Kevin Owens with Sami Zayn and 5 of the greatest reunions in WWE history
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn produced one of the most emotional WWE moments of 2023 on SmackDown last Friday. After months of butting heads with Zayn and the Bloodline, Owens was reluctant to align with his best friend since returning at Elimination Chamber. This seemed set to continue when The Prizefighter left the arena early in the show despite Cody Rhodes' pleas for him to reconcile with his old friend.
The Kansas crowd buzzed with pleasant surprise when KO returned to save The Honorary Uce from The Usos' beatdown. The T-Mobile arena then EXPLODED with joy when the two Canadian stars hugged it out, signaling that they were finally ready to take on The Bloodline's tyranny together. It was a reunion as iconic as any in WWE, which prompted us to revisit other such moments in the company's history.
Here are five of the most iconic reunions in WWE history, in honor of Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn's incredible moment.
#5: Shawn Michaels saves Triple H and reforms DX
D Generation X has had many reunions in WWE. One would argue too many to count.
But NONE of them topped the 2006 reunion!
Shawn Michaels and Triple H beatdown the Spirit Squad and throw cross chops at Vince McMahon on RAW.
#WWERAW #WWERAW30 #RAWXXX
https://t.co/8BQ2BeY2xf
When Shawn Michaels returned in 2002 from a career-threatening back injury which had kept him out of the ring for five years, fans were ecstatic. Not only were they happy to see the Heartbreak Kid back in action, they were also excited for a potential DX reunion. The idea was teased on July 22, 2002 but ultimately shattered by a heel turn from The Game that same night.
Fans had to wait four more years to see the super-popular duo realign, and it was executed wonderfully. After months of both men teasing a return to their old mischievous pairing, The Cerebral Assassin found himself on the receiving end of a Vince McMahon-incited Spirit Squad beatdown. When all hope seemed lost, who else was on hand to rescue him but his best friend?
The ovation that greeted this epic moment was one of the biggest in WWE in 2006.
#4: The Shield reunite after 3 years apart
Younger WWE fans may not remember the DX reunion, but most will definitely remember the night The Shield finally reunited. More than three years after the infamous night Seth Rollins put steel chairs to his brothers' kevlar-clad backs, the trio had largely worked through their issues. After a series of one-on-ones, triple threats and mini-reunion tag matches, fans were dying to see the band back together.
WWE took notice of this and incorporated it in Roman Reigns' feud with the Miztourage, repeatedly booking The Big Dog into handicap situations. Reigns repeatedly rebuffed Dean Ambrose and Rollins' offer to provide backup, keeping the fans guessing. The future Tribal Chief finally reunited the stable on October 9, 2017 to fight the Miztourage and The Bar, sending the crowd into raptures.
Their reunion may have been short-lived (it gave us the iconic Survivor Series clash against The New Day), but that moment will live on forever.
#3: Edge and Christian meet in the ring after both being forced to retire
Two guys that we never thought would wrestle again and here we are. Edge and Christian. #RoyalRumble https://t.co/qqh6vy0bXI
Edge and Christian formed one of the greatest tag teams in WWE history for nearly a decade. The two Canadian stars then went solo, winning 28 combined singles championships – including 13 world titles – before both being forced to retire in their primes. The story didn't end there, though.
The Rated-R Superstar made his triumphant return after nine years at the 2020 Royal Rumble to one of the most deafening pops in WWE history. Captain Charisma returned from retirement a few months later, and was a surprise entrant in the 2021 edition of the 30-man battle royal. That appearance, his last before departing to AEW, produced a very emotional reunion with his best friend, with the two men hugging in the ring before Edge went on to win the match.
It's a shame this incredible reunion happened in the Thunderdome without a live crowd to shower it with the love it deserved.
#2: Team Hell No hug it out
Team Hell No is one of the most beloved odd-couple pairings in WWE history. The unlikely duo of Daniel Bryan and Kane were thrown together at random, but they managed to become one of the most "over" acts on the roster in no time. They became tag team champions and went their separate ways before Bryan was forced to retire from in-ring competition in 2016.
Fast forward to 2018 with Bryan's miraculous return to the ring in full swing, and the Yes! Man found himself cornered by The Bludgeon Brothers. Just as Harper and Rowan geared up to brutally powerbomb Bryan, who was on hand to make the save but The Big Red Machine? The duo dispatched the former Wyatt Family members before embracing amidst very loud "Yes!" chants.
They had a brief run together afterwards and sporadic meetings later on, but their reunion on August 26, 2018 was special.
Honorable mentions
It's nearly impossible to capture every iconic moment of reunion in WWE history. The promotion has been in the moment-creation business for over 40 years after all. That's why we can't wait to hear your take on which iconic moment stood out for you in the comment section.
In the meantime, we would love to give a nod to epic reunions that didn't make our list. Moments such as The Rock returning to re-form the Rock 'n' Sock connection, Evolution reuniting in 2014, and the Brothers of Destruction joining forces years after their extremely personal battles will always stand out. Just because they're not in our top five doesn't mean they can't be in yours!
#1: Macho Man and Miss Elizabeth reunite at WWE WrestleMania VII
Classic WWE reunions don't get much better than "Macho Man" Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth at WrestleMania VII.The duo were the company's premier couple for years before splitting due to Savage's growing jealousy over Elizabeth's relationship with Hulk Hogan. The Macho Man then rubbed salt into the wound by aligning himself with Sensational Sherri.
WrestleMania VII saw Savage battle The Ultimate Warrior with his career on the line, a match he ultimately lost. With his former valet in the crowd, Sherri began assaulting the fallen Macho Man, and everyone in the audience was practically BEGGING Elizabeth to make the save. What followed was pure magic as she ran out of the crowd to rescue her man, willed on by 16,000 delirious fans.
When they finally hugged, it was a WrestleMania moment for the ages, and arguably the reaction of the night, with hardly a dry eye to be seen in the arena.
As Cody Rhodes once said, wrestling truly is a love story.