Sami Zayn made his first appearance as Undisputed WWE Champion on SmackDown this week. He won the title this past Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Interestingly, he was pictured with his newest “ally,” Johnny Gargano, backstage on the blue show.
Zayn defeated Cody Rhodes and Gunther in a Triple Threat Match at Night of Champions 2026 to win the Undisputed WWE Championship. He pinned The American Nightmare via roll-up to secure his first-ever world title in the Stamford-based company. The former Bloodline member has been on cloud nine since capturing the coveted gold.
Thanks for the submission!
The Master Strategist opened this week’s show and addressed his world title victory. He was soon interrupted by Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso, who staked their claim to the title. Later in the program, Zayn was seen speaking to Johnny Gargano about his championship win. He thanked Gargano for being a patient listener and supporting him in challenging times.
Johnny Wrestling’s wife, Candice LeRae, was also in the backstage area. Zayn asked LeRae to click a picture of him and Gargano. The Undisputed WWE Champion posted the photo on X following the show. He also shared the following message in the caption, subtly confirming that the former NXT Champion was his ally.
“True believers,” Zayn wrote.
You can view The Master Strategist’s X post below.
Unsurprisingly, Gargano didn’t move or utter a word during his segment with Sami Zayn. He has been upset since his former DIY teammate, Tommaso Ciampa, left WWE for AEW. In the weeks leading up to his title win, Zayn was consistently seen speaking to Gargano backstage at WWE shows. Johnny Wrestling even posted a photo of Zayn after his championship victory in Riyadh.
Sami Zayn’s first Undisputed WWE Championship defense announced
Sami Zayn came face-to-face with Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso in the opening segment of SmackDown. Both Rhodes and Zayn explained why they wanted to win the world title. However, Zayn wasn’t interested in defending the gold against the two stars. Adam Pearce, who was filling in for Nick Aldis, later appeared to announce a huge number one contender’s match.
Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso squared off in a number one contender’s bout in the main event of SmackDown. The American Nightmare ultimately bested The Yeet Master to earn a title rematch. Sami Zayn and Rhodes will now face off for the championship on the upcoming edition of RAW in Chicago.
Who do you think will walk out of Chicago as the Undisputed WWE Champion? Hit the Discuss button and sound off.
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Edited by Pratik Singh
