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00:00Let's go!
00:08Let's go!
00:13Let's go!
00:14Let's go!
00:15Let's go!
00:19Let's go!
00:20Oh my God!
00:22Would I think I hear some live or die fans in the house?
00:48What time!
00:51Oh!
00:53Oh!
00:56You're great!
01:36Sami Zayn, who is a proud Muslim,
01:39and it has been a love affair every time this man comes to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
01:44Isn't that a nice thing?
01:46A little respect. You'll love to see it.
01:49You'll love to see it.
01:53It's safe to say here in the kingdom, Michael Cole,
01:56Sami Zayn is still the last real good guy.
02:16Let's go!
02:26And now the joy comes to an end.
02:30Speak for yourself.
02:59The ring general,
03:01the career killer, Gunther.
03:05Looking to win a third world championship tonight.
03:11Gunther has changed a bit over the past few months.
03:16He's whining much more.
03:18He's hiding behind attorneys.
03:21But one thing has not changed.
03:23This man is a deadly weapon.
03:27No doubt about it.
03:29A man who believes that the wrestling mat is sacred.
03:33And yes, I agree, Cole.
03:34We've seen a different side of Gunther recently.
03:36But there is certainly a level of legitimacy to the ring general's gripes.
03:42Back in Clash in Italy, a match you and I called.
03:45Cody Rhodes retained his WWE championship in very controversial fashion.
03:49And what about what Sami Zayn did when he was a special guest referee?
03:52Exactly.
03:53You have to understand why Gunther has had to resort to lawyers, etc., etc.
03:59Do you think Gunther's taking looking at Sami Zayn as an afterthought tonight?
04:04Yes, I do.
04:06Gunther has stated that publicly.
04:07He called Sami Zayn a non-factor in this matchup.
04:12But Gunther, of all people, knows all too well what Zayn's capable of when it's backs against the wall.
04:17WrestleMania.
04:18Tonight, Zayn ended the 666-day reign as Intercontinental Champion.
04:30We'll see you next time.
05:11We'll see you next time.
05:34We'll see you next time.
06:04We'll see you next time.
06:05Oh, Africa, the lights go up for home.
06:11Whoa!
06:13My father said, when I was younger,
06:19I'd have been better than me.
06:23Yeah!
06:24Took it all away, I gave it all away.
06:28You take my freedom.
06:30You change the game, I better, better play.
06:33I built my kingdom, now you bow to me.
06:39I dream to turn my game.
06:42You'll follow me until the end.
06:46I am my kingdom.
06:48You try to tell me what I'm going to do.
06:51Let's head up to our ring announcer, Mark Nash.
06:58The following contest is a triple threat match,
07:02scheduled for one fall,
07:04and is for the undisputed WWE Championship.
07:12Introducing the challengers.
07:14First, from Montreal, Quebec, Canada,
07:19weighing in at 212 pounds,
07:22Sami Zayn!
07:31From Vienna, Austria,
07:35weighing in at 250 pounds,
07:40the ring general, Gunther!
07:50And their opponent,
07:52from Atlanta, Georgia,
07:55weighing in at 222 pounds,
07:59he is the undisputed WWE Champion,
08:05the American Nightmare,
08:08Cody Rhodes!
08:13This is a triple threat match,
08:16where the champion does not have to be involved
08:18in the decision to lose the title.
08:20First man to gain pinfall or submission
08:23will be WWE champ.
08:26The official in this matchup is Dan Englund.
08:29Remember, no disqualifications or countouts here tonight.
08:34And there is so much to break down in this match,
08:36and I'll start with Sami Zayn.
08:38This is his 10th opportunity at a world championship.
08:41He's never held one in his career.
08:44In fact, here in Riyadh,
08:45back at the Royal Rumble,
08:47Sami Zayn lost an opportunity at the title.
08:50And many believe, Corey,
08:51that was the night that this downward spiral
08:53began for Zayn.
08:54Sami Zayn feels at times he's competing on borrow time,
08:58understanding the championship opportunities
09:00are incredibly hard to come by in this game.
