Wrestling fans got the unfiltered preview they needed for WWE’s Night of Champions 2025 as Dave Simon and pro wrestler “Genesis” Johnny North delivered their most controversial episode yet. With John Cena defending his WWE Championship against CM Punk in Saudi Arabia, the Wrestling Uncensored hosts didn’t hold back on the hypocrisy, technical disasters, and booking decisions shaping wrestling’s biggest weekend.
Fresh off SmackDown’s technical meltdown in Riyadh, the hosts broke down every championship match, tournament final, and storyline heading into Saturday’s pay-per-view. From Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton for King of the Ring to the heated debate over Asuka vs. Jade Cargill, Episode 739 provided the insider analysis and bold predictions that male wrestling fans demand.
But this wasn’t just another preview show. Simon and North exposed CM Punk’s abandonment of his stated principles regarding Saudi Arabia, criticized WWE’s continued partnership with the Kingdom, and delivered scathing commentary on the current state of both WWE and AEW programming. Their honest takes on everything from Giulia’s championship win to AEW’s upcoming 300th episode of Dynamite made for must-watch television.
Whether you’re looking for Night of Champions predictions, behind-the-scenes insight, or want to hear two wrestling insiders tear apart the week’s biggest stories, this episode delivered the uncompromising commentary that has made Wrestling Uncensored essential viewing for serious wrestling fans.
SmackDown’s Technical Meltdown Opens Show in Chaos
Friday’s SmackDown from Saudi Arabia got off to a disastrous start, plagued by significant technical difficulties on Netflix that left viewers staring at black screens for over thirty minutes. The show opened with a Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes promo that was cut short by power outages.
“The best part is seeing all the like posts on X about how, like, oh, Cody Rhodes just turned heel. This is the greatest Randy Orton promo of all time,” Johnny North joked about fans’ reactions to the technical problems. “Total darkness.”
Dave Simon explained the situation: “Well, here’s what aired, apparently, on USA Network. I didn’t watch all of it, but they had like side cams that were still working. The hard cam wasn’t working because there was a power outage.”
The hosts noted that the production team had to work with limited equipment, creating a nearly fan-cam quality broadcast for portions of the show. “And it looks very dark because a lot of lights weren’t on to write weird. There’s a disclaimer stating that technical difficulties occurred during the live broadcast when the promo aired. We apologize,” Johnny added.
Despite the technical chaos, SmackDown continued with key storyline developments heading into Night of Champions, including the conclusion of the Queen of the Ring tournament semifinals.
Giulia Captures Women’s United States Championship
One of SmackDown’s most significant moments saw Giulia defeat Zelina Vega to become the new Women’s United States Champion. The hosts praised the decision while criticizing aspects of the match itself.
“Giulia beating Zelina Vega, I think, was great. The match itself was not great. But I think, you know, that’s more reason to take the belt off Zelina because Zelina is just a step behind,” Dave Simon commented.
Johnny North was particularly critical of Zelina’s performance: “There were a couple of things, like the main thing was I thought Zelina’s selling was bad because I think you’re supposed to play the story off that she hit the moon salt and her knee.”
The hosts viewed this title change as a stepping stone for Giulia’s rising star power, with Dave noting: “Because Giulia, you know, is up here and Zelina is down here. Giulia is on her way up to becoming a superstar of the business.”
CM Punk’s Controversial Saudi Arabia Rap Falls Flat
The episode’s main event featured CM Punk delivering a rap promo directed at John Cena, but the hosts were unimpressed with both the execution and the hypocrisy it represented.
“I wish he had just done a regular CM Punk promo instead of this gimmicky nonsense,” Dave Simon stated about Punk’s attempt at mimicking Cena’s old “Thuganomics” character.
Johnny North agreed with the criticism: “Some of it didn’t rhyme, and I think a big part of that hurt as well because in Saudi Arabia, I don’t know if everyone understood what was being said.”
The hosts spent considerable time discussing Punk’s apparent abandonment of his previously stated principles regarding Saudi Arabia. Dave Simon was particularly harsh: “He apologized to a fan because the fan was telling him to apologize for the blood money tweet that he wrote to the Miz a few years ago when he was in AEW.”
“Does CM Punk now believe that the Saudi government didn’t murder a journalist in Turkey. Like, is that the case? Because he seemed to be, you know, he seemed to have a problem with it a few years ago. But now he seems to be fine with it,” Dave continued, referencing Punk’s previous criticisms of WWE’s Saudi shows.
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Night of Champions Predictions and Analysis
John Cena vs CM Punk for WWE Championship
Both hosts agreed that John Cena will retain the WWE Championship against CM Punk in what they consider the biggest match of the night.
“I feel like he’s the biggest lock of the night,” Johnny North said about Cena retaining. “Like there’s just no way. I would love a title change, for instance. I don’t think it’s going to happen.”
Dave Simon agreed, adding his prediction for potential interference: “I can see a Seth Franklin Rollins interference to make sure punk does a win or something like that. It looks like, oh, he’s going to cash in, but no, actually he screws over punk.”
