Sami Zayn is determined to claim the WWE World Heavyweight Championship by dethroning Gunther.

At WWE Bad Blood PLE, Triple H announced the WWE Crown Jewel Championship matches for the upcoming WWE Crown Jewel PLE in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and during the segment, the WWE World Heavyweight Champion Gunther made his way into the ring. He took shots at WWE Hall of Famer Goldberg during the segment. However, the segment ended in chaos as Zayn emerged and attacked Gunther.

In a WWE Bad Blood Exclusive, Sami Zayn said that the time for trash talk was over. While he admires the champ, Zayn highlighted his opponent’s ‘crazy’ self-belief that he could beat Zayn. He said:

“Gunther, you and I have talked a lot of trash by now, right? But I want you to know, I really do admire you. I admire you in so many ways. Your self-belief, it’s crazy. It’s unmatched. I mean, tonight, Triple H walks out there, and he talks about how Crown Jewel will see the WWE Champion take on the World Heavyweight Champion, and you don’t even think twice? You just stroll out there, like it’s a foregone conclusion that this Monday, you’re gonna retain your championship, you’re gonna beat me, and you’re gonna go on and take that championship at Saudi Arabia. The self-belief, it’s incredible.”

Sami Zayn had dethroned Gunther off the Intercontinental title at WrestleMania 40 and he will try to repeat the outcome this time around as well. The former Intercontinental Champion said that things might not go as per the plans of Gunther and Zayn will be the reason behind it again. He added:

“The thing is, I kind of don’t know where it comes from. Because the last time, if I remember that you and I faced each other in the ring at WrestleMania, you were pretty sure of yourself that time, too. You were so sure that you flew your father halfway across the world to come see you win, but what happened? Change of plans, right? Yet you still have this self-belief. It’s amazing. But here’s the thing, the time for trash talk is over. We have the match. This Monday, it’s done. Sami Zayn versus Gunther part two happens again, this time for the World Heavyweight Championship. Gunther, I’m changing your plans again because I will become the World Heavyweight Champion.”

Gunther’s reign as the WWE World Heavyweight Champion has been incredible. However, Sami Zayn looks determined to end his title run. After weeks of rejection, Gunther finally accepted Zayn’s challenge for the title match on this week’s WWE Raw. However, that came after he assaulted his challenger.

Sports often unite communities, and WWE Superstar Sami Zayn made sure to honor the late Calgary Flames player Johnny Gaudreau on this week’s WWE Raw. Gaudreau, a standout NHL star, tragically passed away last week alongside his brother, Matthew, in a bicycle accident in South New Jersey. A funeral for the brothers was held on Monday, and WWE took time to pay tribute to the Gaudreaus during their event.

Following Raw, the Calgary Flames thanked WWE and Sami Zayn on social media for putting on such a heartfelt tribute.

WWE Pays Tribute to Johnny Gaurdeau

Sami Zayn, born in Montreal, entered the arena wearing a Johnny Gaudreau Calgary Flames jersey, joining Canadian wrestling legend Bret Hart in a special segment. Together, the two confronted WWE Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER, adding an emotional layer to the night.

Later in the broadcast, commentators Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett directed viewers to WWE broadcaster Jackie Redmond. Redmond, visibly emotional, shared footage of fan tributes outside the arena, where Calgary Flames supporters had gathered to honor Johnny Gaudreau.

She also extended WWE’s condolences to the Gaudreau family, as the live audience observed a moment of silence to pay their respects to one of Calgary’s most cherished athletes.

We at SEScoops would like to extend our deepest condolences to Johnny and Matthew Gaurdeau’s family and friends during this difficult time.

Former WWE Intercontinental Sami Zayn wants to honor the legacy set by WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart by winning the world title.

Bret Hart returned on Raw but he was interrupted by the World Heavyweight Champion Gunther. ‘The Ring General hurled insults at ‘The Hitman’ before Canada’s own Sami Zayn walked out wearing a Johnny Gaudreau Calgary Flames jersey. He paid tribute to Gaudreau, who tragically passed away along with his brother Matthew.

Zayn spoke on Raw Talk about the emotional night in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He spoke about Johnny Gaudreau’s passing as well as sharing the ring with Bret Hart. He said:

“You actually caught me at a really strange time because I’m feeling really emotional, to be honest. I’m wearing this jersey, not because I’m a Flames fan, everyone knows I’m a Canadiens guy, but to honor Johnny Gaudreau, who tragically passed away. I don’t know, it just makes you think about the time you have here and what you do with it, and to be able to share the ring with [Bret Hart], he was my hero growing up. To share the ring with him in Calgary, the significance, it’s not lost on me. So I’m in a really strange kind of head space.”

Zayn said that listening to Hart speak about being a champion and Canadian champion in particular has “lit a fire under me.” The 40-year-old wrestler wants to honor Hart’s legacy as he aims to become the World Champion. He said:

“But listening to him talk also kind of lit a fire under me. To hear him talk about what it meant to be a champion, and a Canadian champion. Listening to him, I realized, man, we haven’t had that in a long time, and I want it to be me. I want it to be me. I want to honor his legacy. I want to honor the template that he laid out for guys like me. So Gunther’s got something that, as far as I’m concerned, it’s on borrowed time because I’m coming. I’m coming for the World Heavyweight Championship.”

Zayn challenged Gunther for the World Championship, but the latter turned him down. Hart called Gunther “a gutless yellow coward” for backing down. A brawl broke out between Zayn and ‘The Ring General’ before the officials intervened.

While it is not official yet, it seems that Sami Zayn and Gunther will collide at next month’s Bad Blood PLE for the title. At WrestleMania 40, Zayn ended Gunther’s Intercontinental title run and now he has an opportunity to dethrone him again.

