The WWE SmackDown broadcast in Kansas City delivered a controversial finish to its main event. Cody Rhodes defended the Undisputed WWE Championship against Gunther, with Sami Zayn operating as the special guest referee. Zayn heavily favored Rhodes throughout the match, utilizing fast counts and direct interventions to disrupt the challenger.
Rhodes initially secured a pinfall victory, but a restart was immediately demanded. The second attempt ended abruptly when Zayn struck Gunther with a Helluva Kick, resulting in a disqualification win for Gunther. However, Rhodes kept his belt because championships cannot change hands via disqualification rules, allowing the champion to survive the chaotic main event.
Frustrated with the inconclusive finishes, Rhodes approached SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis. He successfully petitioned for a Triple Threat match against Gunther and Zayn for the upcoming Night of Champions premium live event. Gunther also confronted Aldis backstage, furiously questioning his leadership and blaming the general manager for his failure to capture the title in consecutive weeks.
The King of the Ring tournament finalized its bracket. Jey Uso defeated Je’Von Evans to advance to the finals, where he will face Oba Femi. On the women’s side, Liv Morgan forced Charlotte Flair to submit, advancing to the Queen of the Ring finals against Iyo Sky. Flair wrestled the match compromised following a backstage attack orchestrated by Jade Cargill’s faction.
Damian Priest and R-Truth retained the WWE Tag Team Championships against Talla Tonga and Tama Tonga. The MFTs lost their title opportunity after ringside interference from Solo Sikoa backfired. In the midcard, Ricky Starks defeated Carmelo Hayes to earn a United States Championship match against Trick Williams at Night of Champions.
The T-Mobile Center crowd witnessed a broadcast deliberately designed to mirror history. Commentator Joe Tessitore noted the main event structurally reflected the very first episode of SmackDown in 1999, which also took place in Kansas City and featured a controversial special guest referee during a WWE Championship match.