How much is one’s integrity worth? Is it worth a shot at the one thing you’ve spent your whole career clawing and scratching to achieve? That’s the question Sami Zayn must answer as he faces an impossible choice at the Royal Rumble. In many ways, it is not just his choice though as what Zayn does next will impact his future and that of several other wrestlers on the Road to WrestleMania. Zayn’s choice is consequential no matter what he decides to do.
What if…Sami Zayn Chooses to Help Kevin Owens
Kevin Owens made himself clear the other week on Raw. He’ll help Zayn win the Royal Rumble if Zayn helps Owens win the title. And then, the two of them can accomplish one last dream, to main event WrestleMania against each other.
Zayn’s choice is pretty clear here. He can choose to get himself a title shot or he can choose to continue to be the good guy. Zayn has an established friendship with Cody Rhodes as well, even if it’s not as deep and lasting as the one with Owens. Helping one friend effectively means betraying another and that would be out of character for Zayn. But…there have been teases and voices in Zayn’s ear, telling him to stop focusing on his friends and putting himself first. Yes, helping Owens would be assisting a friend, but it wouldn’t entirely be unselfish as Owens has promised Zayn a shot at the world title, should Zayn help him win it. Right now, Zayn has every reason to believe Owens is being sincere. But…is he? Or does Owens have an agenda? It is possible Zayn could help Owens only to have Owens bail on his half of the bargain in more ways than one. Or, it’s possible that Zayn could fail in his attempt to help Owens.
There are layers here so let’s look at the possible outcomes if Sami Zayn chooses to help Kevin Owens.
- Everything works out: Zayn helps Owens win the world title. Owens helps Zayn win the Royal Rumble. The two main event WrestleMania.
- Owens doesn’t hold up his end of the bargain: Zayn helps Owens win the world title. When it’s time for Owens to return the favor, he is nowhere to be found. As a result, Zayn loses the match and his guaranteed opportunity to face Owens at WrestleMania…unless, the rumble winner chooses to face Gunther, in which case, Zayn could target Owens and demand the match that was promised to him.
- Things go sideways: Zayn helps Owens win the world title. Owens tries unsuccessfully to help Zayn win the Royal Rumble. Zayn feels slighted and targets Owens, ultimately getting a shot at the world title at WrestleMania, if the winner of the rumble chooses to face Gunther.
- Things go sideways, part two: Zayn tries unsuccessfully to help Owens win the world title. Owens costs Zayn a chance to win the Royal Rumble. Owens and Zayn face each other at WrestleMania, not in the main event.
Of those four scenarios, the most likely one depends on the direction WWE wants to go. Should Zayn face Owens for the world title at WrestleMania, what might that mean for the rest of the card, specifically, who might face Gunther for the other championship, and what direction Rhodes might go in?
- Gunther vs CM Punk for the title
- Roman Reigns vs Seth Rollins
- Gunther vs Seth Rollins for the title
- CM Punk/John Cena vs Roman Reigns/Cody Rhodes
- Gunther vs Roman Reigns for the title
- Seth Rollins/John Cena vs CM Punk/Cody Rhodes
- Gunther vs John Cena for the title
- Reigns vs Rollins
- Punk vs Rhodes
What if…Sami Zayn Chooses to Help Cody Rhodes
The most simple direction for WWE to take is the above one, where Zayn helps Owens, Owens helps Zayn, and the two get their WrestleMania main event. However, what if Zayn chooses not to take the simple path and instead of responding to Owens’ quid-pro-KO, he instead opts to turn on his best friend and helps Rhodes win the match instead?
Zayn might evaluate the scenario and decide he can’t trust Owens and his promise. Perhaps Zayn will think he has a better shot to win the world title if he can get a match against Rhodes instead. Rhodes, in Zayn’s mind, should be grateful for the assist, but would he? It is likely Zayn would misread the situation and Rhodes would be disappointed instead. And if Zayn fails to win the rumble, which is likely to happen if he makes an enemy of Owens, he’d have no guaranteed title shot, Despite helping Rhodes, the champ could deny him a match based on his actions and attitude. Which could lead to Zayn changing his attitude, just not in the way Rhodes meant. Zayn could turn heel, effectively targeting Rhodes in the same way Owens did before him. He could make his life hell, forcing Rhodes to ultimately give him what he’s become so desperate for: a world title shot.
There are layers here so let’s look at the possible outcomes if Sami Zayn chooses to help Cody Rhodes.
- Everything works out: Zayn helps Rhodes retain the world title by stopping Owens from cheating. Rhodes is grateful and gives Zayn a title shot at WrestleMania, if the rumble winner chooses Gunther.