09:03If he fails on his 10th attempt,
09:06that might be it for Sami Zayn.
09:08It's been a rough year for Zayn.
09:09Remember, he only held the United States Championship
09:11for 22 days before losing at WrestleMania.
09:16What an atmosphere in here!
09:25And here we go,
09:26and Gunther goes right after Sami Zayn
09:28to take out the man he called the non-factor.
09:30And now Cody Rhodes and Gunther go at it.
09:33Rhodes owns a number of victories over Gunther,
09:35not just recently,
09:36but back in Saudi Arabia,
09:382024,
09:39when he beat Gunther for the Crown Jewel Championship.
09:43Now Gunther sent over the top rope by Zayn.
09:46Sami Zayn,
09:47decidedly the favorite
09:49by this capacity crowd
09:51of 18,000-plus tonight.
09:53Don't underestimate the crowd's support
09:55for the American nightmare.
09:57Cody Rhodes was cheered
09:58just about as loudly
09:59as Sami Zayn.
10:02Collar and elbow tie up,
10:04and Cody Rhodes now
10:05with a side headlock on Zayn.
10:07An opportunity for both these men
10:08to keep this a one-on-one matchup
10:10with Gunther out of the match
10:11at least momentarily.
10:12Another cover by Cody
10:13and a kick out by Sami.
10:15And Cody dropped down,
10:16and there's the big right.
10:18It's a great strategy
10:19for any competitor
10:20in this matchup
10:21to always try to neutralize the third,
10:23whomever that may be.
10:24Make this as close
10:25to a one-on-one contest
10:26as possible.
10:27That said,
10:28it's incredibly difficult.
10:29So on the other side of the coin,
10:31if you are the odd man out,
10:32to use a phrase
10:33our good friend JBL utilizes,
10:35hang around the rim.
10:36Be ready to capitalize
10:37on any opportunity
10:39because they may be
10:40few and far between
10:41in this match.
10:41It is a big fight feel
10:43here tonight
10:43for the undisputed
10:44WWE Championship.
10:46Leapfrogged by Rhodes.
10:47Gunther now gets involved again.
10:49And the man that Cody Rhodes
10:51labeled a mosquito,
10:53Sami Zayn,
10:54taken out again by Gunther.
10:56And now Cody Rhodes
10:58fighting back
10:58against the man
10:59known as a career killer.
11:01Gunther,
11:02the man who ended
11:03AJ Styles' career
11:04here in Riyadh,
11:06Saudi Arabia,
11:07back at the Rumble.
11:08The man who ended
11:09John Cena
11:10and Goldberg's career
11:11as well.
11:12And tonight
11:13looks to wrestle away
11:14a third world championship.
11:20Notice how cool,
11:21calm,
11:22and collected
11:22the ring general
11:23is at the moment.
11:25Gunther is locked in
11:27for the long haul.
11:29Before Oba's win tonight,
11:31these two men,
11:32Gunther and Cody,
11:33were the last two
11:34kings of the ring.
11:35Cody in 2024.
11:36Gunther last year.
11:37And now Sami Zayn
11:38from behind,
11:39getting back in the fight.
11:40And Zayn just will not
11:41go away.
11:43I know Cody might have
11:44compared Sami
11:45to a mosquito,
11:46and I can't believe
11:47I'm using this
11:48as a compliment.
11:49Sami Zayn's probably
11:50closer to a cockroach
11:51in that the man
11:52knows how to survive.
11:55Yeah, but has this
11:56obsession with champion
11:57finally gotten to him?
11:59The world championship.
12:00And as it whipped
12:01into the corner
12:01goes Rhodes.
12:02And now Gunther
12:03in that zone.
12:05The zone where he
12:06wants to maim.
12:07The zone where he
12:08wants to cripple.
12:09The zone where he
12:10wants to take out Rhodes.
12:15Gunther bathing in
12:16the disdain of this
12:17Saudi Arabian crowd
12:18tonight.
12:19The ring general
12:21absolutely unbothered.
12:22He doesn't give a damn.
12:23He doesn't care what
12:24anybody thinks about him.
