BREAKING: Sami Zayn Wins WWE Championship At Night Of Champions — What’s Next For Cody Rhodes And Gunther?

Sami Zayn has done it.

At WWE Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia, Zayn captured the WWE Championship in a massive Triple Threat Match against Cody Rhodes and Gunther, pulling off one of the biggest title wins of his career and completely changing the road to SummerSlam.

For months, Sami has been floating around the main event scene as the emotional wildcard. Cody Rhodes was the champion carrying the company standard. Gunther was the dangerous final boss waiting to take what he believed should have already been his. But when the dust settled at Night of Champions, it was Sami Zayn standing tall with the WWE Championship.

That is not just a title change. That is a reset button.

Sami Zayn is now heading into SummerSlam as WWE Champion, and suddenly the entire top of the card looks different.

Sami Zayn Finally Gets His Moment

Sami Zayn’s rise has always been built on emotion.

Fans have followed him through the underdog years, the Bloodline drama, the heartbreak, the almost-moments, and the nights where it felt like he was close but not quite close enough. Night of Champions changed that.

This was not Sami stealing a moment in a throwaway match. This was Sami beating two of WWE’s biggest names in one of the most important championship matches of the year.

Cody Rhodes came in as champion. Gunther came in as the monster who believed he had been robbed before. Sami came in as the man with the most to prove.

And now he leaves Saudi Arabia as WWE Champion.

That gives WWE a fresh SummerSlam direction. Sami is not the typical dominant champion. He is not the unbeatable machine. He is not the corporate face of perfection.

He is the fighting champion fans can believe in because they have watched him fail, fight, fall, and get back up again.

That makes his title reign instantly interesting.

SummerSlam Just Got Complicated

With Sami Zayn now holding the WWE Championship, WWE has several major paths available for SummerSlam.

The most obvious question is whether Sami will defend against Oba Femi, the new King of the Ring winner. If Oba chooses the WWE Championship, then SummerSlam could become a classic underdog champion vs. unstoppable monster challenger story.

That matchup is dangerous for Sami in the best possible way.

Oba Femi is not just another challenger. He is power, presence, and pressure. If WWE wants to make Oba look like the next dominant force, putting him across from Sami Zayn at SummerSlam would be a huge statement.

Sami would have to survive, not just wrestle.

The visual alone sells the match: Sami Zayn, the heart of WWE, standing across from Oba Femi, the new king looking to take his throne.

But Oba is not the only threat.

Cody Rhodes will almost certainly want his rematch. Gunther will not just walk away quietly. And Roman Reigns, depending on where WWE takes the World Heavyweight Championship picture, could still loom over everything as SummerSlam approaches.

Sami may have won the title, but the hard part starts now.

What’s Next For Cody Rhodes?

For Cody Rhodes, this loss opens up a very interesting chapter.

Cody has been defined by finishing the story, carrying the title, and being the face of WWE’s new era. Losing the championship in a Triple Threat Match gives WWE an easy way to protect him while still moving the title to Sami.

He does not have to look weak. He does not have to disappear. But he does need a new direction.

There are three clear options for Cody after Night of Champions.

First, WWE could have Cody chase the rematch. That is the safest route. Cody can argue that he was not beaten clean in a traditional one-on-one match, especially because Triple Threat rules always leave room for chaos. A Cody vs. Sami singles match for the WWE Championship would be a strong television or premium live event main event.

Second, Cody could finally step away from the title picture and move into a major personal feud. That might actually be the better move. Cody has been attached to championship stakes for so long that a heated grudge feud could freshen him up before he eventually returns to the title scene.

Third, WWE could use this loss to start showing cracks in Cody’s confidence. Not a full heel turn, not immediately, but something more layered. What happens when the man who finished the story loses control of the ending? Does he stay honorable? Does frustration creep in? Does he start making choices he would not have made as champion?

That may be the most interesting version of Cody going forward.

Cody Rhodes does not need to be champion to matter. But how he reacts to no longer being champion will tell us where WWE is taking him next.

What’s Next For Gunther?

Gunther may be the most dangerous man coming out of this match.

The reason is simple: he still has a claim.

Gunther already had issues with how his previous title opportunity played out, and losing another championship match without walking away with the title gives him every reason to become even more ruthless. If WWE wants to keep Gunther hot, the story is right there.

He believes he should be WWE Champion.

He believes Cody escaped him.

Now he can believe Sami survived him.

That is a dangerous mindset for someone like Gunther.

A Gunther vs. Sami Zayn title program would make a ton of sense because they already have history. Sami has beaten Gunther before, but Gunther is not the same type of opponent you survive forever. Every time Sami stands across from him, the question becomes whether heart can overcome punishment one more time.

If WWE does not go directly to Sami vs. Oba, then Sami vs. Gunther at SummerSlam may be the cleanest championship match on the table.

Gunther also has another option: destroy Cody Rhodes.

If Gunther blames Cody for creating the Triple Threat situation, or believes Cody cost him the championship again, WWE could easily pivot into Cody vs. Gunther without the title. That match does not need a championship to feel important. It already has unfinished business, physical credibility, and big-fight energy.

Either way, Gunther should not be treated like an afterthought. He should be more dangerous now than he was before.

Could WWE Run Sami vs. Cody vs. Gunther Again?

The easy answer is yes.

The smarter answer is maybe not right away.

A rematch makes sense on paper because all three men have claims. Sami is the champion. Cody is the former champion. Gunther is the powerhouse who still believes the title belongs to him.

But WWE may get more mileage by splitting the stories.

Let Sami move forward as champion. Let Cody deal with the emotional fallout. Let Gunther become even more violent. Then, when they cross paths again, it feels bigger than just running back the same match.

Night of Champions should feel like the start of something, not the end of it.

Final Take

Sami Zayn winning the WWE Championship at Night of Champions is a major shakeup before SummerSlam.

It gives WWE a champion fans can rally behind, a fresh title picture, and multiple major challengers circling the throne. Cody Rhodes now has to figure out who he is without the title. Gunther has every reason to become even more dangerous. And Oba Femi may be standing in the distance with a crown, a title shot, and bad intentions.

Sami finally reached the top.

Now he has to survive it.