The WWE Universe has crowned a new King of the Ring in Cody Rhodes. He defeated his longtime friend and mentor, Randy Orton, in an emotional match. Both stars took their time soaking in the electric atmosphere created by the Saudi crowd.
Both superstars displayed mutual respect toward each other. However, as the match progressed, the American Nightmare showed he was willing to do anything to win. After hitting Rhodes with a top-rope suplex, Orton felt a strain in his back. The former WWE Champion took advantage and kept targeting his back with relentless attacks.
Rhodes and Orton countered each other’s finishers, raising the anticipation of the energetic Saudi Arabia crowd. In the final moments, The Viper had a golden opportunity to end it all. However, Orton hesitated to deliver the Punt Kick to someone he held close to his heart.
In frustration, Orton distracted the referee and removed the padding from the turnbuckle. Unfortunately for him, Rhodes used the exposed turnbuckle to his advantage. He then secured the win with a decisive Cross Rhodes. Rhodes became the new King of the Ring and earned a title shot at SummerSlam. It will be intriguing to see who becomes WWE Champion between CM Punk and John Cena.
Fans React to Cody Rhodes’ Win Over Randy Orton in the Finals of the King of the Ring Tournament
The WWE Universe felt frustrated after their beloved Viper lost another PLE match. Orton had now lost his second consecutive King of the Ring finals. The first loss came against Gunther in last year’s tournament. While some fans called Rhodes overrated, others felt sad about Orton’s current booking.
One fan was visibly frustrated and called it the worst match finish in recent memory. Another fan expressed a desire to see a Triple Threat between Cena, Rhodes, and Punk. Some fans even believed that the Apex Predator would win the match. Here are some of the top fan reactions from the WWE Universe:
One user blamed Triple H for making Orton lose too many matches since his return. Another user predicted that The American Nightmare might turn heel soon. They also suggested Cena could return to his babyface role once again. Some fans were satisfied with the result, sensing a bigger story was being built from it.