Former Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn has joined a line of WWE Superstars to undergo Stem Cell Therapy to aid his health and career. On Instagram, The RejuvStem Medical Center shared a video of Zayn and Viking Raider Ivar at their premises in Cancun.

“You never know who is going to show up here at RejuvStem Cancun! Today we have WWE Superstar @samizayn joining WWE Superstar @ivar_wwe to receive stem cell therapy for a career’s worth of nagging injuries.

“Each superstar has spent over 20 years respectfully performing all around the world. At this stage of their respective careers, both IVAR as well as SAMI recognize the importance of taking care of their bodies so they can continue performing for the WWE Universe for years to come.“

As reported earlier this week, Ivar underwent Stem Cell Therapy to aid with a career of injuries. Ivar hasn’t competed since May of this year, when he unsuccessfully challenged North American Champion Oba Femi at NXT Spring Breakin’ (Week Two.) He was promptly written off TV with an attack by Gallus. Zayn hasn’t wrestled on WWE TV since his two-out-of-three-falls defeat to Intercontinental Champion Bron Breakker on the August 12, RAW.

ReJuvStem

Ivar and Sami Zayn are just the latest WWE Superstars to work with the RejuvStem Medical Center. Rey Mysterio has also worked with the center as has Big E, who has been out of action since March of 2022 with a broken neck. More recently, Shotzi has been working with the RejuvStem team to heal up from her ACL tear suffered earlier this year. Ivar’s tag-team partner Erik, who underwent neck fusion surgery last year, has also worked with RejuvStem.

Stem Cells: What Are They? 

Stem Cells have two main features that make them valuable in treatments such as these: they are self-replicating and can become various types of cells. Stem Cells are also considered controversial as there have been debates as to the ethics of research involving the development and use of human embryos. Not all stem cell research involves human embryos. 

Sami Zayn offered some big praise to Bron Breakker after this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw from Moody Center in Austin, Texas went off air.

The wrestling veteran evoked his rematch clause for the Intercontinental Championship on the Red Branded Show this week after his SummerSlam loss earlier this month.

The two out of three falls match was the main event of the show. Sami got the early pin on Breakker at the start of the bout but the IC Champion came back and scored a pin to even the numbers.

The ending of the match saw Sami hitting the Helluva Kick but Bron kicked out. Zayn then went on the top but Breakker caught him mid-air with a spear out of nowhere to score the final pin and retain the title.

Sami Zayn stayed in the ring after the episode went off air and received an ovation from the crowd. The 40-year-old cut a promo saying that Bron has the potential to become the face of the company:

• Sami Zayn Believes Bron Breakker Has A Bright Future: He’s Going Be A Complete Player

What Happened on Raw

The star-studded episode of Raw featured some interesting developments. Rhea Ripley opened the show and Dominik Mysterio explained that he turned on The Mami because she was trying to change her.

The show also featured a confrontation between Randy Orton and Gunther. Drew McIntyre who was not happy about Orton getting a title shot tried to interrupt the two but CM Punk blindsided him before he could reach the ring.

Orton took the opportunity and delivered an RKO to the World Heavyweight Champion. Meanwhile CM Punk continued beating McIntyre and he took out the Scottish Warrior with a belt to end the segment.

• WWE Raw Results (08/12)

Bron Breakker has made a very interesting proposition for John Cena’s retirement tour after winning the Intercontinental Championship from Sami Zayn at SummerSlam.

SEScoops correspondent MuscleManMalcolm caught up with the former NXT Champion at the WWE SummerSlam media day. They discussed things such as Breakker’s time in the NFL, his unique way of hyping himself, and more.

When asked about challenging Sami Zayn for the Intercontinental Championship at the PLE tonight, Bron mentioned his Money In The Bank loss against Zayn. The WWE superstar claimed that Sami caught him unprepared the first time, but now he is ready for everything:

“You know what, I’m prepared for everything. Anything and everything this weekend. Because, you know, I think we gotta give credit where credit’s due. Sami Zayn caught me sleeping per say at Money In The Bank, but I’m locked and loaded man. Focused like shit. Effort, attitude, toughness, gonna be on full display this weekend. I’m taking it to him. So I’m ready for everything.”

• Sami Zayn Believes Bron Breakker Has A Bright Future

Bron Breakker Wants To Face John Cena

Bron Breakker also put forward a very interesting proposition when asked who he would like to defend the Championship against. The 26-year-old mentioned how John Cena has never held the IC title in his career, and challenged the 16-time world champion to come take the belt from him:

“John Cena. He has never won the Intercontinental Championship before. So I say come take it from me. Come take the Championship from me. Grow some balls, come take the Championship from me. Let’s go. Let’s do it.”

The Cenation Leader has confirmed that he will be active throughout 2025 and he is planning to make around 25-30 appearances for the company.

The Hollywood star chasing the IC title to become a Grand Slam Champion before his official retirement would certainly make for a very interesting story in his final year.

Bron Breakker gave Sami Zayn his proverbial flowers after capturing the Intercontinental Championship at SummerSlam from the Canadian. Speaking on the WWE SummerSlam post-show, Breakker acknowledged the work of Zayn and his title reign.

“Sami has been on top for quite some time. He’s main evented WrestleMania. He’s had the Intercontinental Championship multiple times, [he is a former] World Tag Team Champion. He’s had a Hall of Fame career, there’s no doubt he will be in the Hall of Fame one day.”

Breakker’s victory was celebrated by his father Rick Steiner and his uncle Scott Steiner. Speaking about his own aspirations for the Intercontinental Championship, the second-generation wrestler vowed to defend the gold with pride.

“I’m going to carry this championship with the most prestige and honor that I can hold it, to the highest standard and the highest level that we can do it on Monday Night RAW.”

