‘Having The Championship Has Changed Him A Little Bit’ – Sami Zayn Addresses Breakdown Of Cody Rhodes WWE Friendship

WWE

Sami Zayn has addressed the breakdown of his friendship with Cody Rhodes ahead of their meeting at WWE Night of Champions 2026.

Today will see WWE’s second Premium Live Event in Saudi Arabia of 2026, with the show looking likely to be headlined by a three-way for the Undisputed WWE Championship between, the champion, Cody Rhodes, GUNTHER and Sami Zayn.

While GUNTHER has been unsuccessful in his two recent attempts to dethrone Cody Rhodes for the WWE Title, albeit under controversial circumstances, at WWE Clash in Italy 2026, and the June 19 episode of SmackDown in Kansas City, for Sami Zayn, Night of Champions represents his first shot at the championship since falling to Drew McIntyre back at the 2026 Royal Rumble – which was also the last time WWE was in Saudi Arabia for a PLE.

That loss to McIntyre was also significant as it seemed to begin Zayn’s character changing from a play by the rules babyface, to a delusional heel who feels as if he’s “The Last Real Good Guy” in WWE, and someone who has consistently been hard done by in the company, especially in comparison to the company’s “Golden Boy” Cody Rhodes.

During an appearance on ESPN’s SportsCenter ahead of Night of Champions, he discussed how he and Rhodes’ friendship got to become as fractured as it is right now:

“That’s a great question. Look, I’ll admit I haven’t totally been myself the last few months. Actually, funny enough I lost a World Championship opportunity in Saudi Arabia some six months ago at the Royal Rumble. I’ve been chasing that title for a very long time.

“It’s a hard thing to deal with sometimes, a loss like that. I’ll be honest and say I haven’t always been my best self, but I’ve really put my best foot forward and I just felt like Cody being champion, and I’m not trying to make any accusations here, but I think having the championship has changed him a little bit. Maybe me not having the championship has not always made me act the best way, but there’s kind of been rifts in our friendship.”

Zayn would then respond to SportsCenter host Kevin Negandhi’s claims that he “went rogue” in his role as Special Guest Referee for Cody and GUNTHER’s WWE Title match on June 19:

“I disagree, by the way, with your assessment that I went rogue in that match (the Special Referee Match), look I got pushed to my limit just like anybody else. I think almost anybody else in my situation would have done the same thing.

“Look we find ourselves here, and now I feel like, any way you cut it, we’ve got this triple threat match for the WWE Championship tomorrow night and I get a chance to redeem myself after failing to win the world championship six months ago in Saudi Arabia. So for me this is a bit of a full circle thing, and it’s a chance at redemption. That means a lot to me.”

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As was teased at the end of the June 26 episode of SmackDown, the winner of Rhodes vs. Zayn vs. GUNTHER may find them selves challenged by either Oba Femi or Jey Uso, who clash in the King of the Ring final at Night of Champions.

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• GUNTHER
• wwe
• Cody Rhodes
• night of champions
• Sami Zayn

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