Rhodes escaped Clash in Italy with the WWE Championship still in his possession, though the finish has remained a flashpoint. Gunther's foot was underneath the bottom rope on the decisive pinfall, and the referee did not spot it. In light of that controversial ending, The Ring General was granted a rematch, and his legal team negotiated a special stipulation for tonight.
Gunther felt he could no longer trust the decision-making of WWE officials and appointed the last real good guy left in WWE to make sure the match is called right down the middle: Cody Rhodes' good friend Sami Zayn.
The tables have turned. @SamiZayn now holds the power over @CodyRhodes... 😬
That WWE Championship match will air in its entirety, commercial-free, on the USA Network, billed as a grand finale to one of the more high-stakes episodes of Friday Night SmackDown in recent memory.
The friendship between Cody Rhodes and Sami Zayn has become increasingly strained over the past several weeks. Neither man fully trusts the other at this point, which made Gunther's choice of Zayn as special guest referee a pointed booking move. Rhodes has proclaimed that Sami will never be WWE Champion as long as he holds the belt, raising the stakes for their dynamic in Kansas City.
King and Queen of the Ring Semifinals
Both semifinal rounds conclude tonight, with winners advancing toward guaranteed title opportunities at SummerSlam through the Night of Champions finals.
In the Queen of the Ring Tournament, The Judgment Day had three opportunities to win the crown at the start of the bracket. The group's hopes of earning a guaranteed WWE Women's Title shot at SummerSlam now rest solely on the shoulders of Women's World Champion Liv Morgan. If Morgan advances to face IYO SKY in the finals at Night of Champions, she will have to do something she has never done before: beat Charlotte Flair.
Jey Uso represents The Bloodline's King of the Ring hopes on the men's side. His Tribal Chief tasked him with winning the King of the Ring Tournament and returning the WWE Championship to The Bloodline at SummerSlam. Jey advanced out of a stacked opening-round fatal four-way thanks to a Samoan Spike from Solo Sikoa that was intended to help Royce Keys. Tonight he faces Je'Von Evans, who is as hungry as he is talented to prove he can win big-time matches.
Tag Team and United States Championship Stakes
Damian Priest and R-Truth put the WWE Tag Team Championship on the line against Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga. The MFT has made life difficult for the champions over the past several weeks. Priest has battled trust issues with Royce Keys, and old friend and rival Finn Balor now calls the Blue Brand home. Balor and Tama Tonga were two of the founding members of the Bullet Club in NJPW.
A Men's United States Championship No. 1 Contender's Match will determine Trick Williams' challenger for the title in Saudi Arabia. Carmelo Hayes and Ricky Saints meet in that bout tonight.
Advertised for SmackDown
WWE Women's Champion Rhea Ripley is being advertised for the show despite her knee injury. WWE Women's United States Champion Tiffany Stratton is also listed for tonight's Kansas City episode.
Full Match Card
These bouts are scheduled for Friday Night SmackDown on June 19, 2026 in Kansas City:
- WWE Championship Match: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Gunther with Special Guest Referee Sami Zayn
- Queen of the Ring Semifinals: Women's World Champion Liv Morgan vs. Charlotte Flair
- King of the Ring Semifinals: Jey Uso vs. Je'Von Evans
- WWE Tag Team Championship Match: Damian Priest and R-Truth vs. Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga
- Men's United States Championship No. 1 Contender's Match: Carmelo Hayes vs. Ricky Saints
Three Night of Champions card spots are up for grabs through the semifinal rounds and the United States title contender match, setting the table for the premium live event in Saudi Arabia while Rhodes and Gunther settle their WWE Championship dispute under Sami Zayn's officiating.