Breakker’s vow to defend his title with prestige and honor could see the new Intercontinental Champion share the ring with a WWE icon. Speaking exclusively to SE Scoops this week, Breakker said he plans on facing John Cena with the Intercontinental title on the line.

Cena will retire from in-ring competition in 2025 and the Intercontinental Championship is the one title keeping Big Match John from completing WWE’s Triple Crown and its Grand Slam. Cena is expected to make around 25-30 appearances for WWE before hanging up his jorts for good.

For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.

Singer, rapper, and songwriter Jelly Roll is providing two of the theme songs for this year’s WWE SummerSlam premium live event. The soundtrack of WWE’s ‘biggest party of the ‘Biggest Party of the Summer’ will include the songs “Dead End Road” and “Liar” off his new album Lair due out this fall. Based on this interaction between the artist and WWE CCO Triple H, it looks like we may see Mr. Roll ‘roll’ up to the Cleveland Browns Stadium in person to perform on Saturday, August 3.

Jelly Roll & WWE

Jelly Roll’s wrestling fandom is hardly in question as he has shown time and time again to be a member of the WWE Universe. Last November, Jelly Roll appeared on WWE Monday Night RAW and got into an altercation with JD McDonagh and ‘Dirty’ Dominik Mysterio.

Jelly Roll is getting ready to embark on his The Beautifully Broken tour, with new dates just added. You can check out Jelly Roll’s Summer/Fall 2024 US tour dates below:

Sami Zayn Comedy Coming To Cleveland

It remains to be seen if Jelly Roll will perform at SummerSlam, but we know that Sami Zayn will be performing that weekend out of the ring. In a press release, WWE confirmed that the Sami Zayn & Friends Do Cleveland comedy show is coming to SummerSlam weekend on Friday, August 2. Tickets will go on sale July 17, at 10 a.m ET and there will be a limited number of post-show meet and greets.

This will be the latest example of the reigning Intercontinental Champion flexing his creative chops. The inaugural event happened earlier this month in Toronto for Money in the Bank weekend and in addition to Zayn, featured Cody Rhodes, Bayley, Johnny Knoxville, and others. Zayn also performed at this year’s Netflix Is A Joke festival and received rave reviews for his set.

Sami Zayn had some strong words about Ilja Dragunov and the future of WWE after the July 15, edition of Monday Night Raw went off the air.

In the main event of the show, Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn defended against Ilja Dragunov. The pair were on course for an instant classic before Bron Breakker emerged and attacked both men, abruptly ending the contest. Breakker, who had been banned from the building, laid out both men to end the show, making clear he still plans on winning the Intercontinental Championship.

After WWE RAW (July 15, 2024)

While Breakker may have left both the champion and challenger worse for wear, Zayn and Dragunov shared a segment after the show. Speaking to the crowd in the Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio, Zayn gave credit to the Mad Dragon as someone for fans to keep an eye on.

“All of you are looking at the future of WWE right here and his name is Ilja Dragunov!”

Dragunov appreciated the high praise from Zayn. Despite the war they’d put each other through, the two men shook hands to the delight of the crowd.

“The Future Of WWE”

Ilja Dragunov does indeed look bright, as he’s quickly established himself as a formidable competitor on WWE Raw. This week’s title match with Zayn marks Dragunov’s third time headlining WWE’s longest-running weekly episodic show since being called up to the main roster in this year’s draft.

Dragunov has more than held his own, a promising sign that management will remain confident in his potential and will continue to put him in positions to succeed.

Related: Ilja Dragunov: “When I’m Pain, I’m an Entire Monster”

Sami Zayn made an appearance after the Money In The Bank go home episode of SmackDown from the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Canada went off air.

There were two dark matches that took place after the broadcast of the Blue Branded Show ended. The first match featured IYO SKY defeating Naomi.

The second dark match of the night saw Sami Zayn defending the Intercontinental Championship against Chad Gable. Gable got the Kurt Angle treatment from the crowd during his entrance.

The former Olympian had locked in Zayn into an ankle lock towards the end of the bout but the IC Champion reversed it into a powerbomb. He finally delivered a Helluva kick to pick up the victory.

After the match, Sami Zayn cut a short promo. Zayn who is billed from Montreal, mentioned how the Toronto crowd always makes him feel like he is in his hometown. He then hyped-up Saturday’s Money In The Bank PPV:

What Happened On SmackDown

The SmackDown episode was largely built around the upcoming PPV. The opening segment saw all the competitors of the Men’s Money In The Bank match coming face to face before the bout.

Apart from this, the show featured matches such as Pretty Deadly vs. The Street Profits and Jade Cargill & Bianca Belair vs. Indi Hartwell & Candice LeRae.

The latest WWE event also featured a big title change in the main event of the show. You can check out more about it here.

WWE Clash at the Castle is set for June 15 in Glasgow, Scotland. Sami Zayn will be there with an Intercontinental Title match.

On this week’s WWE RAW, Sami Zayn appeared, soon joined by the Alpha Academy. Maxxine Dupri read a note from Gable, who didn’t show up himself. Zayn then booked an IC Title match against Gable at Clash at the Castle.

Alpha Academy out here doing the dirty work…#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/b92NqT4DNs

— WWE (@WWE) June 4, 2024

Gable then attacked Zayn, leading to chaos. Akira Tozawa and Maxxine were knocked off the apron, and Otis acted like he would stand up to Gable. This gave Sami time to recover and get his revenge.

BREAKING ALL OUR HEARTS RIGHT NOW ???#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/v2t9TiVEsW

— WWE (@WWE) June 4, 2024

After the segment, Alpha Academy was shown backstage, with Chad Gable the only happy one. Maxxine Dupri and Tozawa sold their injuries, while Otis looked conflicted. Gable kissed Otis on the cheek, saying they will come together at Clash at the Castle to ensure he wins the IC Title.