12:25It's about money and
12:26gold for Gunther.
12:27That's all it's about.
12:29It's about being the
12:30best wrestler in the
12:31world.
12:33And a chop drives
12:34the champion to the
12:35canvas.
12:36Covered out by Gunther
12:37Cody at one.
12:38And remember just
12:39moments ago Rhodes was
12:40driven sternum first
12:41into the top turnbuckle.
12:43Gunther immediately
12:44following with one of
12:45his epic chops.
12:46It's a smart strategy
12:47from the former
12:48champion.
12:49And Sami Zayn once
12:51again back in the
12:52match and a chop
12:53will drive him back
12:54to the corner.
12:55Sami with an elbow
12:56looking to fight back
12:57here.
12:58Sami Zayn runs into a
12:59chop by Gunther.
13:00I was just about to
13:01say despite what you
13:03think of his actions
13:03recently Sami Zayn has
13:05got heart.
13:05He's got tremendous
13:06resilience.
13:07He's built his career
13:08on that.
13:08But does he have
13:10enough of that tonight
13:10against Gunther and
13:12Cody?
13:15If anybody can figure
13:16out a way to summon
13:17the will to muster
13:18that little bit of
13:19extra it is Sami Zayn.
13:21He's made a career
13:22off it.
13:23That said he is
13:24opposing two of the
13:25greatest sports
13:26entertainers in the
13:27world.
13:33Cody realized what
13:34was at stake here.
13:35He didn't care.
13:36He said bring me
13:37Gunther.
13:37Bring me Sami Zayn.
13:38Make it a triple
13:39threat.
13:41And no one thrives
13:43on pressure quite like
13:44the American nightmare.
13:46Up and over goes
13:46Rhodes.
13:47Gunther runs into a
13:48power slam by Cody.
13:50And now Sami into the
13:51fray.
13:52Cody caught him.
13:54Cover by the champ.
13:56Sami still in it.
14:02Take a look at this
14:03exchange.
14:04Rhodes able to whip
14:04Gunther over with a
14:05power slam and then
14:07following with a side
14:08effect to Sami Zayn.
14:10And the champion in
14:12control for the moment.
14:13And here's Gunther now.
14:15Cody able to duck
14:15underneath it.
14:16Goes a double.
14:17Cody caught her.
14:19Cody looks good
14:19tonight.
14:21Sure does.
14:27Suicide dive by Rhodes.
14:30And Cody's got Gunther a
14:32bit out of sorts here.
14:35We talk so frequently
14:37about the importance of
14:38strategy.
14:38Went for the sunset flip.
14:40Gunther trying to hang on.
14:41Does it.
14:42Pitting combination.
14:44Kick out at two.
14:45Rhodes is no exception
14:46when it comes to planning
14:47the game for a match.
14:49And Gunther though went for
14:49that powerbomb.
14:51Cody from behind looking
14:52for the crossroads.
14:54Gunther into a snap there.
14:56Hooks Cody up.
14:58Powerbomb to Rhodes.
14:59Stacks him up.
15:01Is it enough?
15:02Sami Zayn saves the match
15:03up for himself.
15:05For himself being the
15:06operative word, Cole.
15:08Because Sami realizes that
15:09even though he may not be
15:10involved in the fall,
15:12his biggest opportunity
15:13could very well go up in
15:15smoke.
15:15This is what I'm talking
15:16about when it comes to
15:17hanging around the rim.
15:18Being ready for anything.
15:20We mentioned Gunther and
15:21what he did to Stiles back
15:22at the Rumble.
15:23I'd like to mention as
15:24well that remember the
15:25Rumble match earlier this
15:26year here in Riyadh.
15:28Gunther was runner up to
15:30Roman Reigns that night.
15:31Oh!
15:32As he's driven into the
15:33steps by Sami.
15:34And Sami showing a little
15:36of aggressiveness here
15:37tonight.
15:40I compared Sami to Wemby,
15:42the center of the San
15:43Antonio Spurs.
15:44I called him entitled.
15:45I called him delusional and
15:46spoiled.
