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00:10Sammy in strife, the self-proclaimed last real good guy, Ray.
00:17Yeah, well, the point of Sammy Zane being brought into this match as the referee by Gunther
00:24is to make sure there is no repeat of what happened at Flash in Italy.
00:30When Gunther was pinned, despite his thought being under the rug, Zane is here to pull it down the middle,
00:36Joe.
00:36A guy's going to pull it down the middle who recently picked up a steel chair to potentially harm Cody
00:42Rhodes.
00:43Okay, now he's going to officiate a Cody Rhodes championship match.
00:46There is a drastic difference between picking up a chair to potentially harm Cody Rhodes
00:52and then someone who picks up the chair and puts it down and walks away
00:57and acts as the bigger man, Joe Desk.
01:00No injuries were incurred by Cody Rhodes.
01:03It's been stunning to see and to hear Sammy as he goes about his business in a certain way,
01:07and convinces himself that the crowd reactions are off, that he's in the right, humble and righteous.
01:31And here's the man, the challenger, who came up with one of the craftiest moves of all,
01:36the rink general, who chose Sami Zayn as guest referee.
01:42Will the third time be a charm for Gunther against Cody?
01:46Of course, the other two matches in this career versus Cody, the biggest spot.
01:50Brown jewel in 2024, when they were both champs,
01:53and of course, three weeks ago in front of that all-time great crowd, in Turin Italy.
01:58Well, a little nod and a wink from Gunther in the direction of guest referee Sami Zayn,
02:04as we saw on that entrance.
02:06Gunther knows as well as anybody exactly what Cody says.
02:11As the champ, easy to find, hard to beat.
02:14And when you are hard to beat, Gunther wants no mistakes from the official this time around.
02:22Look at the smirk, the smile on Gunther, seeing Sami.
02:26I mean, that's the referee.
02:29It's also a mind game being played with Cody, let's face it.
02:32Cody in his head, does he really trust Sami Zayn?
02:35Yes.
02:38You're the last man.
03:01The focused and determined champion has arrived to KC.
03:23Cody Rhodes, one of only four men to ever defeat Gunther,
03:28and the only man weighed on the roster to do it twice.
03:32Yeah, no doubt about that.
03:35I will give Cody all of the credit in the world.
03:38A lot of people are just happy to get any form of victory over somebody as accomplished and dominant as
03:44Gunther.
03:45Cody was not happy at all with the nature of that finish at Clash in Italy.
03:51Cody does not appreciate any shadows being cast over his reign as the WWE champ.
03:58He wants to be QB1 because he's the best, and tonight is the night that he clears up any doubt
04:04once and for all.
04:07Here's a crowd on the show, ready for me to start the show.
04:13I'm the kind of like, go up a boom.
04:18Whoa!
04:21Clearing up the doubts of May 31st, that controversial finish when he picked Gunther while Gunther's foot was under the
04:29bottom rope of Cody Rhodes,
04:30acting like the true champion he is.
04:33This rematch happening, but with the stipulation that Gunther has Sami Zayn as depth referee.
04:41For the official introductions of this championship match, here's Mark Nash.
04:52The following contest is scheduled for one fall, and it's for the undisputed WWE Championship!
05:04Introducing your special guest referee, Sami Zayn!
05:13And now, the challenger from Vienna, Austria, weighing in at 250 pounds, the ring general, Gunther!
05:28You mean, I'm here!
05:34And his opponent, from Atlanta, Georgia, weighing in at 222 pounds, he is the undisputed WWE Champion,
05:50the American Nightmare, Cody Rhodes!
05:58Undisputed championship match here in Kansas City to open up SmackDown, as we told you, the 1400th episode of SmackDown.
06:18And Sami Zayn presents the ultimate prize on the line, the undisputed WWE Championship.
06:26You know, it was in this city where SmackDown debuted, and when it did, the very first SmackDown also had
06:33the championship on the line,
06:34and also had a guest rep.
06:36It was August of 99, Triple H defeated The Rock to retain.
06:39Shawn Michaels was one of the guest referees that night.
06:43Oh, it's a major wrestling town right here,
06:46and they've got one of the biggest matches of the entire year kicking off before our eyes.
06:51You know, you mentioned this being a big wrestling town.
06:54Cody was quick to mention to us today that sometimes he feels like there's a little bad mojo
06:58for the Rhodes family here in KC, going back to 1981 with his dad.
