Kevin Owens reflected on watching longtime friend and rival Sami Zayn finally reach the top of WWE.
Zayn captured the Undisputed WWE Championship for the first time in his career at WWE Night of Champions 2026, accomplishing a goal that had eluded him throughout his lengthy run with the company.
During an interview with the Toronto Sun (see video below), Owens spoke about what it meant to see Zayn win the title after their careers had been intertwined for more than two decades.
“He and I have had such a crazy history together but really the last 23, 24 years of our careers have been linked to one another, for better, for worse, you know? We went everywhere together; people brought us together everywhere, and then he went to WWE, I followed suit… I got to the main roster, he followed suit really soon after and we’ve constantly been neck and neck. We’ve been partners, we’ve been enemies. We’ve been partners, we’ve been enemies,” Owens smiled.
Owens said that despite everything they have put each other through on-screen — and how different they are away from it — their relationship has ultimately become more like family.
“But through it all, the one thing that remains constant is that we really are more like brothers than friends and I’ve said this so many times: You don’t get to choose your family. You’re born into a family and this is the family you have. Me and Sami didn’t have a choice. It’s not like we met and we’re like, oh man — we’re not the same. We’re very different people.”
Their careers together began long before WWE, with Owens and Zayn spending countless hours traveling together as they worked their way through the independent wrestling scene.
“But we got booked together everywhere. We had to spend 10, 12 hours in a car together driving to shows. 10, 12 hours back. We struggled together; we saw each other succeed. We’ve been through it all together and there was no other choice but to create this bond that now we have and no matter if we’re trying to kill each other or trying to win Tag Team Titles together, it’s always gonna be there.”
Because of that history, Owens said seeing Zayn finally accomplish something they once weren’t sure would ever happen was particularly meaningful.
“So for him to win that title after working so hard for it for so long, and you know, there were times where we didn’t think it would happen for him, and to see him actually get to do it was so special. The only thing is I wish I could have been there in person which obviously I wasn’t. But I made sure a few days later, I went to Raw just to be able to see him in person with the title, and yeah, it was very special to see somebody that you shared so much with on the road and throughout your whole career, and then beyond that.”
Owens noted that their bond extends well beyond professional wrestling, as the two have watched each other reach major milestones in their personal lives as well.
“We both saw each other get married, have kids. We’ve been through our life together at this point. So to see him achieve the biggest dream he ever had, in wrestling, was incredible.”
Zayn’s reign as Undisputed WWE Champion ultimately lasted nine days before he dropped the title to CM Punk.
Things have since changed considerably between the longtime friends. Owens and Zayn are currently at odds on WWE television, with both men once again finding themselves involved in the Undisputed WWE Championship picture.
