WWE Saturday Night's Main Event 41 Results, Winners, Live Grades and Highlights

The top two prizes were on the line when WWE returned to NBC network television for Saturday Night's Main Event, a primetime special headlined by Cody Rhodes defending the Undisputed WWE Championship against Drew McIntyre and CM Punk squaring off with Jey Uso for the vacant World Heavyweight Championship.

Who emerged with the gold, setting the stage for the rest of 2025 in pro wrestling's most prominent promotion?

Find out with this recap of the November 1 special from Salt Lake City, Utah.

Match Card

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Announced in advance of Saturday's show were:

World Heavyweight Championship Match: CM Punk vs. Jey Uso

Undisputed WWE Championship Match: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Drew McIntyre

WWE Women's Championship Match: Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Jade Cargill

Triple Threat Match for the Intercontinental Championship: Penta vs. Rusev vs. Dominik Mysterio (c)

WWE Championship Match: Cody Rhodes vs. Drew McIntyre

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Last Time in Action: Drew McIntyre defeated Cody Rhodes via disqualification (SmackDown, October 17)

In their third match in under two months, Rhodes and McIntyre clashed with the Undisputed WWE Championship at stake. If the champion was disqualified or counted out, he would lose the title.

McIntyre spent weeks leading into the match goading Rhodes, trying to get him to lose his cool and he did the same Saturday night, attacking The American Nightmare physically and mentally as he sought to win the title he had not held in four years.

At one point, he nearly got Rhodes to utilize the title as a weapon. When he didn't, McIntyre capitalized on the momentary distraction by catching him with the Claymore Kick for a two-count.

At one point, the challenger launched Rhodes through the announce table and nearly won the title via count-out.

Rhodes tried for a Cody Cutter, but the official was in the way, so the champion wisely teased a knee injury rather than admitting to a botch. He recovered, hit the intended move, and still only got a two-count out of it.

Following a ref bump from Andrew Thomas, Rhodes utilized the title belt that McIntyre introduced to the squared circle, delivering a DDT on it and following with a Cross Rhodes for the victory.

Result

Rhodes defeated McIntyre

Grade

C

Top Moments and Takeaways

How is it possible for a match featuring the biggest star in the company and a Superstar so red-hot a year ago at this time feels as ice-cold as this does?

The match lost all momentum after the ref bump and moved at a completely different pace.

This was a disappointing match, if only because we know what Rhodes and McIntyre are capable of, yet they had a match bogged down by the stipulation, the red bump, and the controversial finish that gave McIntyre an out.

WWE Women's Championship Match: Tiffany Stratton vs. Jade Cargill

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Last Time in Action: Tiffany Stratton defeated Kiana James (SmackDown, October 24); Jade Cargill lost to Stratton in a Triple Threat Match also involving Nia Jax (SmackDown, September 26)

Cargill, fresh off a heel turn that saw her attack Stratton and injure her left knee, wasted little time establishing dominance over the WWE women's champion early in Saturday's title match.

She tossed the champion around the squared circle, and when Stratton set up for the Prettiest Moonsault Ever, she wiped her leg out from under her, targeting the injured joint.

Cargill attempted to injure her with the steel steps but Stratton moved out of the way and, back inside, delivered a Swanton Bomb for a near-fall.

The challenger recovered, overwhelmed the champion, and delivered Jaded for the victory.

Result

Cargill defeated Stratton to win the title

Grade

C

Top Moments and Takeaways

• This was less about delivering a show-stopping match and more about further establishing Cargill as a force as a heel and paying off her title chase.
• The match was fine for what it was, but Stratton and Cargill have wrestled a few times now, and their lack of chemistry has been apparent throughout many of the contests. It is time for them to move on and, potentially, come back to a rivalry down the road. Hopefully, the definitive conclusion means that is where this is headed.

Intercontinental Championship Match: Penta vs. Rusev vs. Dominik Mysterio

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Last Time in Action: Rusev and Penta fought to a no contest (Raw, October 27); Dominik Mysterio defeated Dragon Lee (AAA Heroes Inmortales, October 25)

After weeks of frustrating both Penta and Rusev as they pursued his Intercontinental Championship, Dominik Mysterio defended his title against both men Saturday night in a Triple Threat Match.

It was the 16th time that the title has been on the line at the event.