07:02Yeah, no doubt about it.
07:03Dusty Rhodes, the American dream, losing to Ric Flair in this very building.
07:08And that does not bode well for Cody Rhodes, but maybe Cody needs to slip Danhausen a little human monies
07:16to lift that curse.
07:18But Cody now right in the clutches of Gunther from the very word going this one.
07:26By the way, Wade, it is noticeable, the physical prime shape that Gunther is in for this championship rematch.
07:33He looks incredibly fit.
07:35Yeah, no doubt about it.
07:36You have to be at your absolute best if you're going to defeat the version of Cody Rhodes we have
07:41in the year 2026.
07:45I mean, that's great referee, and everyone's booing,
07:48but you cannot hit on the break like Cody just attempted to do.
07:52You cannot knock Sami Zayn for Corbin down the middle, which is what he's there to do.
07:57Everybody's booing, and one guy is smiling, and that's Gunther.
08:00He's finally got a good referee, and like that clown and clash in Italy,
08:03who got us into this mess in the first place.
08:07Oh, man, what a nice edge chop by Gunther that just flattens Cody Rhodes.
08:13Well, there's that power game of Gunther coming right to the four in the early goings of this one,
08:18and Cody knows it so well already.
08:26Gunther getting a festival early on, just brutalizing that chest of the American Nightmare.
08:32It's part of what Gunther does so well.
08:35You can fire five shots at him.
08:36When he replies with one, suddenly it stops you in your tracks.
08:40Sammy, Cody backs him up with right hand after right hand.
08:47And Sammy quick with the count and break, and then Gunther plays in a giant boo!
08:56Well, to be clear, again, as the boos ring out,
08:59Sami Zayn for My Money was doing his job there.
09:02They were tied up in the corner.
09:03He has to break them up.
09:04It was Gunther who took a cheap shot when Sami wasn't looking.
09:09He drives him like a blocking sweat and tees him up for Gunther to deliver a big boot.
09:14Steady on.
09:14That's a little stiff there, Joe.
09:16I think he was simply getting in between.
09:17Just administer the five count.
09:18Look for the break.
09:19Getting in between two competitors,
09:20but clearly Gunther is laser-focused on dropping Cody for good tonight.
09:26Glad to be bringing you this undisputed championship match commercial-free here
09:30to open up Friday Night SmackDown.
09:35Man, man.
09:36He is brutalizing him early.
09:38Here's the lateral press.
09:40Yeah, and this is part of a problem when you're in a match with Gunther
09:43and you get behind early on.
09:45Once Gunther has that upper hand,
09:47it's nigh on impossible to turn it around.
09:49And from this point on,
09:51you struggle to see how Cody is going to get a sustained series of offense
09:56going the way of the big Austria.
10:00driving down that elbow to the center of his forehead.
10:04Yeah, nobody is more dominant from this position than the ring general.
10:07We've seen it for years now.
10:09One, two, three, four.
10:11Now he administers the five count.
10:15Doesn't push Gunther back, does Sammy?
10:23You've got to have consistent officiating.
10:25We are getting consistent.
10:26At this level of an undisputed championship match,
10:28there has to be consistency.
10:30Well, Sammy just chastised the ring general, Gunther there,
10:33and Gunther taking his eye off the ball.
10:34Oh, Cody!
10:36With the cutter!
10:38The Cody cutter hits!
10:42And there's that game-changing moment for Cody Rhodes.
10:46Gunther taking a few too many verbals at the ref.
10:49And this one spun a 180.
10:52The American Nightmare.
10:54Now revving that engine.
11:02Well, poison eye directed at the referee, Sammy Zaynay.
11:06I'd argue Sammy has not done too much wrong.
11:08Keep your focus on Gunther.
11:10Come on!
11:11One, two, three!
11:13No!
11:15He gets a big kick in against that left knee.
11:17And it chops him down from behind.
11:19Small attacks there from Gunther.
11:23Oh, he's locking him up.
11:24Figure four!
11:25Figure four is locked in!
11:26Center of the ring!
11:28Cody's in a tough spot based on that ring position, Wade.
11:31Well, you mentioned Ric Flair and the American Dream Cody Rhodes.
11:35Excuse me, American Dream Dusty Rhodes.
11:37I remember earlier, this may well have been the offense
11:39that caused the ending of that particular match.
11:42And it might well do Cody Rhodes' championship reign in right now.
