WWE SmackDown 5 Takeaways: Opportunity Creates Tension For Kami

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1. Kevin Owens And Sami Zayn’s Friendship Being Tested Amidst Number One Contender Match Next Week

No two superstars have been better partners in crime over the past few months than Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn have been.  The duo has given SmackDown commissioner Shane McMahon and GM Daniel Bryan grief for some time now, among other people.

But their issues did result in a WWE Championship opportunity at the Royal Rumble as they teamed up to face AJ Styles in a handicap match.  The Phenomenal One picked up the win after confusion towards the end of the match, and Kami wanted an explanation last night as well as another championship opportunity.

As it turns out, they will get another shot at the title, but it might come at the price of their rekindled friendship.  Bryan announced that Owens and Zayn will face each other next week in a number one contender match to see who will challenge Styles at Fastlane for the WWE Championship.  But the two had to deal with a tag team match last night against Styles and Royal Rumble winner Shinsuke Nakamura.

The tension began to build for Owens and Zayn during the match to the point where Zayn walked out on KO, allowing Styles and Nakamura to get the win.  Maybe this is all a plan to carve up another chance to operate as a team against Styles, but if this newfound tension is real, KO and Zayn have a lot to work out leading into next week’s showdown.

Next: WWE Raw 5 Takeaways From Jan. 29 Show

Kami is still in the WWE Championship picture, but next week’s match could tell a big story moving forward one way or another.