With Gable’s WWE contract nearing its end and this storyline heading to the premium live event, it seems the Alpha Academy’s meltdown will happen in Scotland.

• Damian Priest (c) vs. Drew McIntyre – Singles match for the World Heavyweight Championship
• Bayley (c) vs. Piper Niven – Singles match for the WWE Women’s Championship
• Sami Zayn (c) vs. Chad Gable – Singles match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship

Johnny Knoxville keeps Kayfabe alive between he and Sami Zayn and Matt Camp can attest to that.

Speaking on his new series “The Wrestling Matt Show” the former WWE personality was previewing WWE King & Queen of The Ring and some fans were talking about Johnny Knoxville being incoporated into the WWE product during the first part of 2022. Knoxville appeared at the Royal Rumble and ultimately defeated Sami Zayn in a dark horse match at WrestleMania 38 in Dallas, TX.

Camp notes how invested and passionate Knoxville was during his brief run in WWE.

“Johnny Knoxville was awesome to work with, with everything he did with WWE. He was all in, he cared, he offered ideas up, the stuff with the phone number in the sky and the red carpet), Johnny Knoxville got it.”

• Johnny Knoxville Goes Undercover At Sami Zayn’s ‘Netflix Is A Joke’ Comedy Show

Knoxville even committed to his beef with Zayn even after Sami turned babyface as Camp had Knoxville on The Bump nearly a year after the fact.

“Sami’s a babyface at this point and he was still railing on Sami and he played into it. They could have a blast with that. I think there is almost a ‘fight forever’ almost tongue-in-cheek thing between Johnny Knoxville and Sami Zayn, which I love.”

“I think there is almost a ‘fight forever’ almost tongue-in-cheek thing between Johnny Knoxville and Sami Zayn, which I love.”

Even as of recent, Knoxville has kept his feud cooking with Sami as Johnny interrupted Zayn’s stand-up schtick while at the Netflix Is A Joke event. He roasted Sami while there, even having Wee Man punch him below the belt. Then on social media, Knoxville continued to berate Zayn, claiming that Razor Ramon was actually his favorite Intercontinental Champion.

Please credit “The Wrestling Matt” and h/t to SEScoops for the transcription.

WWE will get closer to crowning a new King and Queen of the Ring on the May 20 edition of WWE RAW. Tonight’s edition of Raw from North Carolina’s historic Greensboro Coliseum will see a continuation of the men’s and women’s tournaments. If you’re in the area, tickets for the show are still available at Ticketmaster.

The King and Queen of the Ring Tournaments tournaments began on May 6 and will conclude this Saturday at at the Jeddah Dome in Saudi Arabia. This will be the first Premium Live Event to be named after the tournaments since WWE King of the Ring 2002. 

On the men’s side of things, GUNTHER will take on Jey Uso for a place in the finals in Jeddah. GUNTHER reached this spot with victories over his old rival Sheamus as well as Kofi Kingston. Jey reached the semi-finals with wins over Finn Balor and Ilja Dragunov. 

For the Queen of the Ring Tournament semi-finals, Lyra Valkyria will take on IYO SKY. The recently called-up Valkyria reached this spot in the tournament with wins over Dakota Kai and Zoey Stark. SKY has rebounded from her loss at WrestleMania 40 by advancing with wins over Natalya and Shayna Baszler. 

In non-tournament action, we’ll see Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn battle Chad Gable in a non-title match. These two and Bronson Reed will compete for Zayn’s title this weekend.

Other top feuds headed into the PLE include Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes vs. United States Champion Logan Paul and Liv Morgan challenging Becky Lynch for the Women’s World Championship.

Keep checking back to SEScoops for more coverage of tonight’s WWE Raw, including all the news coming out of the show afterwards. 

Catch up on the Top 10 moments from last week’s show:

Johnny Knoxville still thinks Sami Zayn is a jackass. 

Knoxville got the better of the current Intercontinental Champion on the major stage of WrestleMania 38 in Dallas, TX, but he didn’t receive as great of an opportunity to air out all his grievances during their program together.

WWE shared a photo of Zayn with his Intercontinental Title with Becky Lynch, who was holding her Women’s World Title gold. This prompted Knoxville to unleash several insults Zayn’s way in the comment section, making clear that he’s way bigger fan of Scott Hall with the Intercontinental Title than Zayn.

“Sami’s the Intercontinental Champion. My favorite Intercontinental Champion will always be Razor Ramon. Sami I doubt you know who he is since you’ve never heard of a razor you hairy f@‘k!”

• Johnny Knoxville Goes Undercover At Sami Zayn’s ‘Netflix Is A Joke’ Comedy Show

Knoxville was far from done.

“I hate you as much as you hate going to the gym.

“What a shame, the poor audience had to watch you bomb all night and then get humiliated by me and WeeMan AGAIN! Becky Lynch was terrific though. Why she associates herself with the likes of you I will never know.

“I’d give you the shirt off my back. Just so I don’t have to see all the hair on YOUR BACK!

“Remember when wrestlers used to shave and get tans? Sami certainly doesn’t.

“I didn’t get enough time to get in all my insults so I will get them in here.

“Hey everybody, Sami’s a vegan, just in case you didn’t think he was already annoying enough.

LMFAOOOOOOOO JOHNNY KNOXVILLE IS COOKING SAMI ZAYN ON INSTAGRAM ?

