Sami Zayn didn’t win the 2023 Royal Rumble. He was one of the favourites to win the match because of his popular storyline involving The Bloodline. The Canadian looked set to win the match and challenge Roman Reigns at Wrestlemania 39, although things did not go as planned.
Sami Zayn didn’t win the Royal Rumble because he never entered the match. He was trying to prove his loyalty the his Tribal Chief Roman Reigns and was committed to standing ringside for the main event match at the 2023 Royal Rumble.
That match pitted Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns against Kevin Owens. Owens is a long-time friend of Sami Zayn from when the pair came up together learning to wrestle in Canada.
Zayn watched in horror as Roman Reigns decimated his former friend and retained his championship in the main event of the 2023 Royal Rumble. Sami Zayn did not enter the match because he didn’t want to face the Roman Reigns at Wrestlemania, although it seems he may now have to in order to save his friends honour.
Sami Zayn Was One Of Favourites To Win The 2023 Royal Rumble
In the run up to the 2023 Royal Rumble four wrestlers were in consideration to win the titular match. Cody Rhodes and Sami Zayn were favourites to win the match with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and The Rock not too far behind.
This was a testament to how popular Sami Zayn had become in his role as the “honorary Uce”. Zayn attempted to join The Bloodline in April 2022, hoping to achieve a level of respect he felt he had lost in the locker room.
He had spent years complaining about conspiracies against him and lost to Jackass star Johnny Knoxville at the Wrestlemania event that month. His stock was at an all-time low and Sami Zayn needed somebody to help get him back on the right track and inspire him to be his best self.
After weeks of helping The Bloodline to win various matches, he was promoted to the honorary Uce of the group. This meant that he was not yet part of the family but was associated with the group. It started to give the former NXT Champion legitimacy as he helped the group cheat to win multiple matches and help Roman Reigns retain his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.
He showed loyalty throughout his time with the group and had no intention of stealing the spot from the Tribal Chief. He soon convinced the rest of the group that he was genuine and even convinced Jey Uso, the member he had long had some difficult spells communicating with. With his fantastic comedic timing, he made the audience laugh and made them love him, with comments about “feeling Ucey” becoming some of the funniest moments of the year.
He Wasn’t Included In The Match Duo To His Main Event Spot
While many wanted Sami Zayn to win the 2023 Royal Rumble, he was not included in the match for a reason. Of the four favourites, only Cody Rhodes was included in the match and went on to win the whole match. He will wrestle Roman Reigns at Wrestlemania 39, something Sami Zayn never even considered.
This was because he was loyal to The Bloodline. He wanted nothing more than to be accepted into the family and be a true part of the group. Reigns refused to acknowledge him as one of their own, using his desperation to do his bidding and help him cling onto his World Championships.
The Tribal Chief gave Sami Zayn a different task at the Royal Rumble. Instead of competing to win a shot at Reigns at Wrestlemania 39, he was forced to watch as he wrestled against Kevin Owens in the main event. The bout was for Reigns’ Undisputed WWE Universal Champion and could have seen the end of one of the most legendary runs ever.
Sami Zayn watched in horror as he leader decimated his friend, banging the back of his head into the steel steps with a sickening thud. He ended the match with a spear before the Bloodline descended. The handcuffed Owens to the topes and beat him to within an inch of his life. Roman Reigns handed a chair to Zayn to finish the job, but in an act of defiance he laid the weapon into the back of the Tribal Chief, ending his association with the group for good.
Sami Zayn Didn’t Need The Royal Rumble Win
After hitting Roman Reigns in the back with a chair, mimicking Seth Rollins betrayal of The Shield in 2014, he dropped the weapon to the ground. He apologised to the group and they began to destroy him, beating him down in the ring in ways WWE fans had never experienced.
As Roman Reigns laid in a huge amount of chair shots to Zayn, Jey Uso turned his head and walked away. He had forged a close bond with Sami Zayn prior to the 2023 Royal Rumble and had even defended him during his trial on Smackdown before the event.
This sowed even more seeds of dissention among the ranks of the Bloodline. Sami Zayn’s attack forced Jey Uso to consider what kind of group he was in. He considered Sami his “uce” just like Jimmy Uso and could not bare to see him being attacked in the way the group had done to so many others.
Sami Zayn and The Bloodline has become the most compelling story WWE has put on in years. Zayn didn’t need to win the 2023 Royal Rumble because the storyline he is currently in has become infinitely better than a rumble win could ever be. It has drawn comparisons to Daniel Bryan in 2014 when he missed out on the Royal Rumble but still main evented Wrestlemania.
However, it’s more likely that Roman Reigns vs Sami Zayn will take place at Elimination Chamber 2023. The event takes place on Saturday, February 18, 2023 in the Bell Center. The event will be in Quebec in Canada, the hometown of Sami Zayn and his best friend Kevin Owens. It may be the perfect place to have him finally beat Roman Reigns and avenge himself and Kevin Owens for the beatdown they received at the Royal Rumble in 2023.
