WWE Closes Sami Zayn-Roman Reigns Feud With Excellent Primary Occasion at Elimination Chamber

Regardless of immense stress beneath the burden of maybe the best trendy professional wrestling storyline ever, WWE caught to its storytelling intentions and delivered a basic at Elimination Chamber in the principle occasion between Sami Zayn and Roman Reigns.

Zayn, the Daniel Bryan-esque babyface in entrance of the searing-hot hometown Montreal crowd who seemed like an overmatched underdog, practically took down the unified champion.

And within the telling of the near-classic storybook ending, all concerned took cautious, measured steps to steer issues towards what has constantly appeared like apparent WrestleMania locations.

How good was the in-ring storytelling Saturday evening? The end result was successfully set in stone, but all concerned made onlookers consider anyway. That is the magic of professional wrestling at its greatest, particularly in entrance of a red-hot crowd just like the one on the Bell Centre.

“It is sort of an sad ending [Saturday],” Zayn stated within the post-show press convention. “And I might be mendacity if I did not say it does not have an effect on me. I do know what that is, everyone knows what that is, however some of these items is actual, man. You sort of simply dream of that glad ending. So shut, however no cigar.”

One may say the surroundings itself was hotter than a few of these basic CM Punk in Chicago moments and but by the point it was all stated and performed, the sector deflated in a method crowds by no means actually do anymore. There was no warmth for Reigns within the aftermath. Simply silence, then acceptance.

Thank the storytelling. The Tribal Chief began the match dominant, then progressively agitated on the hostile chants directed at him by 17,000-plus individuals. So he beat the tar out of Zayn whereas taunting his household within the stands. The challenger rallied, then seemed a number of instances as if he’d do the unattainable, scoring a number of near-falls.

Then, Jimmy Uso interference. Extra gut-wrenching near-falls. And eventually, Jey Uso stepping in the best way of a chair shot from Reigns to Zayn. The tease being Jey utilizing the weapon on his cousin to offer the challenger the win, earlier than being on the receiving finish of a Zayn spear supposed for the champion that arrange the end.

It is the little delicate issues that had been masterclass. The favored fan concept going into the occasion was that Jey would in the end return to his household, turning on Zayn so as to arrange a tag match at WrestleMania 39 that includes The Usos in opposition to Zayn and Kevin Owens.

That is nonetheless on the desk and the possible factor. However Jey simply going again to being the abused underling in spite of everything these months of storytelling would not match his character. So, he took pleasant hearth from Zayn, including to the dynamic. Sure, he’ll workforce with Jimmy at ‘Mania, however reluctantly so.

And whereas KO ran out to avoid wasting Zayn from a post-match beatdown, there was no embrace or phrases exchanged, simply glares. The 2 have an extended historical past and have not been nice to one another not too long ago, so the total reconciliation must be earned one other day. They are a bit even now, however not all the best way there but as mates and/or tag companions.

WWE might all the time throw a curveball at followers between now and ‘Mania, one way or the other discovering a strategy to make the principle occasion a Triple Risk that includes Zayn, Cody Rhodes and Reigns.

However the ship appears to have sailed on splitting the titles earlier than then, irrespective of how a lot sense it makes with Rhodes solely wanting the belt his father by no means received. A Triple Risk would give The Usos little to do and go away Owens hanging.

Extra doubtless the supposed plan all alongside has been the tag workforce match main-eventing ‘Mania on Evening 1 earlier than Rhodes and Reigns shut Evening 2.

All this time, Zayn’s interference has in the end pushed an irreparable wedge in The Bloodline, culminating in ripping the titles off The Usos earlier than Rhodes falls. That is a becoming finish for Zayn, no less than for now, as a win at The Present of Reveals would give Jey permission to depart that state of affairs for good. One has to look far again within the historical past books to seek out the final time a tag match main-evented at WrestleMania, too.

None of that is attainable with out the implausible execution of the principle occasion on Saturday evening. All concerned no less than deserve somewhat kudos for not giving in to the second. The supposed story hasn’t reached its ending simply but.

It is onerous to name something excellent, not to mention professional wrestling most instances, particularly when a story works to a predictable end result. However Saturday evening flirted with that in a method followers do not typically see. However, those self same followers are a tad spoiled with this arc—they only noticed it not too long ago on the Royal Rumble when Zayn initially betrayed Reigns, a real testomony to what is going to go down as among the finest storylines ever.

All that is still is a correct finish to the story at WrestleMania. And if the principle occasion of Elimination Chamber and what got here earlier than it are any signal, the decision in early April should not have any drawback nearing perfection and cementing the storyline in all-timer territory.