Rusev dominated with his strength and fury, unloading on Mysterio and applying the Accolade. Penta made the save, only to experience the wrath of The Bulgarian Brute, who caught his opponent mid-flight with a shot to the face and a big kick for two.

Mysterio attempted to slow Rusev's momentum by borrowing from Eddie Guerrero's book, only for the referee to remind him that there were no disqualifications and thus, the fake did not help.

Rusev caught Penta with the Machka Kick and applied the Accolade. When the bell rang, he thought he had won the title, only for it to be revealed that Mysterio rang the bell.

Mysterio brought the bell hammer into the match, where Penta attempted to use it against him, but struck Rusev. The champion sent him into the post, delivered the frog splash to Rusev, and scored the win.

Result

Mysterio defeated Rusev and Penta to retain the title

Grade

C

Top Moments and Takeaways

Mysterio is the star of the future and you can tell when his music plays and he steps through the curtain, and the reaction that he receives from fans. He has spent the last two years growing his on-screen confidence and he now carries himself like a star.

This, like the other two matches on the show, was perfectly acceptable pro wrestling, but it felt like a retread of better matches that we have seen recently on Raw, thrown together to satiate the Triple Threat stipulation. Mysterio's win was the right call, but we have to move on from this program and give everyone involved something better to do.

The Last Time is Now Tournament

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Before the main event, John Cena announced via pre-taped video that his final opponent will be determined in a tournament that will kick off in his hometown of Boston a week from Monday night.

He said the Superstars involved will include some he has competed against, others he has not, and others seeking an opportunity of a lifetime to improve their stature in the company.

No brackets were officially announced but Solo Sikoa, Sheamus, Dominik Mysterio, Gunther, and Carmelo Hayes were among those pictured, with Cena revealing that stars from Raw, SmackDown, NXT, and possibly outside the company will participate.

This was the first instance of anything on this show feeling like a big deal.

World Heavyweight Championship Match: CM Punk vs. Jey Uso

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Last Time in Action: CM Punk defeated Jey Uso and LA Knight to become No. 1 contender (Raw, October 13); Uso won a battle royal (October 20)

With the World Heavyweight Championship vacated due to an injury suffered by Seth Rollins, Punk and Uso squared off to determine a new champion.

Punk dominated the action early, out-wrestling his opponent and even rocking him with a Go To Sleep that leveled the former champion and sent him to the arena floor. The Chicago native woke him up with a bottle of water and rolled him back in the ring, but Uso fought his way back into the match.

Uso rocked Punk with a superkick, delivered a spear, and added the Uso Splash for a dramatic near-fall.

As the action continued and intensified, Uso launched himself at Punk on the floor, delivering a spear through the timekeeper's position. Back in the ring, Punk recovered and delivered Go To Sleep, but Uso kicked out at two.

Moments later, each competitor utilized their own signature move against each other, neither able to secure the victory.

Punk delivered Go To Sleep but Uso fought out. He trapped the Best in the World in a sleeper but Punk countered into Anaconda Vise. Punk added two more of his finishers, scored the win, and regained the world title stolen from him by Rollins back at SummerSlam.

Result

Punk defeated Uso to win the title

Grade

B

Top Moments and Takeaways

The most important match of the night was the best, even if it was way too finisher-heavy. The crowd was red-hot for both guys and would likely have been happy with either win, but Punk needed this. He has been in too many high-profile title matches that he lost; another defeat here would have tested fans' ability to care about him in this position.

That the outcome aligns well with Uso's desperation to regain gold and prove himself to The Bloodline only re-emphasizes how right the Punk win was.

Overall Grade

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One would be hard-pressed to find another edition of Saturday Night's Main Event in this current run that was colder than this one. The build was minimal and the anticipation was non-existent.

For the most part, the show lived up to those expectations.

Rhodes and McIntyre worked hard but the match was plagued by overbooking. Cargill and Stratton do not yet have the experience and chemistry to have a great match together and Mysterio's win over Rusev and Penta would have been better saved for Raw.

The main event was good fun but it was a true babyface vs. Babyface match that never tested fan allegiance or made them question if either was the better man. There were a ton of finishers traded and the drama was there, but the predicted winner went over.

This was a half-hearted presentation and, arguably, the first broadcast special under this current deal that did not feel ready for primetime.

Grade: C