Analyzing Sami Zayn’s WWE Future

With his recent placement on the SummerSlam card  as part of a tag team with Neville on the pre-show, what does the future potentially hold for Sami Zayn moving into Clash of Champions and beyond?

When Sami Zayn was first introduced to the main roster, it came with acknowledgment. He was a former NXT champion and could have been considered the lifeblood of NXT during his time there. As many will remember, he was  a contestant in this past year’s Royal Rumble. When his theme music played, cameras immediately panned to a livid Kevin Owens.

Upon entering the ring, Zayn and Owens immediately began trading fists, as if both men were committed to trying to kill each other. Zayn’s appearance resulted in an elimination of Owens from the Royal Rumble and a shot at the WWE World Heavyweight championship.

Throughout most of the first half of 2016, wherever Owens was, Zayn was sure to be there. Their feud was based on an unrelenting animosity towards one another that couldn’t be stopped. It was stopped, however, when they faced off in a last-ditch effort to be able to move ahead with their careers, no longer be tied to one another. For what is said to be their final match against one another, they pulled out all the stops. The match resulted in a win for Zayn and the end of a feud that had been contested on more than one occasion or place since they feuded with one another in Ring of Honor as well.

That match between Zayn and Owens were on July 24th. Since then, Owens has gone on to team with Chris Jericho, while Zayn has not been involved in anything of relevance. Some may scoff and say that it was only a few weeks ago, however, with the way in which WWE programming works, a few weeks can seem like months. The same could be said about Cesaro, who like Zayn was also on the SummerSlam pre-show; Zayn teaming with Neville against the Dudley Boyz. The idea could be that he will simply go out there and compete without any feuds or toil.

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However, that doesn’t achieve very much, as a talented in ring worker is left to simply sit and be used sparingly. Often the pre-show doesn’t engage viewers or encourage them to stay tuned and watched, but rather fills time before the actual show. A number of fans more than likely didn’t dedicate six hours of their time to watch the pre-show and main show.

There are a number of ways WWE could go as it applies to Sami Zayn. Do they have him compete as part of the cruiserweight division? Or is he considered too heavy for that weight class? Zayn could be used to feud against the likes of notable heels such as Sheamus or Chris Jericho. The concern in having him face the likes of Bo Dallas or Curtis Axel, who don’t appear to have any direction themselves that it doesn’t help Zayn in the long-term.

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As Clash of Champions approaches, Zayn could easily contest for a championship (as evident by his match this week against Seth Rollins); his heart and character resonates with fans. They want to see him succeed and it’s nearly impossible to cheer against him. Zayn is poised to do great things provided he is booked to show he can ‘win the big one,’ inability to do that was a gimmick that plagued him prior to winning the NXT championship. He is emotionally invested in pushing himself beyond the limits and attempting moves that are both innovative and exciting to watch. He has travelled a long road to get to where he is, so to see him succeed is that much more gratifying. It would be ideal to have Sami Zayn face-off against those that are considered his friends, but in the spirt of competition also showcase that he can adapt to different styles and characters both in and out of the ring.

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It is easy to be skeptical of Zayn’s short-term future given how he has been booked, but it is okay to believe that he will eventually be positioned to succeed, with a program or a title in the near future. Zayn is anything, but a generic performer; he’s proved that time and time again.