Night of Champions (not to be confused with Clash of Champions or WCW’s Clash of the Champions) is usually a show some fans could skip. But WWE upped the ante in 2023 (mainly because it is taking place in Saudi Arabia) and decided to crown a new World Heavyweight Champion.
Yes, the title is a consolation for those unable to dethrone the Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns, but WWE will go out of its way to make it seem like this title is of equal importance Saturday despite the promotion’s own employees, including one who is vying for the title, having already disparaged its somewhat good name.
Who will leave Saudi Arabia with the new title? Will Cody Rhodes even make it to Night of Champions? Will the confusion surrounding the women’s titles be remotely cleared up?
Here are my predictions for the event:
Cody Rhodes vs. Brock Lesnar
I know, the world title should probably close out Night of Champions, but I feel like if WWE put Rhodes and Brock Lesnar after Bad Bunny in Puerto Rico, they’ll put them after Seth Rollins and AJ Styles.
If WWE is trying to get a third match out of this feud, which I imagine it will, then logically Rhodes would have to lose to set up the rubber match. WWE has already kind of given Rhodes the out of being less than 100%, so it wouldn’t completely extinguish what momentum the American Nightmare has left following WrestleMania.
With that said, this feud is not doing what WWE wants it to do, which is carry the main event scene while Reigns challenges for the tag titles for some strange reason. However, we’ll get one more between these two because Lesnar gets his win back to set up a third and decisive encounter in the future.
Winner: Brock Lesnar
WWE World Heavyweight Championship: Seth “Freakin’” Rollins vs. AJ Styles
I am a big fan of both Rollins and Styles, but as I wrote last week, crowning Rollins as the first world champion since 2013 is the only decision, in my book.
The new title is indeed a consolation, but no one should be awarded that consolation before Rollins. Not to mention, Styles has already called the title secondary in an interview with the New York Post, which I’m willing to bet WWE didn’t love hearing.
Winner: Seth “Freakin’” Rollins
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship: Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens (c) vs. Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa
By virtue of WWE debuting a new world title, Reigns, in theory, should no longer be an “undisputed” champion. Right? I guess he is trying to rectify that by bringing the undisputed tag titles back to The Bloodline.
I honestly have no idea why this match is happening. I thought the whole point of bringing back the World Heavyweight Championship was so that there would be a world title in the company while Reigns wasn’t around. What’s the point of that title when Reigns is, in fact, around? Not only is he around, he is traveling across the world to challenge for … the tag titles?
There are so many confusing things going on in WWE at the moment, and this is high on the list.
So what does WWE do here? Do they find a way to keep the titles on Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens? How does that happen? Does WWE want to beat Solo Sikoa? We know they won’t beat Reigns. Is there a disqualification finish? It would be kind of wild to have Reigns’ fly across the world for a DQ finish, but it is an option.
Or …
WWE could have Reigns and Sikoa defeat Zayn and Owens and give Reigns two more titles for a total of four. Let’s not forget that the tag titles are two separate titles that have been unified, not one consolidated title, which is why Zayn and Owens still walk around with two belts.
If Reigns is in possession of four titles simultaneously, he’d only be halfway to looking like Ultimo Dragon in these streets.
Jokes aside, that would be absurd. Reigns has been on top of the world in dominant fashion going on three years. He’s been so dominant that WWE literally created a new title for when he is not around. But here is WWE, using up one of Reigns’ few appearances not to headline a big show or put someone else over, but to possibly win the tag titles from a team that won them in the main event of WrestleMania not even two months ago.
Because it would be bizarre to give Reigns two more titles, I feel like I have to go with the champs to somehow retain. WWE has defied logic countless times in the past, and I wouldn’t put it past the company to look logic in the eye with defiance yet again.
Winners: Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens
WWE Raw Women’s Championship: Bianca Belair (c) vs. Asuka
On paper, Bianca Belair and Asuka should be must-see TV, but it really hasn’t been and I’m not sure why. They are both extremely talented and are over with the fans. But to put it simply, the feeling I get from this feud is apathy — and I don’t take joy in saying that.
As far as a winner, I don’t see a reason to take the title off of Belair to put it on Asuka. I would not be opposed to Belair losing the title, but it should not come after a feud as lackluster as this one.
Winner: Bianca Belair
WWE Smackdown Women’s Championship: Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Natalya
Rhea Ripley’s title reign has also been kind of uneventful so far. WWE has a pair of potential megastars on its hands with Ripley and Belair, but has seemingly forgotten how to book them in the last few months. It’s really weird, to be honest, and I’m not sure what happened.
Even Ripley’s lone title defense wasn’t really about her as much as it was a moment for Zelina Vega in Puerto Rico and dedicating the match to her late father. Ripley was sort of a background player in that encounter despite winning.
I’d be willing to bet that Ripley and Natalya will both put on great performances in Saudi Arabia, but I wouldn’t be willing to bet if anyone would remotely care.
Winner: Rhea Ripley
Before we move on to the next match, I would like to take this time to implore WWE to have Belair and Ripley switch titles so they can stop walking around with the title of the show they used to be on. It makes ZERO sense why this hasn’t happened already.
OK, back to our regularly scheduled programming …
Becky Lynch vs. Trish Stratus
Once again, on paper, this should be a dream scenario. In reality, it’s merely fine. However, I think this could be a candidate to steal the show on Saturday.
As far as a winner, I think it has to be Becky Lynch.
Winner: Becky Lynch
WWE Intercontinental Championship: Gunther (c) vs. Mustafa Ali
I mean, I think we all know how this one is going to go — Gunther retains.
However, where does Gunther go from here? You have to imagine folks like Drew McIntyre (whenever he returns) will go after the new world title. Maybe Shinsuke Nakamura? At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter that much as we’re just biding time for when Gunther finally drops the Intercontinental title and goes for the world title.
I don’t see that happening anytime soon. Until then, Gunther’s reign lives on.
Winner: Gunther