Cody Rhodes goes to the dark side, punting bloodied Randy Orton to win Last Man Standing Match at Crown Jewel

Questions loomed over Cody Rhodes about whether he would have that killer instinct when the time came. It seemed to be what he needed to prove at WWE Crown Jewel in a Last Man Standing match on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Rhodes flirted with punting Orton in the head for weeks as he sought retribution for "The Viper" nailing him in the head following his WrestleMania 42 victory. At that point, Rhodes was left with a busted eye. After their match at this premium live event, Orton was left with a kick to his head and a bloody gash.

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Cody Rhodes stands over Randy Orton during Crown Jewel at The Venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Nov. 7, 2026. (WWE via Getty Images)

There was no doubt that the match itself was going to be brutal. The two took the fight in the crowd for a brief moment where Orton levied his attack on Rhodes with a trash can. The brawl flipped to the stage where Orton powerbombed Rhodes through a table.

Rhodes would flip the momentum briefly as he took out his frustration on Orton with the steel steps. He then went for a high-risk move as Orton was left sprawled out on the Arabic commentary team’s announce table. Rhodes took out a ladder and looked to end the match right then and there. He tried to hit a splash but ended up crashing and burning instead.

Orton thought he had control from there. But the desire for Rhodes to unleash maximum punishment would outweigh Orton’s yearning to put "The American Nightmare" in his rearview mirror. Orton tried to punt Rhodes and keep him down for the count, but missed.

Randy Orton faces Cody Rhodes during Crown Jewel at The Venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Nov. 7, 2026. (WWE via Getty Images)

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Rhodes hit Orton with multiple Cross Rhodes and Orton’s head clipped the side of the steel steps that Rhodes had pushed into the ring. Orton started to drip blood from the top of his head – that’s when Rhodes took advantage. He refused to let referee Charles Robinson continue the count.

With Orton reeling, Rhodes cemented the victory with a punt to Orton’s head.

Rhodes was able to finally pull the trigger and do what everyone watching WWE programming had been waiting on for nearly seven months – payback. But it’s something that had been tormenting Rhodes. He’s supposed to be the one to embody what it means to be "QB1."

Cody Rhodes looks on during Crown Jewel at The Venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Nov. 7, 2026. (WWE via Getty Images)

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The punt could signal a change in Rhodes’ attitude moving forward.