Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens had to improvise a finish to their Undisputed WWE Championship match on the Sept. 18 SmackDown. The match took place last Friday in Corpus Christi, Texas.
According to Fightful Select, the referee was scripted to count three when Zayn covered Owens immediately after CM Punk hit Owens with the WWE Championship belt. Owens kept his shoulders down as planned. The referee did not count three, however, forcing Zayn and Owens to work out a different finish on the spot.
WWE’s official recap notably omits that first cover—the moment that caused the confusion and forced the improvisation. Its account of the finish includes only Punk hitting Owens with the belt and Zayn landing a Helluva Kick to win.
Zayn’s title win last week came with help from Candice LeRae. The referee missed Zayn tapping out to Punk’s Anaconda Vise, having been distracted by LeRae as Punk applied the hold. Shortly afterward, Owens tried to hit Zayn with the WWE Championship belt but accidentally struck Punk. That gave Zayn the opening to land another Helluva Kick and win the title. WWE had planned that entire sequence, a clear contrast to the improvised ending to this week’s show.
Punk hit Owens and Zayn with a GTS apiece as soon as this week’s main event ended. SmackDown went off the air with Punk standing tall.