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WWE Night of Champions 2025: Can Punk Dethrone Cena?

After a nearly eight-month-long drought, the WWE finally returns to Saudi Arabia for Night of Champions. This weekend’s PLE event is packed with thrilling matches, including the finals of the King and Queen of the Ring tournaments.

The main event will feature an Undisputed WWE Championship match pitting CM Punk against John Cena one last time. Continue reading to see the full WWE Night of Champions card, the latest odds from top WWE betting sites, and my predictions for this weekend’s event.

Night of Champions 2025 Match Card

Here are all the matches currently scheduled for the Night of Champions 2025 PLE.

• Randy Orton vs. Cody Rhodes – King of the Ring tournament final
• Asuka vs. Jade Cargill – Queen of the Ring tournament final
• Jacob Fatu (c) vs. Solo Sikoa for the WWE United States Championship
• Rhea Ripley vs. Raquel Rodriguez – Street Fight
• Sami Zayn vs. Karrion Kross
• John Cena (c) vs. CM Punk for the Undisputed WWE Championship

Two superstars will earn championship matches at SummerSlam by winning the King or Queen of the Ring tournament this weekend. Randy Orton faces long-time frenemy Cody Rhodes and Asuka, who recently returned from injury, faces rising powerhouse Jade Cargill.

Rhea Ripley and Raquel Rodriguez will add another chapter to their feud in a Street Fight. Sami Zayn and Karrion Kross will also square off in a singles match.

There are two championships on the line this weekend. First, Jacob Fatu will defend his US Championship against former Bloodline teammate Solo Sikoa. Then, John Cena will continue his retirement tour, defending his Undisputed WWE Championship against CM Punk.

AJ Styles was scheduled to face Dominik Mysterio for the Intercontinental Championship. However, after an injury to Mysterio, it was announced that the match had been postponed.

WWE Night of Champions Odds and Predictions

Let’s take a closer look at the odds for all six matches scheduled for Night of Champions 2025. The following odds were provided by BetOnline. You can learn more about this site in our free BetOnline review. 

Randy Orton vs. Cody Rhodes

• Randy Orton (+400)
• Cody Rhodes (-700)

The winner of the King of the Ring tournament will win a championship match at SummerSlam. After an abbreviated tournament, Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton will face off in the third and final round of the tournament.

Rhodes is a -700 favorite to beat Orton (+400) this weekend. Orton was in the finals of this tournament last year as well, but lost to Gunther. Technically, Rhodes represents that Raw side of the bracket, but either winner will likely challenge John Cena at SummerSlam.

Cena won the title from Rhodes at WrestleMania 41. Orton, on the other hand, attempted to win the title at Backlash 2025, but was unsuccessful in dethroning Cena.

Rhodes needs a path to earning a rematch against Cena at one of the Big Four PLEs. SummerSlam is the perfect setting for that rematch, which means Rhodes must beat his former mentor this weekend.

Asuka vs. Jade Cargill

• Asuka (+300)
• Jade Cargill (-500)

The Queen of the Ring tournament final pits Asuka (+300) against Jade Cargill (-500) for a championship match at SummerSlam. Cargill has been a rising star since joining the WWE in 2023. Asuka, on the other hand, has been a top wrestler in the company for years and recently returned from injury.

Cargill is a -500 favorite and needs to win this match to capitalize on her momentum and solidify her as a star in the women’s division. It would also add more tension between Cargill and her nemesis, Naomi, who won the 2025 Women’s Money in the Bank match.

Asuka, conversely, is already a star and does not need the Queen of the Ring title to establish herself.

My only reservation about picking Cargill is that the winners of the tournament would both be challenging the SmackDown champion at SummerSlam. However, as mentioned above, Rhodes is competing in the Raw side of the King of the Ring tournament. So, even if both winners face champions from the Blue Brand, the men’s winner will be a Raw superstar.