It's been 2 YEARS, and dude's still hating ? pic.twitter.com/ubZWDyrIid

— EliteRockerz ? (@EliteClubS0B) May 14, 2024

Knoxville couldn’t care less that Zayn is currently a top babyface and made clear to fans that Kayfabe is very much alive in Knoxville’s camp.

Since the departure of Vince McMahon from WWE, and the simultaneous rise of Paul Levesque as the company’s Chief Content Officer, discussions over each man’s differences in the creative process and booking philosophy have been a continuous source of conversation. 

The King of King’s nearly 2-year reign as Head of Creative has been met with mostly positive reviews, with critics, fans, and pundits alike citing a more streamlined approach to storytelling, production, and usage of talent.  

Current WWE Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn recently sat down for an interview with Daily Mail‘s Alex McCarthy, where he described the staunch differences in how Triple H and Vince McMahon viewed his character. Here’s what he said, as transcribed by WrestleTalk:

“I think Hunter sees me differently from how Vince saw me, especially as a good guy. I think Vince saw me much more as a bad guy, for a number of reasons. He saw my irksome qualities that he thought lent itself to being an irksome character.

This distinction can be seen plainly when you examine Sami Zayn’s booking between WrestleMania 38 and 39. Zayn went from an intolerable heel in a comedic feud with Johnny Knoxville and the entire cast of Jackass, to becoming one of the biggest babyfaces in the company; locked in an intense, emotional, and tangled storyline with The Bloodline and his real-life best friend Kevin Owens. 

Furthermore, Zayn spoke on the differences between Triple H and his father-in-law’s philosophy on booking weekly programming. As fans have heard several times before, the former NXT Champion detailed Triple H’s long-term booking strategy, and how that clashed with McMahon’s more haphazard, even at times “chaotic” approach. He would note, however, that there are pros and cons to both. 

“Having said that, I think things were a lot more unpredictable because of the nature of Vince’s week to week kind of approach, that sometimes the marble would just fall in the right hole, and now you’re champion, whereas with Hunter, I think it’s much more he has longer-term vision, and if you’re not part of that vision, then the chances of breaking into that vision are much, much slimmer…It’s kind of a double edged sword. He might see me in a way that lends itself more to being in that mix and possibly winning it. But on the other hand, I could have just slipped on a banana peel and won the world title.”

Ginger Snaps on top. @SamiZayn pic.twitter.com/NHVwPQaeJ2

— Rebecca Quin (@BeckyLynchWWE) May 14, 2024

Since Triple H’s take over of the creative process, Sami Zayn has found himself at the center of some of WWE’s biggest storylines and matches. Becoming one of the company’s top babyfaces, proven more so at WrestleMania 40 when he became the first person to pin The Ring General since his call-up from NXT. Winning his fourth International Championship in the process

While Superstars have gone on record to praise the new leadership and overall company direction, some former talent have expressed that changing the guard in WWE had unfortunate consequences. 

Take former WWE Superstar Eric Bugenhagen, aka Rick Boogs, as an example. For the better part of 2021 and early 2022, Bugenhagen seemed to be a hot commodity in the eyes of the WWE machine; armed with an impressive physique and strong character.

Unfortunately, Bugenhagen would find himself released by WWE in September of 2023, following a 9-month absence that began due to an injury he sustained at WrestleMania 38.  

In the weeks and months that followed, Bugenhagen would express how some in the new regime didn’t quite see what Vince McMahon had seen in him. 

While he has never directly implicated Triple H, he stated that his release was due to a “backstage powerplay“, and noting that before his release, he has only received positive accolades from McMahon and corporate. Bugenhagen went as far as to say that he feels some in the new management had a “grudge” against him. 

Sami Zayn got some serious laughs at his performance at the Netflix Is A Joke festival, despite the presence of his WrestleMania 38 adversary Johnny Knoxville. 

The Jackass and Bad Grandpa star went in disguise to the event that has taken over Los Angeles from May 2 to May 12. Knoxville donned a blonde wig and fake mustache to watch Zayn’s set. 

Knoxville wasn’t the only notable name to appear during Zayn’s stand-up. WWE Women’s World Champion Becky Lynch was also at the show as well as Cathy Kelly, according to attendee Glenn Rubenstein. Ron Funches, Tony Hinchcliffe, and Wee Man also made cameo appearances. 

Knoxville Vs. Zayn

Johnny Knoxville and Sami Zayn became adversaries in 2022 and tensions grew after the actor cost Zayn the WWE Intercontinental Championship. The two did battle at WWE WrestleMania 38 in an ‘Anything Goes’ match that was won by Knoxville. 

Even with Zayn now a babyface, the ‘animosity’ between the two continues. Knoxville was seen jeering and booing at WWE WrestleMania 39 when Zayn and Kevin Owens won the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships. 

Fans shouldn’t count out one more match between the actor and Zayn, who regained the Intercontinental Championship at WWE WrestleMania 40. On Twitter, Rubenstein suggested that the pair “may have set up a rematch tonight.”

As for Zayn, his next major match will come at WWE King And Queen Of The Ring later this month. The Canadian will defend against both Chad Gable and ‘Big’ Bronson Reed in Saudi Arabia. 

Liv Morgan will have one more shot at becoming WWE Women’s World Champion when she challenges Becky Lynch at WWE King And Queen Of The Ring. 

On the May 6, episode of Raw, it was confirmed that Morgan will challenge The Man at WWE’s next PLE in Saudi Arabia. This has quickly become a very personal feud between the pair, as Morgan was the last woman to be eliminated in the battle royal that saw Lynch capture the title in April. 

Women's World Champion @BeckyLynchWWE defends against @YaOnlyLivvOnce at #WWEKingAndQueen! pic.twitter.com/z4syEKgovV

— WWE (@WWE) May 7, 2024

Morgan has made it clear that she believes she deserves to be called WWE Women’s World Champion. After all, it was Morgan who injured Rhea Ripley in an assault that forced Ripley to vacate the title in the first place. Morgan is also the last woman to hold a pinfall victory over the ‘Mami’ of The Judgment Day. 

