Night two of WWE SummerSlam 2026 was a big opportunity for Sami Zayn as he looked to earn another shot at the Undisputed WWE Championship. Of course, he needed to defeat the first-ever WWE Universal Champion to make that happen.
Sami Zayn’s title reign came to an abrupt end after nine days when CM Punk defeated him on the July 6 episode of RAW to capture the Undisputed WWE Championship. Zayn later teamed with GUNTHER at Saturday Night’s Main Event, but they couldn’t win against Punk and Cody to turn the Undisputed Title match into a fatal four-way. Later on, Sami was placed in a #1 contender match against Finn Balor at SummerSlam as a consolation prize.
Just before SummerSlam went on the air, news broke that WWE was planning a big twist for this storyline. This match kicked off the second night of SummerSlam as fans got ready for action. Before the match started, Nick Aldis interrupted to announce that he was adding GUNTHER to the match. This is very interesting since GUNTHER beat Aldis last night. Then Aldis added a fourth participant, and that is when Kevin Owens came out.
The stadium exploded in a massive pop when Kevin Owens made his way out. Wade Barrett wasn’t happy about how Sami Zayn was screwed once again, but fans were elated to see Owens once again after 17 months away due to a neck injury.
Kevin Owens was on his A-Game as the match got started. He rallied and took everyone out, and then he had a face-to-face with Sami Zayn. This was followed by a cannonball in the corner and a somersault dive to the outside on everyone. Then it was time for GUNTHER and Finn Balor to go toe-to-toe in the squared circle for a bit.
This match kept going, and it could have gone any way. There were several close calls and near falls as fans chanted “Sami Sucks” at the Underdog From the Underground. GUNTHER latched on a sleeper as Zayn tried to hit a Helluva Kick on Kevin Owens. Then Balor hit a Coup De Gras on both of them for a near fall.
Eventually, Kevin Owens nailed a Stunner on Sami Zayn, and he made the pinfall. Now, Owens is the #1 contender for the WWE Title. Only time will tell if his return includes a title run right around the corner, but CM Punk versus Kevin Owens is a match that nobody had on their bingo card for 2026.
What’s your take on Sami Zayn’s storyline in WWE? Do you believe that he deserves a longer run with the title? Let us know what you think in the comments section!