11:46That was in Cody's mind today, being here in Kansas City, 1981,
11:50when Flair defeated his death.
11:52Flair's first world championship.
11:53And now, look at him use the ropes for leverage here.
11:57Well, Sammy Zane did that.
11:58Now he did.
12:06Jamie Zane, the hand-picked guest referee.
12:17I'm looking for a quick one here.
12:20That distraction right now, serving Cody Rhodes.
12:24These things are getting frayed between Gunther and what he thought to be.
12:28I'm not telling you to.
12:29A friendly referee in Sammy Zane.
12:32Oh, pass of Warrion.
12:34Hooking the leg to win the championship.
12:37Left shoulder got up in time.
12:39Cody survives it.
12:40The undisputed WWE Champion.
12:41Let's try it!
12:46Do your job!
12:50Do your job!
12:52Don't be for soon.
12:55Let's try it!
12:57It seems to be under the impression
12:59there is an implied agreement with Sammy Zane
13:02for some refereeing leniency
13:04towards the challenger here.
13:06Sammy Zane, I'm not sure, fully agrees with that.
13:09Yeah, that's hard to believe
13:10after Sammy and Cody had heat exchanges recently.
13:12Slapping each other.
13:13Nearly he was in a steel chair.
13:15Meanwhile, Crossroads is lined up!
13:18Crossroads delivered!
13:21Could this be it to retain?
13:22Wait up!
13:23The fuck's up to the...
13:27Well done, Sammy Zane!
13:30That was almost a carbon copy
13:32of what we saw at Clash in Italy.
13:35Nearly the same exact position
13:37in the ring as well.
13:39Well, clearly we have a correct official
13:41in the strikes tonight.
13:42And that was a sterling job
13:44by a hugely inexperienced ref
13:47in Sammy Zane.
13:48Very good awareness by Sammy.
13:50Get in the ring!
13:52Get in the ring!
13:53Get in the ring!
13:55Get in the ring!
13:56Get in the ring!
13:57Get in the ring!
14:00Get in the ring!
14:06Get in the ring!
14:07Oh, oh!
14:08Oh, no!
14:09Oh, God!
14:10He pushes him right
14:11into the sleeper hole!
14:12Well, Cody technically
14:13put his hands on the ref first,
14:15but it might be irrelevant
14:16that Cody
14:17is going to sleep!
14:18The sleeper
14:19is locked in.
14:20Look at Sammy Zane's reaction.
14:22And that championship
14:23may well be about to change hands.
14:26Cody
14:27fading fast.
14:33Sammy
14:33is taking a look here.
14:34Oh, such a devastating hole
14:36and Cody
14:36needs to find something
14:37rapidly.
14:40All that oxygen
14:41just raining
14:42from the ring.
14:42Oh, he reaches
14:42to the rope!
14:44Come on!
14:44Take it!
14:45You're a one!
14:46You're a one!
14:46You're a one!
14:47You're a one!
14:48Hey, come on!
14:50Come on!
14:51Oh, he's got to get off of it!
14:53Oh, he's got to get off of it!
14:54Come on!
14:54Oh!
14:55Oh!
14:56Oh!
14:59Oh!
15:03I mean, that's a disqualification
15:05if Sammy Zane
15:06wants to call this.
15:09The U.S.
15:10I'm going to talk
15:10U.S.
15:11Hey!
15:12Hey!
15:19Sammy slaps him!
15:20This is going off the rails now
15:22Giorgio.
15:22Sammy's a fighter at heart.
15:25Oh!
15:27Gunther!
15:28Oh!
15:29Oh!
15:30Sammy!
15:31His hand-picked guest rep
15:35is out.
15:38What the hell
15:39is going on here?
15:41We've got no referee
15:42right now,
15:43but the match
15:44is going on.
15:45Cody back on his feet
15:47and looking to gain control.
15:50Super Cutter!
15:52And an absolute bullseye.
15:54Gunther has no clue
15:56where he's at right now
15:57and I don't think
15:58Sammy Zane does either.
15:59That's the problem.
16:00No ref to be had
16:02as a crossroads
16:03lands again.
16:05Cody calling for a new referee.
16:07Sammy's down and out.
16:08We've got a ref!
16:11Two and change.
16:13Got a split
16:14second away
16:15from a successful defense
16:17and had this referee
16:18not had to sprint
16:19the entire alleyway
16:21to get there,
16:23Cody
16:23would be home and drive.
