Things have come somewhat full circle for Big E as he captured the WWE Intercontinental Championship from Sami Zayn during the Christmas Day edition of Friday Night SmackDown. The Intercontinental Championship was the first and only singles title E won on the main roster before joining the New Day. It is now the first championship that he has captured since the breakup of the New Day, although he will be hoping it’s not the only title he wins this time.
Big E Wins Lumberjack Match To Become IC Champion
Ever since defeating Sheamus in their feud, Big E has been tied up with Sami Zayn over the Intercontinental Championship, with the two meeting a number of times in tag team action in recent weeks. After their last match ended in a count-out, their match on SmackDown was made into a lumberjack match to make sure the action stayed inside the ring. Big E used this to get the win over the crafty Sami Zayn and become a two-time Intercontinental Champion.
The Lumberjacks could stay neutral for only so long…#ICTitle #SmackDown @WWEBigE @SamiZayn pic.twitter.com/n1QmCANtsA
— WWE (@WWE) December 26, 2020
As has been the case with WWE lumberjack matches in recent memory, lumberjacks were separated by babyface and heel sections. While the babyfaces largely left Zayn alone, only to bring him back in the ring, the heels weren’t shy about attacking E when he was thrown out of the ring. From there, Zayn seemed to have the match in his control. However, E bought back, using his trademark power to shift the match in his favor. Zayn proved to be the crafty champion, even thumbing the challenger in the eye for the cheap advantage. E’s strength and determination couldn’t be denied, however.
The match began to reach its conclusion once the lumberjacks started to fight amongst themselves. Zayn used this opportunity to attempt to leave, only for the babyface lumberjacks to forcefully carry him back to the ring. Big E planted the champion with a belly-to-belly suplex, a running splash, and finally, the Big Ending for the pinfall victory. This Christmas Day edition of SmackDown ended with Big E as the new WWE Intercontinental Champion, sitting atop the shoulders of his peers as confetti showered the ThunderDome.
And NEEEWWWWWWWW!!!! #SmackDown #ICTitle @WWEBigE @SamiZayn pic.twitter.com/EG5du9oM1h
— WWE (@WWE) December 26, 2020
Big E was one of the early betting favorites to win the Royal Rumble 2021 but it would appear he will be spending his time in the Intercontinental Championship picture instead, possibly even going into WrestleMania as champion. All we can hope for is that his current run goes better than his first.
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