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The finals of the King and the Queen of the Ring tournaments came to an end on Saturday at WWE Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia, and it came with major stakes attached.
Cody Rhodes defeated Randy Orton on the men’s side, and Jade Cargill defeated Asuka in the women’s bracket.
“The American Nightmare” pushed Orton into the exposed turnbuckle and put him into the Cross Rhodes. He pinned Orton for the win and was given the crown.
“I am well aware. I hear each and every one of you. This is an arduous path. First, Jey Uso, the most beloved character in all of WWE. Then, the modern locker room later, the man, Randy Orton. And at SummerSlam, that means I’m facing either CM Punk or John Cena,” Rhodes said.
“And I completely get how you feel as an audience when I go up against these beloved characters, but I want you to hear it from me — I was born to do this. Whenther it be CM Punk or John Cena, they are holding onto that belt for themselves, and they are holding onto it for me, because at SummerSlam I get the ball back.”
Asuka nearly had the storm that Cargill brought to Riyadh tamed. She had Cargill in a submission hold, but Cargill was able to get out of it and break free. Cargill interrupted Asuka’s “Empress Impact” and hit her with “Jaded.”
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“When I first entered this tournament, it felt like the world was on my shoulders. But, you know, for the people out there who are doubting themselves, praise yourself because you are fighting through the boos. Don’t let them tell you who you are — you show them,” she said after the match. “And the grind don’t’ stop. A storm is coming for SummerSlam.”
Rhodes and Cargill both have world title shots at SummerSlam guaranteed with their King and Queen of the Ring tournament wins.
Rhodes is likely to go up against John Cena in rematch of WrestleMania 41 for the Undisputed WWE Championship. Cena defeated CM Punk to retain the title early in the night. Both Cena and Punk thwarted Seth Rollins’ cash-in attempt. But Rollins got the last laugh when he stomped Punk, screwing him out of a title.
Cargill will either target Tiffany Stratton or Iyo Sky for their women’s titles. Stratton hung on to her belt on “Friday Night SmackDown” in a win against Nia Jax in a Last Woman Standing Match. Sky regained gold in March with a win over Rhea Ripley. All women will also have to have Naomi in the back of their minds as she won the women’s Money in the Bank ladder match.
There are still two major events before the WWE gets to SummerSlam in August.
The all-female premium live event Evolution 2 will take place on July 11, and Saturday Night’s Main Event will take place on July 12.
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