15:47Do you look at that with
15:48Sami Zayn?
15:49It went for the blue
15:50thunderbomb.
15:51Cody able to counter it.
15:53Firing off a series of
15:55lefts.
15:57Oh!
15:58Sami caught him!
16:00Blue thunderbomb!
16:01Zayn's got a chance!
16:03Cody kicks out!
16:05And to answer your question
16:07and your comparison between
16:09Sami Zayn and Wemby, I
16:10absolutely disagree.
16:12I understand Sami has a
16:14tendency to be a bit
16:15abrasive in his ways
16:16sometimes, but in Sami's
16:18part, he believes he is
16:19justified in all of his
16:21actions.
16:21Whether you agree or not
16:22is irrelevant to Zayn.
16:24He wants what he wants.
16:27Sami trying to feed off
16:29this capacity crowd
16:31tonight.
16:32Cody is in trouble in the
16:33corner.
16:33Sami's got him.
16:35Looking for a haluba kick
16:36and Gunther again.
16:37Oh no!
16:40No!
16:40No countouts, no
16:42disqualifications under
16:43triple threat rules.
16:44It may be a while before
16:45we see Sami again.
16:48It's interesting.
16:49Gunther keeps flinging
16:50Sami out of the ring
16:51because he wants to pin
16:52the champion to win the
16:54title tonight.
16:55And this is what it all
16:56boils down to Gunther
16:57believing that the mat is
16:58sacred.
16:59He is still very old
17:00school in his mentality.
17:01If you want to call
17:02yourself the champion, you
17:03want to beat the champion.
17:05Make it undeniable.
17:06Yeah, but there's so many
17:07whispers out there that
17:08Gunther can't beat Cody.
17:09And that sticks with
17:10Gunther.
17:11And he wants to make sure
17:11the world knows he can do
17:12it tonight.
17:13You're absolutely right
17:14again.
17:15Gunther now with a front
17:16face lock applied to the
17:17American nightmare.
17:18Not much real estate to
17:19work with for either man.
17:21Gunther looking to hook
17:22Cody here.
17:23Cody up on the top rope
17:24trying to block.
17:26He does.
17:27Drops Gunther to the mat.
17:28What does Rhodes do now?
17:31Uh-oh.
17:32Gunther caught him.
17:33Waist lock now applied.
17:35Cody turns it around.
17:36Rhodes!
17:37Crossroads to Gunther!
17:38Cody to retain!
17:40Hook to the leg!
17:42Oh, and Sammy Zane
17:43pulls out the official
17:45completely legal.
17:49And I understand the
17:51frustration Rhodes is
17:52feeling.
17:52It may be unpopular,
17:54but it was absolutely
17:55necessary for Sammy Zane
17:57to prevent the count of
17:58three.
18:03And Cody wants Sammy.
18:06Sammy.
18:07Sammy.
18:22And these two men who
18:24were once the closest of
18:25friends, now fighting it
18:27for the biggest prize in
18:28the business.
18:38went for the disaster kick.
18:40Sammy rolled out of harm's
18:42way.
18:44And Sammy!
18:46Brain buster!
18:48Cover!
18:49And Gunther with a splash!
18:52Breaks things up!
18:55And now Gunther's opportunity
18:57with a powerbomb to Sammy!
19:02Powerbomb to Cody and to Zane!
19:08This Terminator-like Gunther!
19:12Sammy!
19:13Wow!
19:14For the win!
19:15For the title!
19:16Gunther kicks out at two and a
19:17half!
19:18What a move by Sammy!
19:22Take a look at the dominance of
19:25the ring general!
19:26Powerbombing the champion!
19:28On to the other challenger,
19:30Sammy Zane!
19:31A little insurance was what the
19:34goal was, but Sammy Zane flips
19:36the script and nearly upset
19:38Gunther to become WWE champion!
19:42This is for the undisputed
19:44WWE championship!
19:46Rhodes the champion!
19:47Zane and Gunther the challengers!
19:50Triple threat rules tonight!
19:52And now it's the American
19:53Nightmare who's the odd man
19:55out!
