On SmackDown Live , Sami Zayn thoroughly explained why he became a villain and decided to help Kevin Owens defeat Shane McMahon at Hell in a Cell . After years of contention and bitterness towards each other, Zayn and Owens decided to form a pact in order to send Shane a lesson. Zayn explained that he has been putting the weight of pleasing the fans on his shoulders for years, but only to get to a state of mediocrity. Although he got to “sleep at night,” his status in the WWE paled in comparison to Owens, as KO has possessed the Universal, United States, and Intercontinental Championships. Zayn, however, has yet to win a title on the main roster.
Zayn admitted that he wanted Shane to win at Hell in a Cell , but he started to experience a dark awakening after being powerbombed on the apron by Owens. He explained that, when he was first approached by Shane to come to SmackDown Live , he would have a better opportunity than he did on Raw , since SD Live is coined the “land of opportunity.” However, since he debuted with the blue brand, he has been overlooked and underutilized. Despite having opportunities to win the WWE Championship in No. 1 contender matches, a meaningless feud with Mike Kanellis and constant losing did not help his mission to ascend to the top of the rankings.
“I tried to warn ( @shanemcmahon ) of what @FightOwensFight is capable of…and he brushed me off!” – @SamiZayn #SDLive pic.twitter.com/txdqYSmURl
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) October 11, 2017
The most alarming series of events, Zayn explained, first started with his discussion with Shane backstage, warning him about how dangerous Owens was. Knowing from experience, Zayn wanted to make sure that Shane was aware of the harm he could induce. Still, he felt that Shane ignored his warning, and brushed him to the side.
What really churned Zayn’s turn to the darkside was the Hell in a Cell match. Zayn explained that Shane had Owens beat when he was able to make Owens fall from the cell and lay motionless as he went through a table. Shane, to defend the honor of his father, decided to climb up to the top of the cell and attempt an elbow drop. This act was way too much for Zayn, as he felt that Shane did not care about anyone but himself. He added that he “saved his brother, because it was the right thing to do.”
[Featured Image by WWE]