Intercontinental Title Match Announced

Morgan’s title opportunity wasn’t the only match confirmed on the May 6, episode of WWE Monday Night Raw. On the show, ‘Big’ Bronson Reed faced Gad Gable in a match that saw interference from Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn. This would ultimately backfire for the underdog, as Reed would lay out Sami and Gable. 

SAMI ZAYN is out for PAYBACK on #WWERaw! pic.twitter.com/o5VMrIvrfz

— WWE (@WWE) May 7, 2024

In a backstage interview with Jackie Redmond, Zayn said the only way to settle things is a triple threat match for his Intercontinental Championship. This will mark the first Intercontinental title opportunity at a PLE for both Gable and Reed. 

SE Scoops will have full coverage of the King & Queen of the Ring event, as well as tournament matches. Keep checking in ahead of WWE’s next Saudi Arabia event. 

Brutus & Julius Creed continued to impress on the April 15, episode of WWE Monday Night Raw even if they didn’t walk away with the win. 

During the show, The Creed Brothers were part of a triple-threat tag team match with a shot at champions The Awesome Truth on the line. The Creeds were joined by DIY and the New Day in a fun match that saw plenty of offense from all three teams. 

While it was DIY who got the win and the title opportunity, the Creeds certainly impressed and the team was even trending on Twitter as fans gushed over their performance. Though this show was not their night, the Creed Brothers could be on track for an opportunity at the newly-rechristened World Tag Team Championships if this momentum continues.  

Chad Gable Turns Heel

In the main event of WWE Monday Night Raw, Chad Gable once again came up short in his efforts to win the Intercontinental Championship. The Olympian lost to Sami Zayn in Montreal, a stone’s throw away from the Underdog’s home in Laval, Quebec. After the match, a frustrated Gable delivered a beatdown on Zayn in front of the Intercontinental Champion’s wife and family. 

Gable is already the leader of Alpha Academy but his heel turn could leave Otis, Maxxine Dupri, and Akira Tozawa unwilling to work with him for much longer. If so, perhaps Gable could form a new team of mat-based technicians with the Creed Brothers. 

Trios like this aren’t unprecedented in WWE. During the Ruthless Aggression era, Kurt Angle formed Team Angle, which consisted of himself, Shelton Benjamin, and Charlie Haas. The group saw plenty of success and championships and Kurt would prove to be an inspiration to Gable when Chad pursued his Olympic dreams. 

Thank you Chad. You’re an Amazing athlete, and one of the most technical Superstars in the business. It was an honor to be in the ring with you. #itstrue #fellowolympians https://t.co/7tSbpU7BKa

— Kurt Angle (@RealKurtAngle) March 19, 2019

Like Gable with the Intercontinental title, the Creeds have impressed on the main roster but that has yet to result in championship gold. Perhaps an alliance between the three men is what’s needed to take them to the next level. 

Sami Zayn had some choice words for Chad Gable after tonight’s episode of Raw.

The Intercontinental Championship was defended in the main event of tonight’s episode of the Red Branded Show from Montreal Canada.

The hometown star got a very special entrance through the crowd for this bout against Chad Gable. The two athletes then had a very physical match as expected.

Sami managed to retain the title at the end using the Helluva Kick and showed respect to his opponent afterward. Another crushing defeat, however, proved to be too much for Gable and the former Olympian finally snapped under pressure.

Zayn went up to his family after the win to celebrate but Chad Gable blindsided him into a German suplex. Gable continued the assault by sending the IC Champion into the ring post and then dumping him over the announce desk. The show went off air with Gable locking his opponent into an ankle lock through the middle turnbuckle.

The officials managed to separate the two once the cameras stopped rolling and Gable went to the back leaving the hometown star in the ring. Once Sami Zayn came to his senses, he cut a promo on Gable and warned him about the consequences of his actions:

What Happened On Raw

Before this main event, the show was on par with last week’s Raw after Mania and we saw multiple big developments during the broadcast.

The episode opened with Rhea Ripley confirming the reports of her injury and announcing that she would have to relinquish the Women’s World Championship.

We also saw the WWE return of Sheamus after nearly six months on the shelf. The Celtic Warrior took on Ivar in a singles match which he won.

Apart from this, the WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H made an appearance to make a big announcement. You can check out the details of it here.

Triple H believes that WWE is in the business of selling emotions and performers such as Shawn Michaels and Sami Zayn are successful because of their ability to draw emotion out of people.

HBK was called Mr. WrestleMania for the longest time because of his incredible performances at the Show of Shows against opponents such as Bret Hart, Ric Flair and more.

Sami Zayn has been following in the footsteps of the NXT head. In recent years, he has earned praise for his WrestleMania matches against the likes of Kevin Owens and Johnny Knoxville. This year he gave another incredible performance against Gunther who he defeated to win the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 40 night 1.

In the post-show press conference, Triple H was asked to compare the two performers. The Game first explained how Shawn Michaels was successful because of his ability to draw out emotion:

“A lot of people would look at Shawn back then [or] even now, they would see Shawn as this spectacular performer, right? Like the moves that he did. All these spectacular things that he did. Shawn was doing a lot of that at a period of time maybe before everybody else was which is why I think so many younger talent resonate towards him because he’s so good.

But the thing that made Shawn so good was his ability to pull emotion out of you. It wasn’t the moves, the moves were like the special effects. Shawn is unbelievable at getting emotional out. When you hit Shawn, and he goes down and he sells, you feel bad for him.