19:55Cody Rhodes has been
19:56neutralized!
19:57His title in great jeopardy at
19:59the moment!
20:00I guarantee you the king of the
20:01ring!
20:02Obafemi!
20:03Watching this match up
20:04closely!
20:05He has a decision to make!
20:06WWE champion!
20:08Or world champion!
20:12Zane heading to the top rope!
20:14Gunther to his feet!
20:15Sammy's gotta roll through!
20:16And Gunther misses!
20:18Gets hung up!
20:19Gets hung up in the corner!
20:20Sammy's got an opportunity!
20:21Sammy's got an opportunity here!
20:24Zane!
20:25Haluma kick!
20:26Haluma kick!
20:27Sammy's gonna do it!
20:28Sammy's gonna do it!
20:30Oh!
20:30Cody Rhodes!
20:32Pulls the official out!
20:34Turnabout is fair play!
20:39Desperate times call for desperate
20:41measures!
20:43And Rhodes realized he was a
20:44fraction of a second away from
20:46losing his title!
20:48And to Sammy Zane!
20:49Did it just flash in front of his
20:51eyes that that may have been his
20:53only chance!
20:53His last chance at winning the
20:55title!
20:57And now Sammy gonna take the fight
21:00to Cody out here!
21:00And a very frustrated Sammy Zane
21:03after he thought he had him beat!
21:06And Cody now ripping apart our
21:09announce table!
21:10Rose doing a little redecorating
21:11with malice in mind!
21:16But Zane from behind!
21:19Thwarts whatever Cody was trying to
21:21cook up!
21:22And now Cody!
21:24And Sammy Zane now!
21:26Gonna clear the Arabic announce
21:28table!
21:28Both tables now have been cleared!
21:31Sammy Zane ripping equipment out
21:33everywhere!
21:36And Cody now!
21:37That's not where Cody wants to be!
21:39I'll tell you that much!
21:44What does Sammy have in mind?
21:46Sammy Zane now!
21:48With Cody Rhodes in trouble!
21:55Sammy Zane gonna go for broke!
21:58Uh-oh!
21:59Sammy wants a package piledriver!
22:01Kevin Owens-like!
22:02Sammy Zane now!
22:05Rhodes fighting back!
22:07Cody with a shot to the midsection!
22:11And now a backstroke!
22:17Zane is down!
22:20Sammy Zane sent crashing through
22:22our announce desk!
22:24By a desperate American nightmare!
22:32Sammy Zane sent crashing through
22:35our announce desk!
22:36It's tough to tell what he was
22:38planning!
22:41Took out our audio here!
22:44Michael Cole's headset is out!
22:46Trying to get this repaired!
22:48We've got chaos at ringside!
22:51The American nightmare now in the clutches
22:53of the ring general!
22:55And Gunther gonna follow suit!
22:58Rhodes onto the announce table!
23:04And a second thunderous powerbomb!
23:09This is Gunther's moment!
23:11Zane is down!
23:13Rhodes is down!
23:17Gunther trying to drag a lifeless American nightmare
23:22back to the center of the ring!
23:26Sleeper hold!
23:27The sleeper hold is in!
23:31Rhodes is starting to fade!
23:34That's it!
23:36What do you say?
23:37Sammy's fading!
23:38What do you say?
23:39Gunther!
23:40Like a constrictor!
23:41Squeezing the breath
23:43onto the WWE champion!
23:45We've got our audio back here
23:46as Gunther looks to put Rhodes away!
23:50Sammy's aid has not moved
23:52since being driven through our announce table!
23:56And somehow
23:57Rhodes finding the strength
23:59to fight it way up!
24:02Gunther's still got it locked in though!
24:03The sleeper is still locked in!
24:05But now
24:05Cody Rhodes
24:06creates some space
24:08and separation!
24:10Gunther!
24:11Gunther's back in!
24:12Cody!
24:14Cody!
24:17Cody flailing desperately!
24:20But it's triple threat rules!
24:22No rope breaks apply!
24:25Cody!
24:26Cody!
24:27Come on!
