Cody Rhodes defeats Randy Orton in Last Man Standing at Crown Jewel 2026
Cody Rhodes defeated Randy Orton in a Last Man Standing match at WWE Crown Jewel 2026 on Saturday, November 7, at The Venue (ANB Arena) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The bout was the culmination of a renewed personal rivalry between the two former allies and took place on a card that also featured multiple title matches.
The premium live event included two Champion vs. Champion contests for Crown Jewel titles and a World Tag Team Championship match, alongside the Last Man Standing stipulation that allowed both competitors to use the surroundings as weapons. Rhodes and Orton had an ongoing feud built on previous encounters; the report said Orton’s actions pushed Rhodes toward a more aggressive approach and that betting odds favored Rhodes to win.
Orton opened the match on the front foot but struck the ring post by accident, which handed Rhodes a temporary advantage. The fight quickly moved outside the ring, where Orton repeatedly backdropped Rhodes onto the commentary desk, extending the physicality beyond the ropes.
Rhodes used a kendo stick and a garbage can during the confrontation, while Orton answered with a powerbomb through a table. The referee’s ten-count was beaten multiple times by both men despite heavy punishment; the match also featured moments listed as Orton’s first RKO, a superplex and a Cody Cutter, and both men made use of the ring steps and a ladder.
A missed high-risk maneuver left Rhodes crashing through the commentary desk, and in the closing stretch Orton repeatedly escaped Cross Rhodes attempts and nearly shifted momentum with a low blow. Rhodes then landed three consecutive Cross Rhodes and followed with a brutal punt; Orton was unable to rise before the final count, awarding the victory to Rhodes.
The report judged the match somewhat overdone while noting Rhodes’ punt as its defining moment. The result represented Rhodes’ second victory on the Crown Jewel 2026 card and moved their head-to-head record to 6-9; The Venue (ANB Arena) was reported to have a maximum capacity of approximately 8,000 spectators.