The hosts also criticized Cena’s current in-ring ability, with Johnny noting: “If you watch his matches, yeah, very much so. And again, like his bumping is really like at its all-time worst. He was slowing down the last couple of years, but now it’s like it’s disgraceful to see him in that ring.”
King of the Ring Final: Randy Orton vs Cody Rhodes
For the King of the Ring tournament final, both hosts predicted that Cody Rhodes would defeat Randy Orton to earn a championship match at SummerSlam.
Randy is going to go to the King of the Ring finals two years in a row and lose. Lost to Gunther last year. I believe he will lose again to Cody this year,” Dave Simon predicted.
The hosts viewed this as a natural progression toward a Cody Rhodes vs John Cena rematch at SummerSlam: “A WrestleMania rematch at SummerSlam is always a great thing to do. It’s the match. It has to happen. Cody wins King of the Ring tomorrow afternoon.”
Johnny North praised Cody’s recent performance: “To me, Cody and John Cena need to be the main event at SummerSlam. I like Randy, but Cody needs to be in that spot. We need to move on from this. Cody’s the guy to do it.”
Queen of the Ring Final: Asuka vs Jade Cargill
Despite acknowledging fan sentiment favoring Asuka, both hosts predicted Jade Cargill would win the Queen of the Ring tournament.
“I think Jade’s going to win, though. I think Jade Tiffany is the match for SummerSlam,” Dave Simon stated.
Johnny North agreed but warned about the match quality: “I question the match, though. This might be rough to watch.” He added: “Let’s remember like Charlotte was out for like a year, right after wrestling Asuka. So even if you’re good, it can be rough.”
The hosts noted the audience reaction disparity between the two competitors: “Jade is like way too arrogant where I can understand why people would want to boo her right away. Just the vibe she gives off with Asuka.”
Seth Rollins Money in the Bank Cash-In Speculation
Dave Simon offered an intriguing prediction about Seth Rollins’ Money in the Bank briefcase, suggesting he might cash in on Gunther rather than getting involved in the Cena-Punk match.
“I think Seth might cash in on Goldberg,” Dave said, referring to Gunther’s upcoming match with Goldberg at Saturday Night’s Main Event. “I could see him winning. And then Seth comes, cashing in, ruining his night, taking the belt, giving us a shocking moment at Saturday Night’s Main Event.”
He continued his reasoning: “They have this whole plan of taking the title off Jay Uso to put it on Gunther because they wanted to do Gunther and Goldberg for the world title at Saturday Night’s main event. Why? I think there’s a bigger plan that involves Seth Rollins.”
AEW Dynamite Review and All In Build
The 300th Episode Approaches with Major Matches
The hosts discussed AEW’s upcoming milestone 300th episode of Dynamite, which will feature Kota Ibushi vs Kazuchika Okada in a dream match.
“Kenny’s got a big match with Okada, and there’s a bushy showing up. He hadn’t wrestled a match since February. All of a sudden, he’s here,” Dave Simon noted about Ibushi’s surprise return.
The match represents a significant booking decision for AEW: “It’s a cool rivalry and it’s a cool match to just give away on free TV next week on Dynamite. Like that’s pretty sweet for just an average Wednesday night.”
MJF and Mark Briscoe Controversy
The hosts addressed a controversial promo segment featuring MJF and Mark Briscoe, which raised eyebrows due to its content.
“I think the one thing that hurts the most is that I felt like when they first did this, I thought we were getting progressive with Saudi Arabia, where you saw like women were wrestling,” Johnny reflected on the broader implications.
Dave Simon was more direct in his criticism: “Just an arena full of people yelling at a Jewish man, kosher pickle, just chanting kosher pickle at a Jewish man in the ring felt a little off.”
The hosts debated whether such content crosses lines in professional wrestling: “People say things about MJF specifically. You know, CM Punk, when the MJF was wearing the suit there, and he’s like, Oh, you look like you’re wearing Larry Davis pajamas. I go, what, what do you mean by that? Exactly. Punk.”
Casino Gauntlet Match Build
AEW is building toward casino gauntlet matches for both men and women at All In, with Mark Briscoe earning the number one spot in the men’s division.
“All In. They’re talking about this casino gauntlet match. We had qualifiers, a men’s casino gauntlet, and a women’s casino gauntlet. The winner gets an AEW World title match,” Dave explained.
The hosts speculated about MJF’s potential involvement: “MJF is in a qualifier on Dynamite. I don’t know who he’s wrestling, but I assume he’ll win the qualifier and then participate in the casino gauntlet match, potentially winning it. Seems like a thing he would win.”
Young Bucks Power Storyline
AEW is building an intriguing storyline around The Young Bucks’ executive power being put on the line in a tag team match.
“Do Osprey and Swerve get to be EVPs if they win the match?” Dave asked about the stipulation. “The young bucks just don’t get to be anymore.”
