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Heartbreaking! WWE’s Backstage Stance On Sami Zayn Revealed

By Gaurav Singh • Published Jul 07, 2026 07:59 EDT
Sami Zayn WWE
Sami Zayn (Image Source-WWE.com)

A new report made a heartbreaking revelation regarding WWE higher-ups’ stance on Sami Zayn.

After more than a decade of hard work in the WWE, Sami Zayn recently got his big moment. At Night of Champions 2026, Sami pleasantly surprised everyone by winning the Undisputed Championship from Cody Rhodes in a triple-threat match that also involved Gunther. Zayn didn’t have to wait much longer to find his new challenger, as Cody Rhodes defeated Jey Uso in a No.1 contender’s match last Friday on SmackDown.

Cody Rhodes was slated to challenge Sami Zayn for the Undisputed WWE Championship in the main event of RAW this week. However, Cody got attacked by Gunther backstage and was taken out of the title match. Nevertheless, a returning CM Punk replaced Cody and went on to win the Undisputed title from Sami in his hometown, Chicago, after a great main event. Many fans expressed their disappointment towards Sami’s reign lasting only nine days.

Disappointing update on WWE’s stance on Sami Zayn

Speaking on the Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer addressed fans being upset over Sami Zayn losing the Undisputed title so soon while reporting that it was always going to be like that because WWE doesn’t see Sami as a money player:

I saw a lot of people upset about it and it was like, look, this is what it was going to be. You know that going in. They don’t really at this point in time, they do this for the undercard titles, they really don’t for the two major men’s titles…they aren’t really passing around belts now.”

They really are in the hands of the people who the perception is are the money players, and Sami is not in their mind one of those people. He could have been.”

Meltzer further noted that there was a time when Sami Zayn was seen as a money player, but he still technically wasn’t seen as the same:

There was a time where he was, but even then in their minds he still wasn’t because it’s like one of those things of they’re still all brainwashed by the cosmetics in a lot of ways, and that certain people are good hands but they can’t be the guy. And Sami is one of those guys in their minds that can’t be the guy.” [H/T Cultaholic]

Only time will tell what’s next for Sami Zayn after sadly losing the Undisputed WWE Championship.

Also read: Unseen Footage! What Happened With CM Punk After WWE RAW Went Off Air