Tonight, a tournament will begin on Smackdown (save your spoilers, I don’t want them) to crown a new WWE Intercontinental Champion.
Sami Zayn has been stripped of the championship because he has chosen to stay home during the “plandemic” (relax) rather than risk his health by defending the title.
WWE has given their wrestlers the option to work or stay home. It was my understanding that they wouldn’t hold this edict against their superstars, and I’m not saying they are.
What I am saying is stripping Sami Zayn of the IC Title is a bad idea…unless there is a plan for his eventual return.
This scenario specifically brings me back to 1993-1994 when reigning WWE Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels was suspended for allegedly using steroids (never admitted to by HBK).
He was forced to vacate the Intercontinental Championship.
This led to a Battle Royal on Raw, where the final two competitors were Razor Ramon & Rick Martel. They faced off in a singles match to determine the new champion…and Razor was victorious.
Shortly thereafter, Michaels returned to television with his Intercontinental Championship still in tow…claiming that he had never been defeated and was still the champion. This was OBNOXIOUS.
And OBNOXIOUS is the word that can best describe Sami Zayn. This led to one of the most epic Ladder Matches in history. Razor & Shawn hung both belts above the ring at WrestleMania X.
Razor won, but Shawn’s star never shined brighter.
Use the same scenario here, WWE. Have Sami Zayn return with his Intercontinental Championship in tow eventually and proclaim he is the true champion. Culminate it in an epic ladder match where the real champion is crowned.
This is where you can elevate or create a meaningful moment for a babyface on the roster.
NXT is basically doing this with Cruiserweight Champion Jordan Devlin, who can’t fly into America to defend the Championship. But I doubt that Devlin would be able to project the absurd heel tactics that Zayn can.
Upon Zayn’s return, I hope he has HIS Intercontinental Championship still in tow and can portray the obnoxious villain like we know that he can.