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25 March 2016

Same Feud, New Chapter

3/25/2016 6:20:23 AM

This is one of the rivalries I am definitely looking up to this year. Yes, it’s a rekindled one from their pre-WWE eras. And we’re talking about Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens. 

Much to the knowledge of my geeky fans from the Internet wrestling community, these two have squared off during their days at the independent circuit and the highly notable Ring of Honor. It’s like the life and times of El Generico and Kevin Steen.

And as far as the days of my being wrestling follower is concerned, I only noticed Sami Zayn (Arab translation for his former ring name) as one of the upstarts in WWE’s developmental firm NXT. In fact, his emergence from being nobody into somebody was a very evident during the year 2014 where he feuded with one of his friends Adrian Neville for the NXT Championship. All that despite key losses to the upstarts Cesaro and Tyler Breeze.

And upon the arrival of NXT: TakeOver Revolution, his rival/tag team partner Steen -- now renamed Owens -- made his debut. And just when you thought these two buddies are teaming up for congratulatory remarks, we’re wrong. It’s just the first page of their new chapter.

Few months later, another NXT TakeOver special took place at Full Sail University, a title switched hands in a very most unconventional decision -- a referee’s stoppage dictated the result of the NXT Championship. Perhaps after numerous powerbomb attempts. It’s clearly telling a story whom seemed resemblance of John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar on WWE SummerSlam 2014.

From there, Owens went on the roll en route to his debut at the main roster. And from there, he pulled off an impressive upset over John Cena. Quite impressive that even if Cena won over their succeeding duels on Money in the Bank and Battleground, Owens showed why he is the Steen that’s worth the wait. All that despite backstage politics that surrounds his development and eventually dropping the title to Finn Balor.

He then went on to win the Intercontinental Championship twice in over nine months since his WWE debut.

As for Zayn, he looked like he paved way for the upcoming NXT stars. But I have lost in touch on following that lately. Plus, he had a shoulder injury even before he went on a seven-month hiatus.

A month after returning to competition, Zayn entered the Royal Rumble and eliminate Kevin Owens in the match itself. Thus, the first step on getting back on the latter.

Five weeks before WrestleMania, it appeared the chapter was then followed with another stunner. A rekindled rivalry is at works again.


But then, I think we could only wait til after WrestleMania as Kevin Owens will defend his IC title in a ladder match. Yes, we are going to witness another ladder match at the Show of Shows for the second straight year. 

While Sami Zayn is a journeyman that everyone loves -- especially when his entrance music airs around the venue, Kevin Owens exemplifies the best heel the WWE have right now. Yes, right after Seth Rollins and Triple H. And even if he switch roles and align himself as the face, there’s no doubt people will love (and even love to hate) him more as a heel. 

I wonder, though. Could Sami Zayn be the underdog the WWE wants? Is the pitting rivalry fit enough to topple the current storylines the Connecticut-based promotion is currently offering to us?

We wish. Maybe, that could happen after Mania.

Author: slickmaster | (c) 2016 september twenty-eight productions

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