Why WWE's Matt Cardona is 'hoping' Cody Rhodes retains the title at Night of Champions 2026

Sami Zayn is going into Night of Champions with a spot of a spot connected his shoulder.

Zayn has complained for weeks astir Cody Rhodes being the "golden boy" and Gunther getting an Undisputed WWE Championship changeable earlier him. He’s interfered successful a peculiar impermanent referee lucifer and has been a wide thorn successful the broadside of Rhodes and Gunther. So overmuch so, Rhodes booked the triple-threat lucifer for the rubric astatine the premium unrecorded lawsuit successful Saudi Arabia.

COMPLETE PRO WRESTLING COVERAGE ON FOX NEWS DIGITAL

Cody Rhodes speaks during SmackDown astatine VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena successful Jacksonville, Fla., connected May 8, 2026. (Rich Freeda/WWE)

Matt Cardona analyzed Zayn’s chances of winning successful an interrogation with Fox News Digital, but helium hoped Rhodes would retain.

"Night of Champions, this Saturday, Sami Zayn, helium has thing to lose," Cardona said. "How galore times has helium been enactment successful a akin concern and lost? If helium loses again, nary large deal, but that’s what makes him dangerous. He volition bash thing to triumph this match.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Matt Cardona looks connected during SmackDown astatine KFC YUM! Center successful Louisville, Ky., connected Feb. 27, 2026. (Mike Marques/WWE)

"So, whether it’s Sami, Gunther, personally, I’m hoping it’s Cody due to the fact that I privation to beryllium the WWE champion and if I bushed anybody, I privation to person beaten Cody Rhodes. People don’t cognize this, Cody’s past lucifer earlier WWE earlier helium near was against maine and I bushed him."

The Rhodes vs. Zayn vs. Gunther lucifer is 1 of 3 title matches connected the Night of Champions card.

Elsewhere, Trick Williams volition support the United States Championship against Ricky Saints and Tiffany Stratton puts the Women’s United States Championship connected the enactment against Jade Cargill.

Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes looks connected during SmackDown astatine Unipol Arena successful Bologna, Italy, connected June 5, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Night of Champions begins astatine 1 p.m. ET connected ESPN.