breaker and a Backflip Moonsault on Asuka for a near fall. Asuka slammed Belair into the mat before hitting chest kicks on Belair. Asuka climbed to the middle rope, but Belair met her there before going for a Superplex, but Asuka pushed Belair off the top rope before hitting a Shotgun Dropkick off the top rope on Belair for a near fall.
Belair went for a Powerbomb on Asuka, but hit a Spinebuster on Asuka instead for a near fall. Belair went for a the Backflip Moonsualt again, but Asuka caught her with the Asuka Lock. Asuka & Belair exchanged pins after Belair got off the hold before Asuka caught Belair with a Roundhouse Kick on Belair for a near fall. Asuka & Belair brawled on the outside, with Belair slamming Asuka into the ring stairs. The two raced to get back in the ring befor ethe brawled on the inside of the ring. Back in the ring, Asuka went for some strikes on Belair, but Belair laid in the punches on Asuka on the ropes. Asuka went for the mist on Belair, btu Belair evaded. Belair went for the KOD, but Asuka evaded and locked in the Juji Gtaame on Belair, but Belair stacked Asuka up and hit a Powerbomb on Asuka. Asuka got the left over mist from her mouth before Belair went for the KOD on Asuka, but Asuka gauged Belair's face with the mist before hitting a Rounhouse Kick to the back of Belair's head for the pinfall win and be crowned the NEW Raw Women's Champion.
Winner AND NEW Raw Women's Champion: Asuka.
- Karrion Kross & Scarlett watched the show from the crowd.
WWE SmackDown Women's Championship Match: Rhea Ripley (c) (w/ Dominik Mysterio) vs. Natalya.
Dominik distracted Natalya, allowing Ripley to attack Natalya from behind to begin the match. Ripley tossed Natalya all across ringside before getting her back in the ring and hitting a headbutt. Ripley got Natalya immediately and hit the Riptide on Natalya for the quick & dominant pinfall win. The match, according to SRS, lasted 69 seconds (nice).
Winner AND STILL SmackDown Women's Champion: Rhea Ripley.
- Seth Rollins was interviewed backstage by Byron Saxton, saying that him as the World Heavyweight Champion. Rollins promised to be on Raw every week like usual, but said that this time would be coming in as the new World Heavyweight Champion.
Cody Rhodes vs. Brock Lesnar.
Rhodes sported a cast on his left hand for the match. Lesnar tried to get Rhodes's arm to begin the match, btu Rhdodes ducked him before rolling out of the ring. Lesnar chased Rhodes down before Rhodes got back in the ring and stomped him, but Lesnar hit shoulder blocks on Rhodes into the corner before hitting an Belly-to-Belly Suplex on Rhodes. Lesnar hit another Belly-to-Belly Suplex on Rhodes before hitting a Third on Rhodes. Rhodes attacked Lesnar with the cast repeatedly before catching him with a cast-assisted forearm strike before catching him outside with a Tope Suicida to the outside, where he also hit an Ax-Handle on Lesnar off the broadcast table. Back in the ring, Rhodes hit another Ax-Handle before hitting a Disaster Kick & a Cody Cutter on Lesnar for a near fall.
Rhodes hit the Crossroads on Lesnar before hitting a second. Rhodes went for the Trifecta of Crossroads, btu Lesnar reversed it by locking in the Kimura Lock. Rhodes tried to reverse it with a pin, but Lesnar got the hold while he had his weight all on Rhodes. Rhodes started to fade from the hold, but he was still in the match and was able to break the hold with a rope break. Lesnar got Cody for the F5, btu Rhodes reversed it with a Third Crossroads to get a pin, but Lesnar kicked out at two. Rhdoes bashed Lesnar's head with the cast, but Lesnar got Cody up in a Fireman's Carry before hitting the F5 on Rhodes to get the pin, but Rhdoes kicked out at two. Lesanr locked in the Kimura Lock again on Rhodes, with Rhodes passing out from the hold, giving Lesnar the win via referee stoppage.
Winner: Brock Lesnar.
- There was a Ronda Rousey video package.
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship Match: Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens (c) vs. The Bloodline (Roman Reigns & Solo Sikoa) (w/ Paul Heyman).
