Cody Rhodes, Damian Priest triumph in first title defenses

WWE kicks off its United Kingdom tour in style in Birmingham.

Fans in Birmingham, England, witnessed history in WWE’s new era on Wednesday (April 17) as a pair of first-time world champions successfully defended their titles.

World Heavyweight Champion Damian Priest, making his first successful title defense, faced former WWE Champion Kofi Kingston.

Priest initially dominated the match but faced trouble later on. As Kingston prepared to deliver Trouble in Paradise, JD McDonagh interfered by sliding a chair into the ring. As referee Daphanie LaShaunn removed it from the ring, McDonagh grabbed Kingston’s head, snapping his neck across the top rope. Priest followed up with a tombstone-power slam for a two count.

Frustrated, Priest asked McDonagh for another chair, but Xavier Woods intervened, superkicking McDonagh in the face. However, McDonagh recovered and attacked Woods, then blindsided Kingston with a forearm, allowing Priest to hit the South of Heaven to retain the World Heavyweight Championship.

Then, in the main event, Cody Rhodes overcame Shinsuke Nakamura in a somewhat lackluster affair that picked up steam toward the closing moments.

As Nakamura attempted a German suplex, Rhodes countered with the Cross Rhodes. Sensing the match was over, ringsiders rushed to the barricades to be the first to greet a departing Rhodes. But The American Nightmare’s signature finish surprisingly earned him just a two-count.

As the former IWGP Champion fought back, he blocked a Cody Cutter and transitioned it into a cross-arm breaker. Later, as the champion seemed in trouble, Nakamura attempted the Kinshasa, but Rhodes evaded it. He then rolled Nakamura up in what appeared to be a pinning attempt, only to quickly shift and execute a second Cross Rhodes, securing the victory.

Afterward, Rhodes addressed the sold-out crowd in Resorts World Arena and their chants of “You Deserve It” by echoing a sentiment expressed last year by John Cena. After revealing WWE’s shows in Cardiff, London, and Belfast this week were also sold out, Rhodes said, “The United Kingdom deserves a WrestleMania.”

Whether that comes to fruition remains to be seen, as a recent report states that WrestleMania in 2025 isn’t likely to be held in an outdoor stadium on America’s East Coast, with Las Vegas emerging as a possible host. In the meantime, U.K. fans have something to look forward to this June, as WWE goes to Scotland for the second Clash at the Castle along with an episode of SmackDown.