Cody Rhodes defeats Randy Orton in a Last Man Standing match at WWE Crown Jewel 2026, delivering a punt kick as Orton is bloodied. The result is widely reported as taking place during the event’s matchup between the two men.
Multiple outlets frame the finish as giving Rhodes a consequential step forward: he is described as becoming the No. 1 contender after the win. In terms of event-building context, one report looks ahead to Crown Jewel and says the Orton vs. Rhodes bout is set to be the opener, placing the match at the start of the card and situating it among other featured names.
Across coverage, the core facts—Rhodes’ victory, the Last Man Standing stipulation, and the punt-kick finish—stay consistent. Differences mainly relate to emphasis, such as whether the coverage focuses on the match’s violent detail, the tournament/contender implications, or the projected placement within the overall card.
