The WWE ring returns to Saudi Arabia on Saturday for the Night time of Champions pay-per-view occasion. Whereas this 12 months’s version of the occasion does not observe the outdated guidelines of “each title in WWE will probably be on the road,” the cardboard continues to be loaded with intriguing and essential matches.
5 of the cardboard’s seven matches could have a title up for grabs. That features the primary occasion, the place undisputed WWE common champion Roman Reigns will try to go away Saudi Arabia with 4 belts as he groups with Solo Sikoa to battle undisputed tag crew champions Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens. Additionally, the primary world heavyweight champion since 2013 will probably be topped when Seth Rollins and AJ Types conflict over the recently-reintroduced title.
Plus, each girls’s titles will probably be at stake. Uncooked girls’s champion Bianca Belair will face off towards Asuka whereas SmackDown girls’s champ Rhea Ripley takes on Natalya. And a conflict of legends can also be scheduled when Trish Stratus takes on Becky Lynch.
The cardboard additionally sees the return of dominant intercontinental champion Gunther as he welcomes his newest challenger in Mustafa Ali. Gunther has wreaked havoc over the SmackDown model and a latest transfer to Uncooked gives a brand new roster of challengers to aim to mow down. Ali represents the primary of these challengers after he beat Dolph Ziggler to earn the chance.
Let’s check out who the CBS Sports activities consultants are choosing in every match at Night time of Champions, which streams dwell on Peacock on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET.
WWE Night time of Champions 2023 predictions
Undisputed Tag Group Championship — Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn (c) vs. Roman Reigns & Solo Sikoa
I’m all in on this tag crew match. Reigns has misplaced religion in The Usos and is taking issues into his personal palms, accelerating The Bloodline’s demise. Placing the tag titles at stake permits the uncommon alternative for Reigns to exit on his again with out jeopardizing his file title run. Zayn and Owens, significantly the previous, are lengthy overdue for revenge on the undisputed world champion. There will probably be few sweeter moments in 2023 than seeing Zayn Helluva Kick Reigns and decide up the three-count. Reigns is bulletproof and a clear loss at his expense will not knock him down a peg as a lot as it’ll elevate everybody immediately and not directly concerned within the match. Owens and Zayn will rating a marquee win, The Usos’ will probably be validated regardless of their latest losses and the aura of Sikoa because the group’s true largest risk will proceed to construct. Choose: Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn retain the titles — Shakiel Mahjouri (additionally Brent Brookhouse)
Brock Lesnar vs. Cody Rhodes
Rhodes’ win over Lesnar at Backlash was surprising. Not that it was surprising that Rhodes received as a lot because it was surprising to see Lesnar gushing blood for practically everything of the match. The blood — intentional or not — added a complete new stage of depth to the rivalry between Lesnar and Rhodes and has set Lesnar off on a violent path of revenge. Within the ultimate Uncooked earlier than Night time of Champions, Lesnar badly injured Rhodes’ arm, which units up one other excuse for the way Lesnar can get his win again with out harming Rhodes’ place as a prime expertise an excessive amount of. It is also unclear what Rhodes’ large SummerSlam program can be, so dragging issues ahead with Lesnar makes an excellent quantity of sense. Choose: Brock Lesnar wins — Brookhouse (additionally Mahjouri)
World Heavyweight Championship — Seth Rollins vs. AJ Types
Rollins vs. Types will probably be a improbable match, little doubt about it. It is also refreshing to see Types return to the primary occasion scene after his newest midcard run and a stint in NXT. It is actually possible for Types to have one other world title run at age 45. The difficulty is that his momentum — barring one thing like an O.C. heel flip — is non-existent. Rollins is hotter than ever and is lengthy, lengthy overdue for a prime spot after giving the rub to Cody Rhodes, Logan Paul and others in 2021 and 2022. WWE missed the mark with elevating Rhodes and Sami Zayn this 12 months. They can not do it once more. Choose: Seth Rollins wins the vacant title — Mahjouri (additionally Brookhouse)
Intercontinental Championship — Gunther (c) vs. Mustafa Ali
Ali received a battle royal to earn a shot at long-reigning champion Gunther. That most likely should not be surprising given he’s an everyday on WWE’s playing cards in Saudi Arabia. What would be surprising can be Ali successful the match. Gunther is on a hell of a run and simply received a recent batch of challengers when he was drafted to Uncooked. His reign will not final endlessly, however there is no such thing as a motive for it to finish with out there being a compelling program across the title swap, not a man simply successful a battle royal. Choose: Gunther retains the title — Brookhouse (additionally Mahjouri)
Uncooked Girls’s Championship — Bianca Belair (c) vs. Asuka
WWE have booked themselves right into a nook with this match. Belair and Asuka had a powerful displaying at WrestleMania 39 regardless of a mismanaged construct. Belair is a marketable and precious champion for the corporate; in the meantime, Asuka is among the division’s few legit threats. Asuka has not been booked effectively sufficient to dethrone Belair this weekend, however a second loss to the champ will not treatment that both. The protected play is to maintain the title on Belair, however a lot must be accomplished after Night time of Champions to organize Asuka for an eventual title run. Choose: Bianca Belair retains the title — Mahjouri (additionally Brookhouse)
SmackDown Girls’s Championship — Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Natalya
Just like Gunther’s match with Ali, this match does not really feel like there’s any intrigue. Natalya was within the first girls’s match in Saudi Arabia and she or he will get a title shot within the newest journey to the nation. However the complete factor took place as a result of Natalya stepped in when Ripley continued to assault Dana Brooke after successful a one-on-one match. Ripley is not going to have her still-young title reign finish but and positively not towards Natalya, who’s now not actually a participant as a possible world champion. Choose: Rhea Ripley retains the title — Brookhouse (additionally Mahjouri)
Becky Lynch vs. Trish Stratus
It looks like WWE desires to increase this story to SummerSlam, perhaps with Stratus solely sometimes showing between Night time of Champions and the summer season’s large pay-per-view extravaganza. The one approach that may occur is with Stratus choosing up an inexpensive win over Lynch. It looks like that is the best play for all concerned right here. Choose: Trish Stratus wins — Brookhouse
This can be a match buoyed purely by star energy and dream standing. The worth tag on these Saudi Arabia reveals dictate marquee matchups, in spite of everything. It is good that WWE has at the least tried to construct a narrative round Lynch vs. Stratus as an alternative of slapping it onto a poster and calling it a day. Lynch ought to decide up the victory in a historic-ish match and might transfer ahead to an intriguing world title program with Rhea Ripley. Choose: Becky Lynch wins — Mahjouri