5 times Sami Zayn stole the show before joining The Bloodline in WWE
Sami Zayn has been known by many nicknames throughout his incredible career in WWE.
He's been known as The Heart and Soul of NXT, The Great Liberator, The Locker Room Leader, and will likely now always be remembered as The Honorary Uce of The Bloodline.
Alongside Roman Reigns, Zayn might just be the hottest act in the entire company right now. The 38-year-old has shown how talented he is in WWE for the last decade and it is fantastic to see him be rewarded with main-event status.
Listed below are five times Sami Zayn stole the show in WWE before he joined The Bloodline.
#5. Sami Zayn's previous attempt to bond with Roman Reigns in WWE
Sami Zayn was trying to befriend Roman Reigns long before becoming The Honorary Uce came along. During a backstage conversation with former Shield members Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins, Sami suggested a strategy for their 6-man tag team match in the main event.
Zayn was a completely different character at the time and The Master Strategist laid out a plan for his squad to defeat Braun Strowman, Kevin Owens, and Chris Jericho. After Sami's intense rant, Seth noted that The Shield can handle their own business and Zayn got fired up. He went for The Shield fist bump but Rollins and Reigns stared at him blankly before walking away.
#4. Brock Lesnar confronts Sami Zayn on WWE SmackDown
On this day, 1 year ago, @SamiZayn was the victim of both @BrockLesnar and @WWERomanReigns on the same night on #SmackDown.
#WWE #BrockLesnar #RomanReigns #SamiZayn https://t.co/PhjlbvSFve
Brock Lesnar and Sami Zayn had quite a memorable segment at the end of last year. Zayn was being overly dramatic and came to the ring in a wheelchair. He was furious over not getting a match against Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns and warned The Bloodline. after being interrupted by Paul Heyman, The Master Strategist became aggressive.
Lesnar rescued his former advocate and had a pleasant conversation with Sami before hitting him with an F5. The Bloodline would later beat down The Great Liberator to add insult to injury. Zayn showcased his talent in promos and his ability to sell among the best of them on the same night.
#3. His WWE main roster debut against John Cena
The Honorary Uce made his main roster debut in Montreal on May 4, 2015. John Cena issued an Open Challenge for the United States Championship on RAW. Bret Hart's music hit and the crowd went insane.
The Hitman announced that there was another hometown hero there to accept the match. Sami got a tremendous reaction from the audience and was so fired up during his entrance that he injured himself. Zayn came up short in the match but left an immense first impression on the WWE Universe.
#2. His final match in WWE NXT
Zayn had a great run in NXT. His match against Neville at NXT TakeOver: R Evolution was an instant classic. Sami's final match on the brand was against Shinsuke Nakamura.
Shinsuke Nakamura and Sami put on a terrific match with Nakamura emerging victorious. The NXT crowd loudly chanted "Thank you Sami!" as he shook hands with Nakamura after the match.
#1. Sami's battle with Kevin Owens at Battleground 2016
Kevin Owens vs Sami Zayn
WWE Battleground
July 24, 2016 https://t.co/dUjx6G6Dg8
Kevin Owens and Sami stole the show at Battleground 2016. The show was headlined by The Shield battling each other in a Triple Threat, but it was overshadowed by Zayn's victory over Owens earlier in the night.
Owens and Zayn have been best friends and bitter rivals ever since their days in Ring of Honor as Kevin Steen and El Generico.
They have had many wars over the years, including a match at WrestleMania 37. Kevin picked up the victory in a great match, but Logan Paul's presence ringside may have taken away from the action. Thankfully, KO hit Logan with a Stunner after the match.
WWE fans may be in store for another clash between Owens and Zayn in the near future. KO appears to be obsessed with getting revenge on The Bloodline at the moment.