24:27What do you say, man?
24:28Cody!
24:29Cody!
24:30Cody!
24:30The ring general!
24:32Gunther!
24:34About to claim
24:35the undisputed
24:36WWE title!
24:37But Sammy Zane!
24:40Sammy Zane
24:42would not let
24:42Cody's arm fall!
24:45Go on!
24:46Come on, Sammy!
24:54Come on!
24:57Gunther now
25:00with control
25:01over Sammy Zane!
25:05Come on, Sammy!
25:15and now gunther taking the fight to sammy cory cory just gave me gave me his headset
25:21gave me his headset for the for this matchup here between gunther and sammy zane and sammy now
25:28into the corner an exploder sammy's got a chance sammy's got a chance
25:35gunther back to his feet sammy haluva kick zane's gonna do it here's the cover
25:43gunther kicked out gunther kicked out
25:49that may have been the last chance that may have been the last chance for sammy zane
25:59sammy zane with a golden opportunity and a haluva kick to gunther
26:05and just like that shoulder up by gunther and everyone here tonight thought sammy had won the
26:12title
26:20sammy
26:21has to dig down deep sammy frustrated sammy does he have anything left here tonight
26:33zane dragging gunther back to his feet
26:40and gunther with a clothesline and that may be the death blow that may be it for zane's opportunity
26:48cody cody back in it super cutter
26:55rhodes looking for the crossroads
26:57sammy turns it around
26:59crossroads to cody
27:05sammy with another chance
27:08how much does he have left
27:14sammy's caught in the clutches of the ring general
27:16and now sammy turns it around on gunther
27:19cody getting into the mix
27:21looking for a double crossroads
27:26and cody is he going to look for one more on sammy
27:29is he going to look for one more
27:32roll through by zane shoulders down
27:35oh my god miracle miracle
27:40sammy zane's the champion
27:43here is your winner
27:48and new
27:52undisputed
27:53wwe champion
27:57sammy
27:58cory it happened
28:01it happened
28:03on his 10th try
28:05sammy zane finally
28:08is champion
28:17a miracle in riyadh
28:33sammy zane
28:34sammy zane started this journey
28:36in 2002
28:40a quarter century later
28:44sammy zane is wwe champion
28:49all of the years
28:51all of the miles
28:52all of the broken hearts
28:54and the sacrifice
28:56has led to this point
28:58to the top of the mountain
29:00sammy zane is wwe champion
29:06cory i i am still in shock
29:09sammy had a not a number of opportunities tonight
29:12and it looks like once again it just wasn't his night
29:16sammy zane fought valiantly here are the closing moments
29:20cody rhodes flying blind cody cutter takes down
29:24gunther
29:26rhodes with the crossroads to sammy
29:28but no sammy reverses delivers the crossroads to cody
29:34and right as sammy zane
29:38lined up the haluba kick
29:40gunther would arrive
29:42cinch in the sleeper hold and seemingly dash
29:46sammy's championship dreams
29:49cody rhodes with a double stacked cody cutter
29:52and when it felt like sammy zane's big dreams weren't big enough like fate had other plans
30:01sammy zane once again proves the world wrong tonight in the kingdom of saudi arabia
30:10cory the scene has to be seen to believe
30:15sammy zane celebrating
30:17among the wwe fans here tonight in riyadh
30:26what a moment
30:29despite what you think of the man sammy zane worked his ass off to get to this moment in his
30:37career
30:40no one believed it would happen
30:42i don't think sammy zane ever believed it would happen
30:45i think sammy zane is the only one who believed
30:57how sweet it is
31:02i guarantee you his lifelong friend kevin owens is looking on
31:07with a massive smile on his face
31:09because sammy zane now joins the elite club that kevin owens is a part of that cody rhodes is a
31:17part of that gunther is a part of sammy zane is a world champion
31:23and um
31:50so
31:5410 years, 10 years in WWE we have a challenge for this championship, they said I would never
32:00do it, they said I would never win it, well here it is, Ryder Day!
32:21Ryder Day! Ryder Day! Ryder Day! Ryder Day!
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