- Things go sideways: Zayn helps Rhodes retain the world title by turning on Owens. Rhodes doesn’t appreciate it and refuses to grant Zayn a title shot. Zayn takes it upon himself to force a title shot, ultimately getting one at WrestleMania, if the rumble winner chooses Gunther.
- Things go sideways, part two: Zayn helps Rhodes retain the title, angering Owens, who costs Zayn the chance to win the Royal Rumble. Zayn and Owens wrestle at WrestleMania OR, both continue to stay involved in the world title scene with a triple threat booked for WrestleMania, if the rumble winner chooses Gunther.
- Everything’s coming up Sami: Zayn helps Rhodes retain the title and goes on to win the Royal Rumble, setting up Rhodes vs Zayn at WrestleMania.
Of those four scenarios, the most likely one depends on the direction WWE wants to go. Should Zayn face Rhodes for the world title at WrestleMania, what might that mean for the rest of the card, specifically, who might face Gunther for the other championship, and what direction Owens might go in?
- Gunther vs CM Punk for the title
- Roman Reigns vs Seth Rollins
- Gunther vs Seth Rollins for the title
- CM Punk/John Cena vs Roman Reigns/Kevin Owens
- Gunther vs Roman Reigns for the title
- Seth Rollins/John Cena vs CM Punk/Kevin Owens
- Gunther vs John Cena for the title
- Reigns vs Rollins
- Punk vs Owens
What if…Sami Zayn Chooses to Stay Out of It?
It has been overly emphasized that Zayn is a man of integrity. Someone who is willing to put his own ambitions aside to do the right thing. It’s been stressed a little too much to think that Zayn would stay true to it, but what if that’s exactly what happens? Torn between two friends, Zayn could just opt to stay neutral, neither helping nor harming Rhodes or Owens and simply letting the two of them sort it out themselves. This naturally would mean Zayn too would be on his own to win the Royal Rumble, but perhaps that’s exactly what he wants. After all, if Zayn wins because of interference, that wouldn’t exactly help his self-confidence that he is in fact capable of winning the match and winning a world title.
This could create several ripple effects. Offended by Zayn not choosing a side and thus blaming him for his loss, Owens could retaliate and cost Zayn the rumble, which would set up a match between the two, even if not for a title. Another option is that this is Zayn’s story. He’s been featured a lot in WWE recently and perhaps he is the one meant to win the rumble, giving him a chance to challenge Rhodes or Gunther. Zayn is one of few WWE wrestlers to beat Gunther and the prospect of these two facing again in another David/Goliath showdown, would make for a great main event.
There are layers here so let’s look at the possible outcomes if Sami Zayn chooses to stay neutral.
- Everything works out: The good guy doesn’t finish last. Zayn stays out of it and still manages to win the Royal Rumble, keeping his integrity intact and his championship hopes alive.
- Things go sideways: In failing to take a side, Owens is offended and costs Zayn a rumble victory. Owens and Zayn wrestle at WrestleMania, not in the main event.
- Things go sideways, part two: Zayn fails to win the Royal Rumble and has no path to WrestleMania, unless Owens loses against Rhodes and Owens and Zayn wrestle, OR Rhodes offers Zayn a title match because he didn’t get involved, if the rumble winner chooses Gunther.
Staying neutral has its pros and cons for Zayn, but what it mostly means is whatever happens, he has no one to blame but himself. Of those three scenarios, the most likely one depends on the direction WWE wants to go. Should Zayn win the Royal Rumble, what might that mean for the rest of the card, specifically, who might face Gunther/Rhodes?
If Zayn chooses Gunther:
- Rhodes vs CM Punk for the title
- Roman Reigns vs Seth Rollins
- Drew McIntyre/Kevin Owens vs John Cena
- Rhodes vs Seth Rollins for the title
- CM Punk/John Cena vs Roman Reigns/Kevin Owens
- Rhodes vs Roman Reigns for the title
- Seth Rollins/John Cena vs CM Punk/Kevin Owens
- Rhodes vs John Cena for the title
- Reigns vs Rollins
- Punk vs Owens
If Zayn chooses Rhodes:
- Gunther vs CM Punk for the title
- Roman Reigns vs Seth Rollins
- Drew McIntyre/Kevin Owens vs John Cena
- Gunther vs Seth Rollins for the title
- CM Punk/John Cena vs Roman Reigns/Kevin Owens
- Gunther vs Roman Reigns for the title
- Seth Rollins/John Cena vs CM Punk/Kevin Owens
- Gunther vs John Cena for the title
- Reigns vs Rollins
- Punk vs Owens
Sami Zayn has a choice to make – an impossible, consequential choice. No matter what Zayn chooses to do on Saturday, the ripple effects of the WrestleMania main events will be felt significantly.
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