Sami Zayn has turned on The Bloodline.
The 2023 WWE Royal Rumble Premium Live Event was headlined by Roman Reigns retaining the Undisputed WWE Universal Title over Kevin Owens. Reigns left Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos and Solo Sikoa in the back, and brought Zayn to the ring with him.
Reigns earlier in the night told The Usos that tonight would be a big one for Zayn, planning to use Sami against his former best friend. Towards the end of the match, Zayn looked worried at ringside as Reigns dominated. Owens stumbled and collapsed at ringside, and crawled to Sami. Zayn yelled at Owens to stay down and end the match. Owens tried to pull himself up to Zayn, but Reigns ran over and hit him with a Spear.
Reigns ended up finishing Owens off, as a concerned Zayn watched. After the match, there was a post-match angle that saw The Bloodline handcuff Owens to the ropes. The Usos and Sikoa destroyed Owens while Zayn and Reigns watched, with Zayn looking more and more concerned as the attack went on. Reigns went to finish Owens with a chair shot but Sami jumped in the way and told him to stop. Sami tried to talk Reigns out of the chair shot, telling him he was better than this, and that it didn’t need to go any further because Owens was done.
This didn’t sit well with Reigns, who then ordered Zayn to hit Owens with a chair. Sami ended up dropping Reigns with a chair shot from behind, shocking everyone. Zayn then dropped the chair and turned to The Usos to apologize. Jimmy Uso attacked Zayn but Jey didn’t, and this led to Jey walking out on his family. The following recap came from our Royal Rumble results and Viewing Party:
After the match, the music hits as Reigns sits up on his knees in the middle of the ring. Sami looks relived that the match is over as he begins clapping. Sami and Heyman enter the ring to stand with Reigns as Reigns raises both titles in the air. We go to replays. Solo Sikoa and Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos are in the ring now. They all have red leis on, but Jey Uso holds the one for Sami. Reigns stops Jey from placing the lei around Sami’s neck because he has something planned for Owens, and wants Sami to watch. Jimmy Uso mounts Owens with right hands at Reigns’ direction. Jey joins in. Reigns smiles as he watches. The Usos lay Owens out with the 1D. Reigns has his arm around Sami while they watch, but Sami isn’t enjoying this. Jimmy beats Owens down in the corner. Jey grabs a chair and The Usos wrap it around Owens’ neck. Some fans chant for Sami. Sikoa delivers the Umaga Splash to Owens with the chair wrapped around his neck. Heyman hands two pair of handcuffs to Owens. The Usos cuff both of Owens’ arms to the top rope, holding him up there. The Usos take turns delivering eight superkicks to Owens, then one double superkick, and another double superkick, all while Owens is cuffed to the top rope by each arm. Fans chant “Sami!” now. Reigns has the chair in-hand as he talks trash to Owens about how Sami is his family. Reigns goes to swing the chair but Sami gets in the way, telling him to stop. Sami says this is done, it’s over, this is beneath Reigns and he’s better than this. Sami says this doesn’t need to go any further because Owens is done. Reigns then hands the chair to Sami. Sami doesn’t want it. Reigns stares at Sami while holding the chair up but Sami pleads. Reigns says there’s no going back now, we’ve come too far, Sami is ours, and they are Sami’s. Reigns says Owens has dragged him down from day one, while Reigns loves him and has let him be a part of something big when before he was doing Jackass shit.
Sami is behind Reigns now, with the chair. Reigns barks at Owens and turns to Sami, telling him to pull the trigger. Sami is crying now. Reigns mushes him in the face a few times. Reigns is yelling in Sami’s face now. Fans chant for Sami as he prepares to deliver the chair shot. Sami smacks Reigns in the back with the chair, bringing Reigns down. Everyone is shocked. Sami drops the chair and turns to The Usos, telling him he’s sorry. Jey yells back and asks Sami why he did this. Jimmy superkicks Sami down. Jimmy yells at Jey, asking if this is his brother. No, I’m your brother. Jimmy mounts Sami with right hands as Jey watches. Sikoa grabs Sami and nails the Samoan Spike. Sikoa holds Sami down while Jimmy beats on him and Reigns yells in his face. Sikoa with headbutts. Jey is almost balled up in the corner. Reigns yells at him about how Sami isn’t his family, we are. Jimmy pounds on Sami some more. Jey drops down and rolls out of the ring as the crowd erupts. Jey walks to the back but it looks like he’s a bit emotional. Reigns smacks Sami with chair shots over the back in the middle of the ring, numerous chair shots. Fans boo. Reigns mounts Sami with punches now. Owens is still cuffed to the top rope. Fans chant “fuck you Roman!” now. Jimmy hands the red lei meant for Sami to Reigns now. Reigns rips the red flowers off and tosses them on Sami and around the ring. The boos get louder. Jimmy has Sami’s Bloodline t-shirt that was ripped off him. Reigns exits the ring, and he’s followed by Sikoa, Jimmy and Heyman. The Bloodline, minus Jey, stops and looks back at the ring. We see Sami and Owens both laid out. We cut to a video package of highlights from tonight’s show. The 2023 WWE Royal Rumble Premium Live Event goes off the air.
The Royal Rumble ended with the shot of Zayn and Owens laid out in the ring.
As seen in the tweet below, Reigns posted a post-show TikTok video with Heyman. Reigns delivered a simple message, “You’re either Bloodline, or you’re not.”
At one point, Zayn vs. Reigns was rumored for the WWE Elimination Chamber on February 18 in Zayn’s hometown of Montreal. There’s been no update on that match possibly happening, but now it looks like they are moving forward in that direction. There’s no word on what will happen with The Usos next, but at one point they were set to defend against Zayn and Owens.
Below are several shots from the Royal Rumble main event:
BIG FIGHT FEEL.
The Tribal Chief … The Head of the Table … Undisputed WWE Universal Champion @WWERomanReigns defends against former Universal Champion @FightOwensFight in our main event.#WWETitle #RoyalRumble pic.twitter.com/A9uv603lid
— WWE (@WWE) January 29, 2023
Remember that feeling, that atmosphere when icons like Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali would make their entrance?
That's Undisputed WWE Universal Champion @WWERomanReigns right now at #RoyalRumble. Acknowledge the champ.@HeymanHustle @SamiZayn #WWETitle pic.twitter.com/mCAgBMJK7T
— WWE (@WWE) January 29, 2023
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion @WWERomanReigns has strict orders for @SamiZayn at #RoyalRumble!@HeymanHustle #WWETitle pic.twitter.com/zwk7YbZNrL
— WWE (@WWE) January 29, 2023
Was it worth it?#RoyalRumble pic.twitter.com/ymEoFKliXU
— WWE (@WWE) January 29, 2023
AN HONORARY UCE NO MORE!@SamiZayn has just betrayed @WWERomanReigns and the entire Bloodline at #RoyalRumble! pic.twitter.com/ZtzAF1xGGD
— WWE (@WWE) January 29, 2023
It's his Universe. Pick a side. #RoyalRumble @WWERomanReigns @HeymanHustle
🎥 romanreigns | @tiktok_us pic.twitter.com/om22W5Ys1O
— WWE (@WWE) January 29, 2023
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