The King of the Ring final saw Oba Femi face Jey Uso. Despite recent comments suggesting a detachment from the fans, Uso received a strong ovation in Riyadh. Oba Femi made a significant entrance, accompanied by his signature light show and crowd chants. The match was presented with considerable gravity by Michael Cole on commentary, with the winner set to challenge for a world championship at SummerSlam in Minneapolis. Femi utilized his size and strength advantage early on, but Uso responded with tope suicidas. Femi regained control, hitting a backbreaker. While Uso managed to evade the Fall From Grace and hit a top-rope splash, Femi kicked out at one. Femi then secured the victory with the Fall From Grace powerbomb, claiming the King of the Ring title and a championship match opportunity.
It Feels So Good to Go From The Ruler to The King!
Following his victory, Oba Femi participated in a post-match promo with Byron Saxton. He stated that Jey Uso could not beat fate or him. Michael Cole noted on commentary that Femi's path at SummerSlam remains undecided, with the option to challenge for either the Undisputed WWE Championship from SmackDown or the World Heavyweight Championship from Raw.
The broadcast on ESPN began with Jey Uso's entrance, foregoing pyrotechnics. Earlier, Danhausen appeared backstage for a pre-show interview, unaware he was not entered into the King of the Ring tournament. The Superstar, who has been linked to the NBA champion New York Knicks, commented on Tiffany Stratton's "S.G.T. Slaughter" video. Danhausen declared that if he won King of the Ring, he would adopt a new catchphrase in the style of "Stone Cold" Steve Austin: "Danhausen 3:16 says I just cursed your ass!"
Danhausen 3:16 Says I Just Cursed Your Ass!
During the pre-show, Women's World Champion Liv Morgan interrupted Danhausen's appearance, accusing him of owing money to The Judgment Day. Danhausen feigned ignorance before cursing Morgan, which resulted in him receiving a slap before Morgan continued her entrance for her Queen of the Ring opportunity.
Women's United States Champion Tiffany Stratton expressed confidence ahead of her title defense against Jade Cargill. In a backstage interview with Byron Saxton, Stratton acknowledged her history with Cargill and stated she would play to her opponent's strengths and weaknesses. Stratton, attributing a previous loss to a knee injury, asserted her ability to win when it matters.
Jade and I have a lot of history, and that's a good thing, because tonight, I'm going to play to her strengths and weaknesses.
I know how to win when it matters.
Other notable moments included Sami Zayn receiving a strong positive reaction from the crowd, while Gunther and Cody Rhodes were met with boos. Seth Rollins and Bron Breakker were noted as being present ahead of their Steel Cage Match, as were Trick Williams and Ricky Saints, who were scheduled to compete for the US Championship.
Match Card Updates
Earlier in the day, Liv Morgan and Iyo Sky arrived for their Queen of the Ring final. Seth Rollins and Bron Breakker were also present ahead of their Steel Cage Match, and Trick Williams and Ricky Saints were seen before their US Championship bout.
Pre-Show Interactions
Before the main event, Danhausen made an appearance, unawares that he was not a participant in the King of the Ring tournament. He engaged in a backstage interview, referencing his connection to the New York Knicks and making a statement about Tiffany Stratton's "S.G.T. Slaughter" video. He also outlined his hypothetical King of the Ring prize package, including a crown, cape, and a new catchphrase inspired by "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.
Women's World Champion Liv Morgan confronted Danhausen during his pre-show segment. Morgan accused Danhausen of owing The Judgment Day money, to which he responded by cursing her. This led to Morgan slapping Danhausen before proceeding with her entrance for the Queen of the Ring final.
Championship Confidence
Tiffany Stratton, the Women's United States Champion, appeared confident backstage with interviewer Byron Saxton regarding her upcoming defense against Jade Cargill. Stratton mentioned their shared history and her strategy to exploit Cargill's strengths and weaknesses. She stated that a prior defeat to Cargill was due to a knee injury and expressed supreme confidence in her ability to retain the title.
Crowd Reactions
Sami Zayn was welcomed with a "hero's reaction" upon his appearance. In contrast, Gunther and Cody Rhodes received noticeable boos from the audience in Riyadh. The negative reaction to Rhodes was described as particularly surprising, given his generally positive reception in previous overseas events.
Featured names
- Live Updates
- Kingdom Arena
- Saudi Arabia
- Danhausen Cursed
- The Judgment Day
- Byron Saxton
- Michael Cole
- World Heavyweight
- Brock Lesnar
- Seth Rollins
- Bron Breakker
- Trick Williams
- Ricky Saints
- Tiffant Stratton
- Steve Austin
- Tiffany Stratton
- Confident Ahead
- United States
- Jade Cargill
- Grades Before
- Champions Info
- Champions Matches
- Grading Ottawa
- Tracking Latest
- Arch Addresses
- Heisman Buzz
- Updated Salary
- Taylor Swift
- Travis Kelce
- Highlights Welcome
- Defense Women
- Addresses Heisman
