On Saturday, the all-star team of Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens finally realized their childhood dream by winning in the main event of WrestleMania 39. However, after an excellent win over The Bloodline and then a relatively dull match on Raw, it’s fair to wonder what’s next for Zayn and Owens. Given the controversial result of WrestleMania Sunday, Saturday’s tag team match is the highlight for many fans. However, the chase is almost always more exciting, so WWE will need to be smart about their dynamic duo’s next steps.
Zayn and Owens Break Up
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are just as well known for their feuding as their teaming together, if not more so. While the story leading to their reconciliation was hot with live crowds and fans on social media, another split would have a similar result. The fan reaction to the moment Kevin grows jealous and attacks Sami would be massive. However, a shocking betrayal by Sami to his brother would get an even bigger response while telling a fun story.
Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens know each other so well that their matches are usually must-see television. The time they spent rebuilding their alliance means that an eventual match-up would feel even more significant. Both performers have established themselves as top-tier performers, so there might be better uses of their time than a long title reign together. Jumping into a feud will let them drop the titles to a more established duo and return to competing solo.
They Separate the Titles in The Upcoming Draft
The rivalry between Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens has been well-documented across multiple promotions. That means fans had already seen a version of it regardless of when they first started watching wrestling. Additionally, the tag team titles have been unified for quite a while. The unification has made it much more difficult for the various teams in WWE to find a spotlight. An admittedly novel way to get the titles split would be to separate them in the upcoming draft.
With Triple H announcing plans for WWE to have another draft in a few weeks, perhaps Kevin Owens will get drafted to Smackdown and Sami to Raw. It would add to the idea that the system is officially behind the Bloodline. WWE could also use the move to give both Raw belts to Sami Zayn and both SmackDown belts to Kevin Owens. The replacement segments could be silly or get more serious, depending on who is involved. Potential partners may come to them, or they actively seek an ally. From there, they can lose the titles to more established acts, or it leads to a long run and creates two new teams to round out the division. Also, a big match at Survivor Series between the two teams for supremacy would be an instant classic with a lot of emotional weight as the two brothers and their surrogates face off.
A Lengthy Tag Team Run
What is the least exciting option is also the most likely. What’s next for Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens might be a tag team championship reign. Fans are incredibly invested in the duo and hold the undisputed championships heading out of WrestleMania 39. With The Usos (Jimmy & Jey Uso) having faced everyone on the roster at this point, letting Zayn and Owens have a crack is a good idea. Of course, they will eventually lose the belts, but the story would be that they are a tag team now.
The main event feels crowded already, with a heel Brock Lesnar returning to take on Cody Rhodes. Additionally, Roman Reigns only works some premium live events, which limits opportunities at the top spot even more. If WWE wants two more of its famous stars on weekly programming, Sami and Kevin as a team makes a great deal of sense. Even after dropping one or both of the belts, the duo can work toward getting them back and become the cornerstone of the division for a bit while The Usos are busy feuding amongst their family.
Join Team Cody Again
If wrestling is like a comic book, Roman Reigns is WWE’s Thanos. He is the inevitable dark cloud of the WWE that runs everything in his image. Cody Rhodes is the superhero, an Iron Man or, more fittingly, Captain America. What made those movies so epic was that the hero couldn’t do it alone. A historic threat required The Avengers to unite once again. Sami and Kevin would make obvious additions to Team Cody in the final battle to end the Bloodline.
Over the next few months, the teams would draw the battle lines. Sami and KO could get Jey Uso to turn on his brothers and cousin. Conversely, the Bloodline‘s new ally from Raw, Brock Lesnar, or another eager heel challenger like Bron Breakker could join in the fray. A War Games match between the two teams could make for a superb match and an excellent way to keep the story interesting to the fans as they power through the final year.
Sami and Kevin Give “Hard Times”
Joining forces with Cody on his way to a championship win is not the only path that Owens and Zayn could take to re-enter the Bloodline saga in WWE. Cody Rhodes appears to be undertaking a course of redemption on his way to a rematch with Roman Reigns. This path will likely need to be as long as it takes for Reigns to surpass 1,000. Having one or both of them feud with Cody Rhodes for another shot at Roman could make for compelling television.
Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens have been two of the most critical players in the Bloodline story, so they should be involved in these final chapters. Additionally, Sami Zayn is just as popular with fans as Cody Rhodes. Many fans would buy into the idea that Sami Zayn should be the guy instead. Kevin Owen’s history with Roman as well as his “prize-fighter” mentality, could motivate him to try and pin his brother or Cody as well. The matches would be spectacular in the ring between these three, and Cody beating two of Roman’s most significant challengers would provide him with plenty of momentum before a rematch down the line.
Next for Zayn and Owens: The Main Event
Despite being in the tag team division, what’s next for Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens will likely depend heavily on what is happening with Roman Reigns and the Bloodline. Fans have made it known they see the two as bonafide main event stars. Of course, any combination of these scenarios could pass, especially if Roman has an entire year left on top. In the short term, though, the two will continue to feature prominently on Raw and SmackDown as the undisputed tag team champions while the rest of the story takes shape. And when the time is right, Sami and Kevin could return to the main event.
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