WWE Night of Champions Predictions: Will John Cena's Run Continue Against CM Punk?

The Queen of the Ring Finals feels much more like a toss up, but could the finish of this bout actually be the first step in crowning Naomi as the new WWE Women's Champion?

Rick Ucchino and Zack Heydorn are back to offer up final thoughts ahead of this Saturday's Premium Live Event.

Get more in depth analysis of each WWE Night of Champions match in our official predictions video above. Don't forget to follow us on YouTube and turn notifications on so you don't miss out on our exclusive interviews, weekly talk shows and more!

Sami Zayn vs. Karrion Kross

Shout out to Karrion Kross. The man has not wrestled in a singles match on a Premium Live Event in two in a half years. He's only wrestled four times period since WrestleMania weekend. Sometimes his segments on Raw only air on the ad free tier of Netflix and yet he's still gotten over. Kross has earned this opportunity to finally perform on a big stage. The argument could be made for him to get the win over Sami, but until the company shows any willingness to push him at all, we just can't pick him here.

Predictions:

Rick Ucchino:  Sami Zayn
Zack Heydorn: Sami Zayn

Street Fight: Rhea Ripley vs. Raquel Rodriguez

Rhea Ripley and Raquel Rodriguez know each other very well and they have great chemistry in the ring. This match should be fun, especially with the addition of all the toys you'd expect to be involved in a Street Fight. Rhea is going to be a considered a heavy favorite in this one, but the outcome could depend entirely on how many members of Judgment Day made the trip to Saudi Arabia. Don't rule out Roxanne Perez lending a major assist to Big Mami Cool with Liv Morgan on the shelf.

Predictions:

Rick Ucchino: Rhea Ripley
Zack Heydorn: Rhea Ripley

Men's United States Championship: Jacob Fatu vs. Solo Sikoa

Can we take a moment to give Solo Sikoa some credit? The former Tribal Chief has completely come out of his shell as a performer. His character work has really started to shine on Friday nights, but he's had a rough stretch when it comes to winning big matches. He lost to Roman Reigns. He lost to Cody Rhodes. He didn't win Money in the Bank. Solo Sikoa needs this one badly and Rick likes him to pick up the major upset with the help of JC Mateo. Perhaps Hikuleo or the returning Tongans as well.

Predictions:

Rick Ucchino: AND NEW!... Solo Sikoa
Zack Heydorn: Jacob Fatu

Queen of the Ring Finals: Jade Cargill vs. Asuka

Regardless of which woman walks out of Saudi Arabia as the new Queen of the Ring, it feels like both competitors are primed for title opportunities at SummerSlam. Asuak vs. IYO SKY is a money match, and Jade Cargill was reportedly supposed to have already won the WWE Women's Championship prior to her injury last fall. Jade's victory at Night of Champions would set up her true crowning moment against Tiffany Stratton in August, and also a great MITB cash-in opportunity for Naomi.

Predictions:

Rick Ucchino: Jade Cargill
Zack Heydorn: Jade Cargill

King of the Ring Finals: Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton

Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton are going to wrestle one-on-one for the first time in 13 years. Fans have had this match-up on their wish list ever since The American Nightmare came back to WWE ahead of WrestleMania 38, but unfortunately, doing it in this setting has removed much of the mystery over whether or not Cody can topple his former mentor. With Orton already having had his 'final match' with John Cena, expect Rhodes to earn his WrestleMania 41 rematch on Saturday.

Predictions:

Rick Ucchino: Cody Rhodes
Zack Heydorn: Cody Rhodes

WWE Championship: John Cena vs. CM Punk

Much like the King of the Ring finals, this match should be more unpredictable than it is currently. Revisiting the Summer of Punk story from 2011 was an absolute must for John Cena's retirement tour, and a wave of nostalgia is sure to wash over as soon as the opening bell rings. The path is just too clear for Cody to win back his championship at SummerSlam so Cena can begin his redemption arc ahead of his retirement. Low blow, WWE title belt shot, the Never Seen 17 retains over Punk.

Predictions:

Rick Ucchino: John Cena
Zack Heydorn: John Cena