WWE: Does Sami Zayn have a legitimate future in the company?

Zayn’s booking has come into question yet again as of late, but could the annual Saudi Arabia shows be a major decider in Zayn’s future in WWE?

Following his loss to Cedric Alexander in the King of the Ring tournament on Raw, WWE released footage of Zayn taking his frustrations out on the crowd and ringside area. Zayn looked visibly enraged and had to be held back by officials as he swore at fans in attendance.

Zayn’s outburst was so raw, in fact, that people could be seen on Twitter questioning whether it was real, blurring the lines between kayfabe and reality. This then sparked a discussion online about Zayn’s booking, a topic that’s been at the center of his career since he joined WWE’s main roster.

Ever since his NXT days, Zayn has been seen as an underdog – often referred to as the Underdog from the Underground – a fan favourite that’s got the support behind him but always comes up short, something seen often in his booking. WWE knows an underdog story is gold, take Rey Mysterio and Daniel Bryan as examples, however, in Zayn’s case, there is yet to be a payoff.

Zayn’s Monday Night Raw outburst came after receiving his fifteenth loss out of his last sixteen televised singles matches after returning from injury. Fans would think this was the perfect time to capitalise on a hot return and finally give Zayn the pay off of his underdog story, but that now seems unlikely.

The following night on Smackdown Live, Zayn surprised fans by revealing himself to be Shinsuke Nakamura’s new ‘mouthpiece.’ It’s too early to tell what this story will lead to, but we could potentially end up seeing less of Zayn in the ring.

It could, however, mean a fantastic rivalry between the two somewhere down the line, giving us more show-stopping matches such as their NXT TakeOver: Dallas bout in 2016, as well as finally seeing Zayn hold his first championship gold on the main roster with Shinksuke’s Intercontinental Championship.

However, there could be one big factor preventing Zayn from winning gold, and that’s WWE’s annual shows in Saudi Arabia, where Zayn is not permitted to participate due to his Syrian descent.

Commenting on the matter, WWE released the following statement: “WWE is committed to embracing individuals from all backgrounds while respecting local customs and cultural differences around the world.”

The next event to be held in Saudi Arabia is this October, which begs the question: Can Zayn be a champion if he can’t defend his title at all pay-per-views?

In terms of current storylines, a feud with Shinsuke may not be for a while after the October Saudi event, meaning Zayn could still win the IC Title and continue to hold a strong reign. But would that mean his reign would have to come to an end before the next Saudi event, or would the IC Title simply not make an appearance on the show?

It’s worth noting that Zayn signed a three-year contract with WWE around the time of his injury in June 2018. This was following the first show in Suadi Arabia, the Greatest Royal Rumble, therefore Zayn himself may not feel the annual event is an obstacle in his career.

However, this begs another question, can Sami Zayn ever be a world champion in WWE if he can’t compete in the Saudi Arabia shows? WWE must have its world titles defended at these big events, so having their world champion miss the show is out of the question.

What the future holds for Sami Zayn is unknown, but we hope to see him end this losing streak and continue to rise up the ranks of the main roster, establishing himself as a world title contender.