Jacob Fatu (c) vs. Solo Sikoa

• Jacob Fatu (c) (-200)
• Solo Sikoa (+150)

Money in the Bank was the beginning of the end for the New Bloodline. Jacob Fatu initially helped Solo Sikoa, but turned on him and prevented the latter from winning the match. Fatu (c) and Sikoa will face off on Saturday for the WWE United States Championship

Fatu is only a -200 favorite to retain over Sikoa (+150) this weekend. He is one of the fastest rising stars in the company, but the US Championship has a history of short reigns in recent years.

Another issue to consider is that Fatu effectively removed himself from The Bloodline when he turned on Sikoa. However, Sikoa still has the support of the faction, including the newest member, JC Mateo. Sikoa, with the help of Mateo, could take down Fatu without hurting the Samoan Werewolf’s push. 

Dropping the belt would allow Fatu to move into the main event title picture. It would also give the WWE a reason to run this match back at another PLE this summer. Plus, Sikoa has not held an individual belt since joining the main roster.

Rhea Ripley vs. Raquel Rodriguez

• Rhea Ripley (-500)
• Raquel Rodriguez (+300)

One of the few matches without direct championship implications this weekend is the Street Fight between Rhea Ripley (-500) and Raquel Rodriguez (+300). They’ve feuded before, and their tensions were renewed when Rodriguez replaced Ripley as the female muscle in the Judgement Day.

Rodriguez will have to win without her tag team partner, Liv Morgan. The other half of the Women’s Tag Team champions injured her shoulder and is out indefinitely. However, she will likely have assistance from Roxanne Perez, who is attempting to earn her way into the Judgement Day.

Despite the odds, I think the predictable interference from Perez will be too much for Ripley to overcome. After all, Perez is going to push the injured Morgan out of the Judgement Day, then she needs to prove her worth by helping her soon-to-be stablemates win.

Beating Ripley could also be the start of Rodriguez’s main card push. Also, it would create the need for a rematch, and the WWE has plenty of PLEs they need to fill in the coming months.

Sami Zayn vs. Karrion Kross

• Sami Zayn (-225)
• Karrion Kross (+160)

Sami Zayn and Karrion Kross have had multiple backstage confrontations in 2025. The two will finally settle their differences in a one-on-one match at Night of Champions.

Zayn is the favorite, but he is only listed at -225. Kross, on the other hand, is listed as a +160 underdog. After making headlines with a shoot-style promo earlier this year, a win on a PLE could generate the momentum that Kross needs to get into the mid-card title picture.

Likewise, Zayn could also use the win this weekend. His last singles win at PLE came at Money in the Bank 2024. Kross, conversely, has not had a singles match at a PLE since Crown Jewel 2022.

Both superstars would benefit from the win, but Zayn will pick up the victory in Saudi Arabia. He has been the more relevant superstar recently, and a win will help him maintain credibility for his future involvement in top storylines. The loss could also serve as punishment for Kross, who undoubtedly ruffled some feathers with his promo after WrestleMania 41.

John Cena (c) vs. CM Punk

• John Cena (c) (-3000)
• CM Punk (+900)

Finally, there is the main event match for the Undisputed WWE Championship. John Cena (c) is a -3000 favorite to retain over CM Punk (+900) on Saturday.

Punk and Cena had one of the best feuds of the 2010s, and no one will ever forget the Summer of Punk. Cena even recreated Punk’s infamous Pipe Bomb promo to hype up their upcoming match.

Having a Punk vs. Cena match as part of the latter’s retirement tour makes a lot of sense. However, the timing of their showdown makes the match too predictable.

Cena is not dropping the belt midway through his last year in the company. So, even though his -3000 odds offer minimal value, betting on Cena is the only option in this match.

What Are Your Night of Champions Predictions?

Night of Champions will take place on Saturday, June 28th, at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Read the guide above for my in-depth analysis and predictions for every match on this six-match PLE card.

Do you want to bet on your WWE Night of Champions predictions? Create your BetOnline account today to view the latest odds and bet on your picks for this weekend’s event. If you use the code FREE250 with your first deposit, you can claim up to $250 in free bets for Night of Champions.