You want him to do better and he just can get that emotion out of you. When Shawn begins to then make a comeback begins to fire up and begins to put that anger out or whatever it is, that aggression out. You believe it and you buy into it. He’s a Pitbull when he’s on you.”

We Sell Emotion: Triple H

Triple H then explained that WWE is in the business of selling emotion. Sami Zayn, like Shawn Michaels has found success in WWE because he is able to make people feel for him:

“It’s emotion. We sell emotion. We build stories and sell emotion. It’s not the moves, it’s not the spots. It’s not the sequences or whatever, however people want to say – it’s emotion. Yes, those things all lead into it. But without it, it’s just a video game. It doesn’t mean anything.

What you saw in Sami and Gunther tonight was two people that are geniuses at pulling emotion out of you. That’s Sami’s calling card. Yes, he does spectacular things. But his ability as a performer as an actor, whatever you wanna call it, to pull that emotion out of people. It’s awesome. It’s why he is in the spot he is, it’s why he is as good as he is.”

You can check out the full media scrum below:

If you use the quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

WWE uses WrestleMania’s stage to tell the best stories they can every year. WrestleMania 40’s IC Title match was certainly worthy of the historic event.

Sami Zayn defeated GUNTHER at WrestleMania 40 to end his historic reign as Intercontinental Champion.

GUNTHER walked into WrestleMania 40 with 666 days as Intercontinental Champion and counting. He battled Sami Zayn, who was entering as the underdog, but that was nothing different for Zayn.

The Match Finish

No matter what GUNTHER threw at Sami Zayn, he kept kicking out. When Zayn landed a Helluva Kick, GUNTHER kicked out in return.

Sami Zayn’s wife sat at ringside for the match, cheering her husband on the whole time, especially after he kicked out following two powerbombs from GUNTHER. The Ring General continued to assault Zayn, and then he taunted his wife before laying down another powerbomb.

With the #ICTitle on the line at #WrestleMania XL, @SamiZayn continues to fight! pic.twitter.com/x1o6I2D3hN

— WWE (@WWE) April 7, 2024

Finally, GUNTHER scaled the top rope, where he hit a big splash, but he didn’t even attempt a cover before he went back to the top rope to hit a second splash. He didn’t even try to pin him the second time.

Zayn started to stir, and he nailed GUNTHER with a Helluva Kick as he climbed to the top rope again. Then Zayn nailed an avalanche brainbuster before hitting another two Helluva Kicks and getting the clean pin to win the title.

Special Entrance

Before the match, they showed Sami Zayn backstage with his wife and son. He asked her to keep his son backstage, so he didn’t see what happened in the ring. Then Chad Gable told him that he’s going out there by himself.

Sami Zayn with his family before the IC Title match.

He tells his wife he doesn't want his son "to see this" #Wrestlemania pic.twitter.com/RANMsbx9Hk

— NukemTalksWrestling (@NukemWrestling) April 7, 2024

As the camera followed Sami Zayn to the ring, Kevin Owens met him in the gorilla position. Owens slapped Zayn to hype him up before he made his way to the ring.

Kevin Owens was waiting for Sami Zayn at the entrance to the arena. He's such an amazing friend #Wrestlemania pic.twitter.com/HdsvHb5O8e

— NukemTalksWrestling (@NukemWrestling) April 7, 2024

WWE Superstar Sami Zayn will be flexing his comedy muscles at the upcoming ‘Netflix is a Joke’ entertainment festival. 

Taking to Twitter, Zayn said he is “so excited” to be part of the festival that’ll take place this May in Los Angeles. Zayn’s comedy show ‘Sami Zayn & Friends’ will take place on Saturday, May 11, at 7:30 pm local time in Avalon, Hollywood, CA. 

🚨🚨🚨 So excited about this!

I will be doing a live comedy show as part of @NetflixIsAJoke Festival in LA.

Tickets go on sale Friday 4/5.
PRESALE tix available TOMORROW, Thursday 4/4 with Promo code: SAMI @LiveNationCmdy https://t.co/4gjK5Sdvdn pic.twitter.com/wd0cqJmA3x

— Sami Zayn (@SamiZayn) April 3, 2024

Pre-Sale tickets will go on sale on Thursday, April 4, at 10 am PDT. General Sale tickets will go on sale on Friday, April 5, at 10 am PDT. 

It’s hardly a surprise that Zayn is making moves in the world of comedy. The former WWE Intercontinental Champion has often been heralded for his humor which was on full display during his 2022 role as part of The Bloodline. Zayn was even able to make some members of the group ‘corpse,’ meaning they couldn’t help but laugh at what he was doing even when they were supposed to be serious. 

Wrestling & Comedy 

Zayn isn’t the only wrestler to try his hand in the world of comedy. For years, WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley has hosted stand-up comedy gigs both in the United States and overseas.

 TNA Wrestling’s Nic Nemeth has also hosted stand-up comedy shows in the past and was previously in a relationship with Amy Schumer. Nemeth hosted a comedy show with his brother Ryan in November 2023, mere weeks after his WWE release. 

Considered one of the best talkers in wrestling, it seemed inevitable that ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper would try his hand at stand-up comedy. The Hot Rod hosted sets after his in-ring career ended and his work was praised by comedians including Ari Shaffir of Comedy Central. He also was in a handful of episodes of the hit comedy series It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. 

Raw’s Move to Netflix

WWE Monday Night Raw will move to Netflix in January 2025 in a blockbuster move that’ll take the red brand off traditional broadcast television. The deal is even sweeter for fans outside of the U.S. who will see Raw, SmackDown, WWE NXT, and Premium Live Events all moved to the streaming giant. 

