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Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn – Unsanctioned Match (Elimination Chamber)
Both Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are Canadian, so given the fact that they were performing in Toronto, they wanted to deliver, and boy did they. Had it not been for the following men’s Elimination Chamber bout and the ensuing aftermath with Cena’s heel turn, this match would have stolen the show.
Given the two men’s close relationship, it was an emotionally charged matchup that some film fans would compare to Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi’s duel in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. Owens had recently turned heel on Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes and viewed Zayn’s refusal to join him as a betrayal of their friendship.
The emotional intensity of the matchup led to the physical brutality that took place inside the ring, a level rarely seen in the WWE today.
Some of the most memorable moments from this match were Zayn wielding a hockey stick to repeatedly hit Owens and Zayn’s use of a barbed wire-wrapped steel chair. In a callback to their nearly 20-year history together, Owens executed multiple Powerbombs to Zayn, reminiscent of Owen’s NXT debut match against him.
The bout ended with Owens pinning Zayn for the victory, and Randy Orton interrupting making his return to prevent Owens from inflicting further damage after the match was over. Another example of WWE drawing on history between two superstars that elevated this match to be included as one of the best of the year.