Johnny North found the stipulation confusing: “It’s a weird stipulation that like our powers in the line, but then that’s it. It’s just, it’s just gone. That’s it. Yeah. A good match, though, but we have a stipulation.”
Saudi Arabia Partnership Discussion
The hosts didn’t shy away from discussing the broader implications of WWE’s continued partnership with Saudi Arabia, especially in light of recent global events.
“So it’s not only going into Saudi Arabia with all their laws and how that country operates, but it’s also, you know, a dangerous part of the world to be in the airspace under lockdown and stuff like that,” Dave Simon noted about the geopolitical situation.
Johnny North added context about the production challenges: “Some people left early, right? The production team left early, and they were stranded there. And they had to wait for the ceasefire for more people to come over.”
The hosts questioned the long-term sustainability of the partnership: “Like, I feel like it’s only a matter of time until one of these trips, something goes wrong. Like, you take that money and it’s like at a certain point, you know, it’s like you’re in a casino, man.”
Women’s Division Analysis
Giulia‘s Championship Win Significance
The hosts viewed Giulia‘s Women’s US Championship victory as a sign of WWE’s confidence in her future.
“Giulia said it’s like you care so much about this. I don’t care about much at all. I’m just using this as a stepping stone, and she did it,” Johnny North quoted from her promo. “That just shows you how much they want to push Giulia.”
Dave Simon agreed with the direction: “She couldn’t quite make a great match here with Zelina, but who can. I think they’re hoping, and Giulia mentioned the problem to him. Well, like this is going to help elevate her by being a champion.”
Asuka vs Jade Cargill Dynamics
The Queen of the Ring final represents more than just a tournament conclusion, with the hosts noting clear audience preferences.
“I think Asuka was maybe supposed to be the baby face, but people seem to like Giulia. I like Giulia,” Dave observed about similar dynamics in women’s matches.
The hosts noted WWE’s positioning challenges: “Her versus Asuka, who’s supposed to be the heel and who’s supposed to be the baby face. I think Asuka is the baby face. She just came back. Everybody loves Asuka.”
Baseball and Hockey Tangents
True to their show’s format, the hosts included sports discussion that provided insight into their personalities and regional loyalties.
Yankees vs Blue Jays Rivalry
Dave Simon’s Yankees fandom came through clearly: “I don’t like the Astros, but I think I dislike the Jays more. There’s something about the Jays. It grosses me out.”
He elaborated on his Blue Jays antipathy: “I don’t like that they won the World Series and the Expos never did. You know, that rubbed me the wrong way. A lot of things about the Blue Jays organization rub me the wrong way.”
Montreal Canadiens Trade Discussion
Johnny North shared excitement about his team’s significant acquisition: “Well, Noah Dobson is the guy we traded the two first-round draft picks for. This happened today? Yes, happened today.”
Dave Simon’s hockey knowledge limitations provided humor: “I’m so unaware of hockey. Is this guy a big star? Like a big name. I’ve never heard this name in my life.”
Looking Ahead to All In
The hosts outlined several key matches building for AEW’s biggest show of the year.
“Okada and Kenny Omega, that’s exciting. I’m excited for that. Moxie and Hangman, I’m in. For the world title, Tony Storm and Mercedes Moné are the contenders. Very interested in that,” Dave Simon listed his most anticipated matches.
The July 12th event in Texas promises to be significant for AEW: “So those three matches sell in that show that will take place on July 12th, a couple of weeks away.”
Casino Gauntlet Implications
The casino gauntlet matches represent AEW’s attempt to create fresh title challengers: “The winner gets an AEW World title match. MJF is in a qualifier on Dynamite.”
Chris Statlander earned the women’s number one spot, though her direction remains unclear: “Chris Stadtlander got the number one spot in that one in a four-way this week.”
Viewer Engagement and Community
Throughout the episode, the hosts acknowledged their live audience across multiple platforms.
Angelo Kontogonis provided commentary in the chat, with Dave noting: “Angelo Kontogonis is agreeing with you, says Jacob Fatou will retain. Shout out to Angelo and Jason in the chat. I see you guys are members of the team.”
The hosts consistently encouraged audience participation: “Want to shout out to Lior, Angelo, Jason!“
Show Conclusion and Schedule Updates
Dave Simon announced upcoming schedule changes due to his vacation plans: “Sorry. Rare exception, we’re not going to be on tomorrow after Night of Champions because I’m going on vacation.”
He provided clarity on return dates: “But Johnny and I will be back next Friday night. So not a long vacation, but I’m taking the weekend and several days off.”
Final Thoughts
Episode 739 of Wrestling Uncensored delivered the controversial commentary and insider perspective fans expect from Dave Simon and Johnny North. Their willingness to address sensitive topics like WWE’s Saudi Arabia partnership, while providing detailed match analysis and predictions, made for compelling viewing.
The hosts’ chemistry shines through their disagreements and shared frustrations with certain booking decisions. Their authentic reactions to both WWE and AEW programming provide valuable insight for wrestling fans seeking honest commentary.
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