WWE posts Cody Rhodes vs Sami Zayn

WWE posted the full Cody Rhodes vs. Sami Zayn match from the May 22 edition of SmackDown to its YouTube channel and WWE.com video feed after the show aired. The upload was titled “FULL MATCH: Cody Rhodes vs. Sami Zayn: SmackDown highlights: May 22, 2026,” and WWE described it with a line that said Rhodes battled Zayn “with Gunther looming in the shadows.” WWE’s own SmackDown results page said Rhodes defeated Zayn in the main event before Gunther attacked “The American Nightmare” and held the Undisputed WWE Title high. That made the video more than a standalone match clip: it sat inside a larger on-screen build involving Rhodes, Zayn and Gunther on the same night. (youtube.com) ### Why did this upload stand out from a normal highlight clip? The May 22 posting was labeled “FULL MATCH,” not a short recap package. WWE also published a separate “Full SmackDown highlights” video for the same episode, which indicates the Rhodes-Zayn bout was broken out as its own complete segment rather than folded only into a broader montage. (wwe.com) WWE’s playlist for “SmackDown highlights: May 22, 2026” shows the company distributing that episode as a set of individual clips, including the Rhodes-Zayn match, Gunther’s post-match attack, Danhausen’s backstage segment and Jade Cargill’s confrontation with Rhea Ripley. ### What did WWE say happened in the match itself? (wwe.com) WWE’s description of the match video said, “Cody Rhodes battles Sami Zayn with Gunther looming in the shadows.” The wording linked the bout directly to Gunther before viewers even reached the post-match angle. The company’s results page then gave the outcome: Rhodes beat Zayn. (wwe.com) WWE did not frame the upload as an archival repost from an older show; the match was presented as part of the May 22 SmackDown card and was published the same day or by the following day on WWE’s owned platforms. ### Where does Gunther fit into this segment? (youtube.com) Gunther was the key follow-up figure in WWE’s own write-up of the segment. WWE said that after Rhodes defeated Zayn, Gunther “viciously” attacked Rhodes and held the Undisputed WWE Title high “to signal that their battle at WWE Clash in Italy is inevitable.” The same storyline was also reflected elsewhere on WWE’s site before the show. (wwe.com) WWE’s SmackDown archive preview for May 22 said Rhodes and Gunther were preparing for Clash in Italy, and a separate May 15 segment page centered on Gunther’s contract signing with Rhodes. ### Was this part of a broader WWE YouTube push that night? (wwe.com) WWE’s YouTube channel page showed “Full SmackDown highlights: May 22, 2026” among its recent uploads, with the channel description positioning YouTube as a hub for original shows, exclusives and highlights. The channel page also listed the May 22 episode package alongside the Rhodes-Zayn full match and other same-night clips. (wwe.com) The May 22 playlist on WWE.com makes that packaging clearer. Rhodes vs. Zayn appeared next to the Gunther attack clip and other storyline-specific videos from the same broadcast, suggesting WWE was slicing the episode into separate watch points for fans who wanted either the full match or the aftermath. ### Where can viewers find the next piece of this story? (youtube.com) WWE’s official YouTube upload and the matching WWE.com video page both remain the direct places to watch the full Rhodes-Zayn match. WWE’s SmackDown results page and the separate Gunther attack clip carry the next on-screen development after the finish, with Rhodes, Zayn and Gunther all tied to the May 22 episode and Gunther’s challenge positioned toward Clash in Italy. (wwe.com) (youtube.com)