Cody Rhodes Wins King of the Ring, Orton Injured

Cody Rhodes defeated Randy Orton in the King of the Ring Finals at WWE Night of Champions 2025, earning a guaranteed shot at the Undisputed WWE Championship at SummerSlam. The match saw Orton suffer a back injury after a superplex, which Rhodes exploited, and Orton's attempts at using heel tactics—including exposing a turnbuckle and teasing the banned Punt Kick—ultimately backfired. Rhodes withstood two RKOs before capitalizing on Orton's collision with the exposed steel to win with Cross Rhodes. Orton's injury and visible frustration have sparked speculation about a potential heel turn, which could influence WWE storylines ahead of SummerSlam. Rhodes is now set to challenge the winner of John Cena vs. CM Punk for the title. This bout was also the first singles match between Rhodes and Orton since Rhodes' WWE return.