Few matchups make more sense for Crown Jewel than Sami Zayn vs. Roman Reigns.
Speaking on Busted Open Radio, Zayn was openly excited about the possibility of facing Reigns at the November 7 event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
According to Mike Johnson of PWInsider, WWE plans to put Undisputed WWE Champion Zayn against World Heavyweight Champion Reigns in the Crown Jewel main event. WWE has already confirmed that the show will feature champion-vs.-champion bouts between RAW and SmackDown’s world titleholders to determine the 2026 Crown Jewel Champions.
When asked about reviving the rivalry, Zayn didn’t hold back on how much he trusts what the two of them have to work with.
“Man, I think that would be awesome. And I think the storytelling on the way to that would be incredible. You talk about Roman, if you want to talk about something that’s just been reinforced, that’s what it is, his act is so bulletproof and airtight because he understands what he’s trying to accomplish. We all understand what he’s trying to accomplish. So even the satellites around him, like when we were doing the Bloodline stuff, we knew the assignment and everything we did reinforced what you need to know about Roman. So now any time he walks out, it’s just airtight.”
Zayn nails the key point. Reigns doesn’t need big matches alone to come across as WWE’s biggest attraction. His presentation, his pacing, and even the way the characters around him react to his presence all reinforce the same message. The Bloodline worked as well as it did because everyone understood their role, and Sami was a crucial piece of that.
If it happens, it would be their first televised singles match since Elimination Chamber in February 2023. That night in Montreal, Reigns beat Zayn and retained the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship after interference, ref bumps, and the conflict with Jey Uso.
The match capped the stretch where Sami went from Honorary Uce to the most popular challenger to Roman’s reign.
In 2023, Zayn was the underdog trying to take down the man who had manipulated and humiliated him. This time he’d walk in as a world champion, on even footing with Reigns. That flip gives WWE a ready-made story without having to retread what they’ve already done.
Zayn recaptured the Undisputed WWE Championship by beating CM Punk on the September 11 SmackDown, kicking off his second reign with the title.