16:27I mean,
16:27that's a solid eight-down
16:29that Gunther was down for,
16:30but picking out
16:31just in the nick of time
16:33and keeping his dreams
16:35of championship goal tonight
16:36alive.
16:38Sammy powerbombed
16:39by Gunther
16:40and taken out.
16:42He's out on the floor
16:43knocked out.
16:44Cody continues.
16:45Look at Cody
16:45looking down at Sammy Zane
16:46as he climbs up the ropes.
16:48I don't think
16:49Cody quite knows
16:50why Sammy Zane
16:51got taken out.
16:52The truth is
16:52it was that powerbomb
16:54from Gunther.
16:56And what a twist
16:57and turn
16:58this one has taken.
16:59That was a hand-picked
17:00ref by Gunther
17:01now taken out
17:02by Gunther.
17:06Sammy who just
17:07moments before that
17:08did such a good job
17:09at his discretion
17:10to see the foot
17:11under the rope.
17:13And now Cody,
17:13Gunther gets out of the way.
17:15Oh, Gunther
17:16with a shotgun
17:19dropkick
17:19and now lines up
17:20the powerbomb
17:21on Cody.
17:23Stack pin cover.
17:24One, two, one.
17:26Sammy drags out
17:27the second official.
17:30Sammy Zane
17:31back from the dead
17:41and you believe this.
17:43Sammy by now
17:44could have disqualified
17:45Gunther
17:46but he's allowing
17:47this to continue.
17:50Cody trying to get
17:50the best of Gunther here.
17:52Gunther trying to keep
17:53his balance
17:53and does hold on
17:54to that top rope.
17:54Meanwhile,
17:55Sammy Zane's back in there
17:56and kicks him away.
17:59And he retains.
18:01Here is your winner.
18:02and still
18:04undisputed
18:06WWE Champion
18:08the American Nightmare
18:10Cody Rose.
18:14Well, the great master
18:16of Gunther
18:17bringing in his own
18:19potentially biased referee
18:22in Sammy Zane
18:23has completely blown up
18:25in his face.
18:27Sammy Zane
18:28just got pushed
18:29too far
18:30tonight by Gunther
18:31and Sammy
18:33reached breaking point.
18:34You can see Cody's reaction
18:36shot.
18:37This is how it ended.
18:39Well, that right there
18:40is a rope break.
18:42Sammy Zane
18:42had seen enough already
18:43and a very fast
18:45shot by Sammy Zane
18:47who was powerbombed
18:48earlier by Gunther
18:49and now
18:50he and Nick Aldis
18:51is irate
18:52over the officiating.
18:53Aldis
18:54that was not what
18:55this was supposed to be
18:57about
18:57but as far as
18:58Zane is concerned
18:59it's job gone.
19:00I don't want
19:01to be with Gunther
19:02Nick Aldis.
19:04Gunther's going back there
19:05irate.
19:09Everyone here
19:10still in shock
19:11over this
19:12moments ago
19:12how Cody Rhodes
19:13retained his
19:14championship against Gunther.
19:15Yeah, and that
19:16almost action replay
19:17of Clash in Italy
19:18and that controversial
19:19landing foot
19:20under the roach
19:21but this time
19:21Sammy Zane
19:23catches it.
19:24Everything's going great
19:25for Gunther
19:26who brought Zane
19:27as the ring.
19:28However,
19:29things went south
19:31from there.
19:31Gunther
19:32frustration
19:33starting to boil over
19:35with Sammy Zane
19:36who retaliated
19:37in kind
19:38and whatever
19:39agreement
19:40Gunther thought
19:41these two had
19:42was firmly over
19:43at this point
19:44with a powerbomb
19:45that completely
19:46knocked the guest ref
19:47Sammy Zane
19:48out of the match.
19:49So he was out of action
19:50at that point.
19:52Meanwhile,
19:52Cody back on his feet
19:53hits crossroads
19:55but Sammy is knocked out.
19:56Cody saying
19:57let's get an official
19:58down here.
19:59I need a referee here.
20:00Undisputed championship
20:01on the line
20:03and somehow
20:04Gunther finds a way
20:05to survive
20:05but we weren't
20:06finished there
20:07Wade.
20:07Yeah,
20:07Gunther now
20:08turning up the dial
20:09hoping for this
20:10victory that would
20:11secure in the
20:12WWE Championship
20:13but Sammy Zane
20:15came back to life
20:17and when Gunther
20:18stuck in shock
20:20momentarily
20:21got his hands
20:22booted off the ropes
20:23and a quick count
20:24by Zane.