Owens & Reigns began the main event of the evening, but Owens immediately tagged Zayn into the ring. Zayn as serenaded by the crowd, which infuriated Reigns so much that he tagged Sikoa into the match. Sikoa & Zayn finally locked up before Sikoa tossed Zayn across the ring. Sikoa & Zayn locked up again before Sikoa leaned Zayn into the corner. Sikoa went for the Spike on Zayn, btu Zayn side steped and caught him with a chop. Sikoa leaned Zayn in the opposite corner before catching him with a body shot and a chop. Sikoa slammed Zayn with an Irish Whip, but Zayn hit a back elbow and a diving elbow off the top rope on Sikoa, but Sikoa responded with a jab. Owens tagged in and laid in the punches on Sikoa, but Sikoa responded with an uppercut. Sikoa laid out punches on Owens, but Owens responded with a chop before catching Sikoa with a toe kick. Zayn tagged in and hit a drop toe-hold on Sikoa, allowing Ownes to hit Sikoa with a senton to the back. Reigns dumped Owens out fo the ring, allowing Sikoa to takke advantage and attack Zayn from behind.
Reigns & Sikoa dominated proceedings, cornering Zayn before Reigns hit a suplex on Zayn for a near fall. Zayn hit a series of chops on Reigns, btu Reigns responded with an uppercut. Sikoa attacked Zayn on the outside, but was stopped by Owens. Back in the ring, Reigns told the crowd to be quiet before punching him in the head before tagging in Sikoa, who hit a Samoan Drop on Zayn. Sikoa locked in the Nerve Hold on Zayn, but Zayn broke the hold by hitting body shots on Sikoa before Sikao tossed Zayn out of the ring. Reigns tried to attack Zayn on the outside, but Zayn fired away with punches outside before tossing Sikoa onto the broadcast table. Zayn tried to tag in Owens, but Sikoa stopped Zayn before hitting a Thrust Kick on Owens. Sikoa got Zayn on the top rope, but Zayn got him with boot kicks before Zayn hit a Tornado Kick.
Owens & Reigns tagged in, with Owens laying in a series of punches & stomps to send Reigns outside. Outside of the ring, Owens hit a lariat and a senton on Reigns before getting him back in the ring and hitting a Thrust Kick. Sikoa briefly distracted Owens, allowing Reigns to hit a lariat on Owens to regain his footing. Reigns went for the Superman Punch, btu Owens evaded and hit the Pop-Up Powerbomb for a near fall, which Owens quickly reacted by hitting a Frog Splash on Reigns off the tope rope for a near fall. Owens went for a Stunner, btu Sikoa hit a Guillotine on Owens on the top rope, allowing Reigns to hit a Superman Punch on Owens to get the pin, but Owens kicked out at two. Reigns went for a Spear, but Owens caught him with a Stunner but Reigns went on Instinct alone and hit a Spear on Owens.
Zayn got back on the apron, which allowed Sikoa & Zayn to tag back in. Zayn hit a series of jabs on Sikoa before leaping over him and hitting a clothesline to send him tot he outside, which led to Zayn hitting a Tope Con Giro on Sikoa to the outside before getting Sikoa back in the ring and hitting the Blue Thunder Bomb on Sikoa for a near fall. Zayn aimed for the Helluva Kick on Sikoa, but Sikoa caught him with a Thrust Kick. Sikao went for the Samoan Spike, but Zayn reversed it with an Exploder Suplex before hitting the Helluva Kick on Sikoa, but Reigns broke the pin at the count of two. Reigns laid in a series of punches on Zayn before going for a Samoan Drop, but Zayn evaded before Reigns accidentally speared the referee.
Zayn hit a Superman Punch on Reigns before going for the Helluva Kick on Reigns, but Reigns caught him with a Superman Punch, but Owens caught him with a Spear before firing away with punches before tossing Reigns onto the stairs. Owens dismantled both the English & Arabic Broadcast Tables before going for a move on Reigns, but The Usos (Jimmy & Jey Uso) attacked Owens from behind before piling the table over Ownes. The Usos laid in the Thrust Kicks on Zayn before going for a Double Thrust Kick on Zayn, but Zayn evaded to cause them to hit Sikoa instead. This infuriated Reigns, who decked Jimmy in response before arguing with Jey. Reigns demanded Jimmy & Jey to leae, but Jimmy instead hit a Thrust Kick on Reigns for the Roar of the Crowd. The Usos argued with each other, with Jimmy saying he is doing what Jey should have done a long time ago before hitting a Second Thrust Kick on Reigns. The Usos left the scene, leaving Sikao in the ring. Sikoa was bamboozled by the situation, allowing Owens to hit a Stunner on Sikoa before Zayn hit the Helluva Kick on Sikoa for the pinfall win. As the Usos watched their chaos from the ramp, Owens & Zayn stood tall to end the broadcast.
Winners AND STILL WWE Tag Team Champions: Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens.
- Check out the post-show podcast for a full review of the show on Fightful's YouTube & Twitch channels. You can check Fightful's Results Section here.