Sami Zayn’s continued involvement with The Bloodline is one of the best long-term stories WWE has told in recently. Since WrestleMania 38, when he lost to Johnny Knoxville in a surprisingly entertaining match, Zayn has been searching to return to respectability among his peers. Losing to an outside celebrity like the former Jackass star made him question himself and his wrestling abilities. This eventually led him to seek out Roman Reigns and The Bloodline for approval since The Tribal Chief is presented as the locker room leader on Friday Night SmackDown.
While this could have been a simple running gag and nothing more, layers have slowly been added to Zayn’s interactions with The Bloodline. For instance, it’s given Jimmy and Jey Uso a reason to behave differently. Each brother has a distinct feeling toward Zayn, leading to comedic moments as Jey’s dislike for Zayn boils beneath the surface. The two brothers try to influence which direction Roman Reigns leans, but The Head Of The Table has slowly grown to appreciate what Sami brings to the table. And what he brings to the table is a willingness to sacrifice his own well-being to protect The Bloodline. Zayn’s desire to be accepted by the “cool kids” of SmackDown is relatable, but his interactions with the heel faction are horror movie-esque in that the crowd knows he’s in danger while he doesn’t seem to.
WWE’s audience knows that The Bloodline will turn on Zayn at some juncture. And when that happens, it will not be a pretty sight. Zayn will eventually fall out of favor with The Usos, Solo Sikoa, and Reigns which will lead to a moment that will garner Sami an absolute ton of sympathy with fans. Under Triple H, the company has been more open to using selective violence to enhance stories. The Bloodline’s brutal beatdown of Drew McIntyre before Clash At The Castle comes to mind. Sheamus and Gunther also roughed each other up pretty badly at that premium live event. WWE is far from the level of brutality that AEW likes to shoehorn into its main events, but that almost makes the blood and guts more meaningful.
Sami Zayn Spinning SmackDown Screen Time Into Gold
That’s because he’s masterfully performed the role of loveable goof amongst villains. Zayn has proven capable of making just about anything click during his time in WWE, but his recent character work alongside The Bloodline might be some of the best of his outstanding career. This wrestler is at his best when fighting from underneath and drawing empathy from the audience. He won’t be any more of an underdog than whenever he’s pushing back against the strongest faction in recent WWE memory.
If the company handles the split right, Zayn could be elevated to the level of a legit top-level baby face. Few wrestlers in the industry can work from underneath better than Sami, and Triple H always seemed to get the best out of him during their time in NXT together. Some of his finest matches were incredibly emotional, and WWE will be in a great spot if Zayn can stick as someone who can reasonably contend for a secondary title.
