Sami Zayn celebrated his WWE Championship victory on the July 3 episode of WWE SmackDown. Nevertheless, his first address as champion quickly took an unexpected turn.
Before the celebration could fully settle in, Zayn made a statement that reminded fans his connection to The Bloodline may not be as distant as many believed.
The new champion declared that, in his eyes, the WWE Championship never truly left the family, setting the stage for an eventful night on the blue brand.
Sami Zayn says the WWE Championship is “still in the family”
Fresh off his triple threat victory over Cody Rhodes and Gunther at Night of Champions, Zayn opened SmackDown by thanking fans for their support. He also reflected on the criticism he had received over the past several months. He insisted he never changed who he was, saying he became WWE Champion by doing things his way rather than becoming more selfish or ruthless.
His celebration was interrupted by Cody Rhodes, who congratulated Zayn and offered a handshake. However, Zayn challenged Rhodes to admit he wanted another shot at the championship instead of pretending it was only a friendly visit. Before the conversation could continue, “Main Event” Jey Uso arrived.
Jey embraced Zayn and congratulated him before revealing he was there on “Bloodline business.” He reminded the champion that his mission was to bring the WWE Championship back to the family.
Rather than rejecting the idea, Zayn offered a surprising response.
“As far as I’m concerned, it’s still in the family. And it is gonna stay on my shoulders,” Zayn told Jey, hinting that he still considers himself part of The Bloodline despite everything that has happened over the past few years. It was a subtle nod that longtime fans certainly didn’t “Uce” coming.
Acting General Manager Adam Pearce cut the discussion short. He then announced that Zayn would defend the WWE Championship on the July 6 episode of RAW. Later that night, Cody Rhodes defeated Jey Uso in the main event to earn the opportunity, setting up Zayn’s first title defense just days after his historic championship victory.
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