There we have it, folks. Gunther’s record-breaking reign with the WWE Intercontinental Championship came to an end at WWE WrestleMania XL, as he lost to Sami Zayn in an emotional encounter.
A well-deserved win for the ‘Underdog from the Underground’, but the attention now turns to the future. Who should step up and be the first to challenge Sami Zayn for his newly gained strap?
Chad Gable
In the moments before his match with Gunther, Sami Zayn encountered a few of his most trusted allies. He ran into his wife, Kevin Owens, and Chad Gable. The latter is the one that I’m going to focus on here.
Gable stopped Zayn before the bout and sent him to the ring alone. During their brief exchange, the former Olympian seemed to remind his mentee that he “owed him a favour”. It would be sensible to suggest this “favour” may come in the form of a title match.
I’d expect to see the pair celebrating Zayn’s big win on WWE Monday Night Raw after WrestleMania, with Gable possibly getting a match on the very same show.
Whether or not he should win the belt is up for discussion, but if he fails, then there are plenty more waiting in the wings for a shot at Zayn.
Bronson Reed
The winner of the 2024 André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal has a valid argument for being next in line.
Bronson Reed picked up a dominant victory over Zayn on the March 25th edition of WWE Monday Night Raw, which would certainly be a fair point to refer to in his argument. Also, the two faced off again the following week, although the match came to a no contest.
Reed himself has taken to Twitter to make his case, referring to his earlier victories over the ‘Underdog from the Underground’, potentially pointing towards a new direction for Reed as we head into the post-WrestleMania season.
Hold up.
I just beat Sami’s ass twice …#WrestleMania— BIG BRONSON REED (@BRONSONISHERE) April 7, 2024
A feud between Zayn & Reed would make for an interesting storyline, especially given the added intrigue of Reed’s recent victory over the new Intercontinental Champion.
Ricochet
Another superstar that’s been picking up steam lately is Ricochet. The ‘One and Only’ has been making waves on WWE Monday Night Raw, as well as picking up a win on the inaugural edition of WWE Speed.
Ricochet has been severely under-utilised on WWE programming in recent months, but this fresh swell of support for the high-flyer ought to see him earn a shot at the Intercontinental Championship. As a former champion himself, the case can be made for giving him another opportunity to hold gold in WWE.
Aside from the spectacular match that the duo would have, the story would also be captivating. Ricochet’s rise up the card, as well as both men’s history with the independent scene, would make for a compelling encounter between the two.
Finn Bálor
Another former Intercontinental Champion could stake a claim for the belt. Finn Bálor and The Judgment Day had a… mixed night at WWE WrestleMania XL: Saturday.
While Rhea Ripley defended her WWE Women’s World Championship, Damian Priest and Bálor failed to retain either of their WWE Tag Team Championships, losing them to A-Town Down Under and The Awesome Truth, respectively.
Although the pair will likely need some time to lick their wounds, both men have other items on the agenda that should be attended to.
Priest – as Mr. Money in the Bank – ought to be watching the WWE World Heavyweight Championship scene like a hawk. On the other hand, his tag partner should look to try and reclaim some gold in the form of Sami Zayn’s Intercontinental Championship.
Bálor could turn his attention to Zayn, in a desperate attempt to try and make amends for his failure at the ‘Show of Shows’. These two would put on a great bout and ultimately, a victory over the former WWE Universal Champion would be another commendable notch in the belt for Sami Zayn.
Jey Uso
With his brother now vanquished, Jey Uso could be a potential opponent for Sami Zayn shortly.
‘Main Event’ Jey Uso picked up a win over his twin brother at WWE WrestleMania XL and, in the process, has hopefully removed any further Bloodline-based hurdles from his path. The argument can be made that Jey should be a champion by now, if not for Jimmy Uso’s interefences.
If this logic were to be used, it would make for a captivating story on both sides. Jey, looking to prove that he can hang with the best and capture singles gold. Sami, seeking to demonstrate his capability to lead a division.
The history between the two would also add an intriguing thread to any potential bouts, as both men know one another very well and they may be unwilling to deal out as much damage as they might with different opponents.
Whoever Sami Zayn’s next opponents may be, his run with the Intercontinental Championship will undoubtedly provide some excellent physical spectacles, even if the run itself doesn’t last for a very long time.
Keep your eyes on WWE Monday Night Raw to get a glimpse of who the next challenger for the gold will be.
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