Sami Zayn’s historic world championship victory at WWE Night of Champions 2026 could have come as a surprise not only to fans, but additionally behind the scenes.
In keeping with a report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Zayn was not originally a part of WWE’s creative plans for SummerSlam 2026, one in all the corporate’s biggest events of the 12 months outside of WrestleMania. The reported direction had been for CM Punk to return and challenge Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship.
While that blockbuster match could still occur, Zayn’s championship triumph in Riyadh has given “The Underdog from the Underground” a career-defining moment. Competing in Saudi Arabia, where he received a hometown-like reception, made the victory much more meaningful for the longtime fan favorite.
The report also suggests Zayn’s title win could have been a late creative decision. One indication of that was the absence of updated championship name plates. WWE’s production team is usually notified prematurely of title changes in order that recent side plates will be prepared before the event. Nevertheless, those answerable for creating the plates were reportedly not informed ahead of Zayn’s victory, fueling speculation that the choice to crown him champion was made on the last minute.
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