WWE King and Queen of the Ring 2024 results, grades and analysis: Cody Rhodes defeats Logan Paul to retain Undisputed WWE Championship

Rhodes, unsurprisingly, got the biggest pop of all during his entrance. During the pre-match festivities commentator Michael Cole continued to allude to Paul’s use of brass knuckles and the fact that Maverick forfeited them to Cole earlier in the week.

The match began with Rhodes quickly pandering to the crowd before a collar-and-elbow. After the hold was broken, Paul attempted to trash talk and frustrate Rhodes. This sequence repeated again before the two men exchanged arm holds. Paul went for a quick, early cover, but Rhodes kicked out at 1.

A quick sequence ended with Rhodes going for his patented drop slap, but Paul blocked it. Rhodes, frustrated, went on the offensive, exchanging blows with Paul and hitting the United States Champion with a standing, modified suplex. The quick pin from Rhodes was unsuccessful and Paul gained the upper hand, sending the champion outside the ring and landing a splash to the floor.

The first true near-fall came when Paul landed what commentator Corey Graves called an “overbomb.” Paul remained on the offensive and went for another pin after a standing moonsault. Rhodes quickly recovered and landed a top-rope arm drag on Paul, but began to sell a rib injury. Rhodes sent Paul outside of the ring with a Disaster Kick and went for a dive. Rhodes pulled back as Paul was about to move out of the way, showing awareness on both parties.

As the action continued outside, two of Paul’s entourage got involved, with one slipping Paul a set of brass knuckles. Paul hit Rhodes in the midsection with the weapon, and instead of pinning Rhodes back in the ring, Paul turned his attention to Cole. Distracted, Rhodes hit Paul with a suicide dive and went on an extended offensive.

Rhodes, after missing a Disaster Kick, landed a near-fall after the Bionic Elbow. The champion then stayed in control, locking in the Figure Four before Paul forced a rope break. Paul went for a slingshot clothesline, which Rhodes countered into a Cody Cutter for a two-count.

Paul regained control by reversing a potentially devastating move from Rhodes into a CrossRhodes finisher. After a quick scare from Rhodes, Paul forced the action outside the ring and began to utilize the announce table. Paul went for a Pedigree on Rhodes, but he reversed it into a Cody Cutter on the table. Rhodes went back into the ring as the referee counted out Paul, but the champion waved off the count at eight.

Rhodes went outside to deliver more punishment to Paul, but Maverick shoved Rhodes into the steel steps and set the champion up for a top-rope frog splash through the Arabic announce table. Paul pushed Rhodes back into the ring and hit another splash, but Rhodes kicked out at two again, leaving the challenger stunned.

Rhodes would avoid a Paul turnbuckle splash, which connected with the referee instead. Rhodes hit Paul with a Vertebreaker and pinned Paul, but the incapacitated referee couldn’t make the count. Paul capitalized, hitting Rhodes with a low blow before attempting to land the knockout blow with the brass knuckles. The special ring announcer Ibrahim al Hajjaj stopped Paul, allowing Rhodes to recover and land three CrossRhodes for the win.

Cody Rhodes def. Logan Paul in 24:17 to retain the Undisputed WWE Championship.