20:25Everything blew up
20:26in the face of Gunther
20:26and Joe,
20:27we've got a major
20:28commotion in the back.
20:30Undisputed!
20:30You know what I wanted?
20:32You know what I wanted?
20:33You know what I wanted?
20:35You know what?
20:38Never mind.
20:39Never mind.
20:39This is my chance.
20:40You're the one who wanted
20:41to be the referee.
20:42You're the one who made
20:43your best.
20:43Now you've got to lie.
20:44You love him.
20:44This is exactly why.
20:46What are you doing?
20:50What's that?
20:51You want me to be the referee?
20:54I did it without you.
20:56I did it without you.
20:57No, I know you get it.
20:58Someone out here.
21:00Kansas City,
21:01we owe you far more than that.
21:04We need to get a ref out here,
21:06a correct referee.
21:07Restart the match right now.
21:09Restart it.
21:10Restart it live.
21:11We're not doing it like that.
21:13Let's go.
21:14Restart this match right now.
21:18This is ridiculous.
21:19Absolutely not.
21:20Absolutely not.
21:21I'm the official.
21:22Come on, Nick.
21:23We haven't done this for weeks.
21:25Restart it.
21:28We're going to get this right.
21:31Restart the match.
21:32Get out there.
21:33Restart the match right now.
21:34Go.
21:36All right.
21:37Well, here comes Gunther.
21:39Cody does not want a cheap win tonight.
21:42Sami Zayn was saying no.
21:43Sami Zayn got dropped again.
21:45And we're back underway.
21:49We are back.
21:49This is a reboot for the undisputed WWE Championship.
21:55Sleeper is locked in by Cody.
21:57Well, dodge that Cody cutter.
21:59Cody bouncing back with a move from Gunther's own playbook.
22:02But things have been turned around by Gunther again.
22:06Wild scenario here in Kansas City.
22:08After what we saw with the guest referee, Sami.
22:10And what happened earlier now?
22:12The Sleeper is locked in.
22:14As the championship match restarts with a new referee.
22:18He's fading away.
22:20Yeah, this is almost over.
22:21Cody in big trouble.
22:22He might regret restarting this.
22:25Scrambling with everything he's got.
22:27The American Nightmare breaks free.
22:29And now applies the sleeper to Gunther himself.
22:32We're going to close this out as quickly as possible.
22:35But that is easier said than done against Gunther.
22:37Who is utterly relentless now.
22:39He's been given a second chance here.
22:42And it looks like he's going to take it.
22:44Cody drops to a knee.
22:47Trying to back him in the corner.
22:48Cody is desperate here.
22:50Well, Sami Zayn with a halubar out of nowhere.
22:57Give me the title.
23:00Sami Zayn.
23:02He's grabbing the championship.
23:04Oh, my God.
23:04Sami Zayn absolutely flipped.
23:06And that is a major fight.
23:08It's no suspension.
23:10You ask for this.
23:11You want me to be the ref.
23:13Everyone want me.
23:14Sami Zayn.
23:15Oh, he just hits Cody in the head with the title.
23:20Well, I'm not even sure Sami knew that was Cody, to be fair.
23:24But Sami Zayn has completely lost the prop.
23:29As far as Zayn was concerned, the match was over.
23:32And he was supposed to have next.
23:33This is what happened after Clash in Italy.
23:39But how badly things continue to spiral for Sami Zayn.
23:47Sami Zayn.
23:59The self-reclaimed last real good guy was just as bad as fatigue.
24:05He just ruined the rebooted, undisputed WWE championship.
24:10After making a mess of the first go-round.
24:13He did that kick of the rope break.
24:15And that fast count.
24:17I'm not sure there's any ride or dies left at this point for Sami Zayn.
24:24And this is going to take some real unpacking, Joe.
24:28What a wild ride to start off SmackDown.
24:33Ultimately, Cody is still the champion.
24:35That restarted match has been completely thrown out, of course.
24:39After that intervention by this man, Sami Zayn.
24:44Who perhaps will not be invited back as a guest referee any time soon.
24:51Incredible.
24:53Absolutely incredible.
25:02Gunther hit by the hoover kick.
25:04Cody with the title shots at the head.
25:06Crazy to think we had a championship match.
25:07We had a resolution.
25:08We had a resolution.
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