Add as a preferred source on Google Sami Zayn was at the center of one of the biggest controversies on the latest WWE SmackDown. On Friday’s show from the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Cody Rhodes retained the Undisputed WWE Championship against Gunther, but did so in highly controversial fashion.
The match opened the show and featured Zayn as the special guest referee, a stipulation Gunther personally chose after earning the right to pick a condition for his rematch against Rhodes.
During the match, Gunther nearly recreated the situation that had defined his loss at Clash in Italy, when his foot was on the ropes during the pinfall and the referee missed it. This time, Zayn saw the illegal pin and stopped the count, preventing Rhodes from getting the win.
Things spiraled out of control shortly afterward. Gunther argued with Zayn, got slapped, and responded by powerbombing the referee. A second referee came out, but Sami returned to the match and pulled him out of the ring just as Gunther had Rhodes beaten.
In the end, Rhodes managed to score a roll-up while Gunther was holding the ropes. Zayn kicked the Austrian’s hand away and made an extremely fast count, giving Rhodes the win.
The chaos continued backstage until Nick Aldis agreed to restart the match with another referee. The second bout, however, did not last long. Zayn returned to the ring and hit Gunther with a Helluva Kick, ending the match again.
After the attack, Sami picked up the championship and struck both Rhodes and the referee with it, leaving them both laid out.