SmackDown will be represented in the WWE King and Queen of the Ring finals by Randy Orton and Nia Jax, respectively. On SmackDown’s go-home broadcast on Friday, both superstars locked up their berths.
On Saturday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, King and Queen of the Ring will feature Gunther vs. Orton and Lyra Valkyria vs. Jax. WWE Chief Content Officer Paul Levesque revealed on Thursday that the tournament winners would get a shot at the global title against the champions of their respective brands at SummerSlam on August 3. On SmackDown, the last four superstars competing in the tournaments squared off against their rivals.
Prior to their main event match on Saturday, SmackDown also featured a last match between undisputed WWE champion Cody Rhodes and United States champion Logan Paul. While Paul successfully avoided taking a shot at the U.S. title during last week’s contract signing, Rhodes will continue to defend his unchallenged reign.
To get to the King of the Ring finals, Randy Orton defeated Tama Tonga via pinfall. Tonga had early difficulty adjusting to Orton’s stature and expertise. But the hitman for The Bloodline was successful in his attempt to strike Orton’s knee. Tonga pursued Orton’s wounded base with tenacity. Orton’s momentum was reversed with a thumb to the eye and a back suplex into the announcer’s desk. The 14-time world champion stopped Solo Sikoa from interfering and then dispatched Tonga with an RKO. While Gunther stood in the audience, Orton was spared a two-on-one Bloodline beating at the hands of Kevin Owens.
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