WWE superstar Sami Zayn has punched his ticket into a featured match at WWE WrestleMania 40. On the March 11 episode of WWE Monday Night Raw, He won a thrilling Gauntlet match to challenge WWE Intercontinental Champion Gunther for his title. The match will occur at WWE WrestleMania 40 in April, but it’s unclear if it will happen on Night One or Two. That said, some fans wanted Chad Gable to have the opportunity instead of Zayn. 

As one of the participants in the Gauntlet Match, Gable seemed to have a chance to get his long-awaited rematch with Gunther. However, WWE decided to have Zayn win the Gauntlet and eliminate Gable last in a close matchup. 

Although the company has been building up Zayn to challenge for a title, some fans online have responded negatively to their recent decision. The negative backlash seems to have gotten Zayn’s attention as well.

WWE Hall of Famer Booker T shared on his podcast that he spoke to Zayn and wasn’t happy with the negative responses. The former five-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion also revealed what advice he gave to Zayn in their conversation. 

“…He was so literally upset about the online heat that he got from fans. He was like, ‘I thought loved me, you know, and then I see all this stuff.’ I said, Man, you can’t listen to that white noise,” said Booker T. He added, “…You have to think about how great that match was, and you are going look back on it match one day and think that was some really really good work that I did, but he still was feeling that heat.” 

Fans Wanting Conclusion To Chad Gable’s Storyline

Booker T mentions that it was the match that fans were upset about from the episode. However, it seems more about the decision to have Gable lose the Gauntlet Match. 

Gable still has unfinished business with Gunther, and it seems fans won’t get to see it resolved anytime soon. He was involved in a well-received feud with the champion last year. Their previous bout ended with Gunther victorious, but the company left it open for another match. The storyline also became more personal when Gable’s family got involved.

This resulted in fans wanting to see the underdog get his revenge and potentially dethrone the champion on the ‘Grandest Stage of Them All.’ Unfortunately, WWE went a different direction, and Gable’s storyline is still unresolved. 

After the match, Gable somberly admitted that he didn’t know what would be next for him. It’s possible the underdog superstar could still be in line to challenge Gunther for the title after WWE WrestleMania 40. However, it does look bleak as Zayn will get his chance at the title first, and the company has other roster members awaiting their opportunity. 

Chad Gable has shared just how visceral his loss on this week’s Raw has been for him after coming up short in the Intercontinental Title contenders gauntlet match. 

The Olympian was part of the six-man match which also featured Ricochet, Bronson Reed, Shinsuke Nakamura, JD McDonagh, and Sami Zayn. The match came down to Gable and Zayn, both of whom have made emotional cases for challenging GUNTHER at WrestleMania. Despite a valiant effort by Gable, Zayn got the win and the title shot at WrestleMania 40. 

Chad Gable on His Visceral Loss

In a WWE Raw Digital Exclusive after the match, Gable reflected on last night’s match and this latest setback. 

“For those who have never felt something like this, it’s more visceral than I can describe. It’s not coming up short. It’s really letting people down that depend on you in a number of ways. For me this meant a lot more than WrestleMania, a lot more than a championship. It was a very personal, personal thing for me [and] my family.”

Chad Gable on Sami Zayn

After his defeat, Gable and Zayn shared some words in the ring. When asked what Sami said, however, Gable said he wasn’t going to divulge their private conversation. 

“For now, that’s going to stay between me and Sami. To be honest, I was less interested in what he had to say and more interested in getting out of the ring.” 

Gable acknowledged that was the winner of the match but argued that facing GUNTHER at WrestleMania would always mean more to him than the Canadian.

“I’m a man, willing to say that he [Zayn] was the better man tonight. I don’t think it meant more to him. I don’t think it still means more to him than it does to me but I have no problem showing respect.”

EXCLUSIVE: Now that @SamiZayn will be the one to challenge @Gunther_AUT for the #ICTitle at #WrestleMania, what is going through the mind of @WWEGable? pic.twitter.com/0EYas4Gjd0

— WWE (@WWE) March 12, 2024

Sami Zayn hopes to win his second championship in as many WrestleManias when he challenges Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER next month. 

On Monday Night Raw, Zayn emerged as the victor of a Gauntlet Match to determine the Austrian’s next challenger. The match featured Zayn, Chad Gable, Shinsuke Nakamura, ‘Big’ Bronson Reed, Ricochet, and JD McDonagh of the Judgment Day. 

The match started with Ricochet, the man GUNTHER dethroned in June 2022, taking on McDonagh. The One and Only pinned McDonagh before Bronson Reed eliminated Ricochet. Zayn would be the fourth entrant in the match and would eliminate Reed. He would then eliminate Nakamura and Chad Gable to get the win and the coveted title shot. 

Sami Zayn as Intercontinental Champion

Zayn is a three-time Intercontinental Champion and won the title for the first time in March 2020. After opting to take a break from WWE programming due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Zayn would be stripped of the title but in storyline claimed to still be the champion when he returned to TV in August that same year. 

At Clash of Champions in September 2020, Zayn was crowned the Undisputed Intercontinental Champion but lost the title to Big E in December. His third reign began in February 2022 but he would lose the gold to Ricochet mere weeks later. 

WWE WrestleMania 40

This year’s WrestleMania will be the fifth annual two-night WrestleMania, a tradition that began with the Covid-19 pandemic. The show will also be the first WrestleMania following the launch of TKO Group Holdings last September. The card for the show so far is as follows:

• Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes (Undisputed WWE Universal Championship)

• Iyo Sky (c) vs. Bayley (WWE Women’s Championship)

• Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch (WWE Women’s World Championship)

• Seth “Freakin” Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre (WWE World Heavyweight Championship)

• GUNTHER (c) vs. Sami Zayn (WWE Intercontinental Championship)