WWE missed a major moment by not putting the title on Sami Zayn

The fans wanted to see Sami Zayn come out on top, but WWE went the safe route and missed on a major opportunity.

Professional wrestling is all about major moments. It’s the moments that make viewers into fans and continue to draw them back to the industry; day after day, month after month, year after year, and much longer than that. At Elimination Chamber, WWE had the opportunity to shift their plans and create a moment that would potentially define this generation of the product. Unfortunately, the decision was made to stay the course, missing out on a moment that could have pushed the company higher with a wave of unexpected momentum.

Sami Zayn has been one of the best performers in the business. While he is constantly recognized for his contributions to The Bloodline angle, he was doing great work even before inserting himself into the story. Look back to his angle when he dressed eerily like Che Guevara and demanded to be heard about the conspiracies working against him. Or his 2022 WrestleMania match with Johnny Knoxville which was one of the most entertaining of the year. Zayn delivers whenever he gets the chance to do so.

Heading into Elimination Chamber, it was clear that WWE and the vocal fanbase were on different ends of who should come out as champion. WWE made every attempt to pit Zayn as a massive underdog against Roman Reigns, and point that energy into the secondary story between Zayn and Jey Uso. Then there was Cody Rhodes, cementing himself as the top challenger and even “coaching” Zayn into believing he could do it.

This could have been a moment fans remembered for years to come

But the fans wanted Zayn. They wanted to see him reach the top of the mountain, even if it was going to be a fleeting moment. Zayn was never supposed to reach this point. He would never be one of the guys that Vince would see as a top draw for his company. While not as powerful as the Daniel Bryan “Yes Movement” of “KofiMania,” this was still a moment in which fans were willing to push for what they wanted to see in the WWE.

WWE went the expected route. Shenanigans aside, Reigns pinned Zayn and left him humbled on the mat. Even though the moment with Kevin Owens ended the show, it was not the moment fans wanted to see. It was a mistake to book such an outcome as it cut into what could have been for the company.

Think back to when Mankind defeated The Rock to become WWE Champion. Mick Foley was in a similar position. The beloved fan favorite, but not one of the guys that could become champion. WCW even tried to spoil the outcome, but all it did was ruin that company’s future. Not saying that a Zayn win would have pushed WWE outside AEW’s grasp, but it certainly would have caught the attention of some that have completely written off the product as more of the same – even with Triple H in charge. It could have been the shock to the system that WWE has long missed for years and decades according to some.

Sami Zayn is a man of the people, both in and out of the ring. The people wanted to see him defeat the final boss, Roman Reigns, and reach a career-defining accolade. That did not occur. While he will still get a moment at WrestleMania as he and Owens are expected to battle The Usos, WWE missed out on what could have been a massive organic moment that could have created more goodwill than the promotion has seen in years.