WWE created a problem with Sami Zayn's betrayal of Roman Reigns, legend explains
WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray (aka Bubba Ray Dudley) is unsure whether fans would rather see Cody Rhodes or Sami Zayn dethrone Roman Reigns.
Saturday's Royal Rumble event began with Rhodes winning the 30-man Rumble match to earn a world title opportunity at WrestleMania 39. The show ended with Reigns and The Bloodline attacking Zayn after he struck The Tribal Chief in the back with a steel chair.
Reviewing the Royal Rumble on Busted Open, Bully Ray explained how Rhodes and Zayn's popularity might divide fans ahead of WrestleMania:
"In that moment [Zayn's chair shot to Reigns], I think the WWE created a very interesting problem for themself (…) The unique problem that they have is an organic problem, a Daniel Bryan-esque organic problem, a problem in which I'm not quite sure who the WWE Universe wants to see beat Roman more. Sami Zayn or Cody Rhodes?"
The American Nightmare had a #RoyalRumble dream come true.
@CodyRhodes to #WrestleMania! https://t.co/6yl9OOpbup
As Bully Ray referenced, Zayn's WWE popularity has drawn comparisons to Daniel Bryan's journey to the WrestleMania 30 main event. Many fans wanted Bryan to win the 2014 Royal Rumble, but Batista emerged victorious instead.
The organic storyline resulted in Bryan capturing the WWE World Heavyweight Championship after beating Batista and Randy Orton at WrestleMania 30.
Nine years on, a large section of fans want Zayn to defeat Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.
Bully Ray compares the Roman Reigns-Sami Zayn spot to The Road Warriors
In the 1980s and early 1990s, The Road Warriors (Animal and Hawk) were one of the hottest acts in wrestling. To this day, the term "Road Warrior pop" is used to describe the loudest crowd response of the night.
AN HONORARY UCE NO MORE!
@SamiZayn has just betrayed @WWERomanReigns and the entire Bloodline at #RoyalRumble! https://t.co/ZtzAF1xGGD
Bully Ray believes fans' reaction to Sami Zayn's betrayal of Roman Reigns was as loud as The Road Warrior's iconic entrance:
"The response to Sami hitting Roman in the back with a chair was Road Warrior pop-esque. 51,000 people screamed pretty damn loud in that moment because they wanted to see Sami hit Roman, and he did."
Cody Rhodes will receive his long-awaited WWE world title opportunity at WrestleMania 39 on April 1-2. Before that, WWE will stage the Elimination Chamber event in Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn's hometown of Montreal on February 18.
Would you like Cody Rhodes or Sami Zayn to dethrone Roman Reigns? Let us know in the comments section below.
Please credit Busted Open and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.