The shocking title change of Sami Zayn defeating CM Punk for the Undisputed WWE Championship has led to many questions about this decision. Punk ended Zayn’s previous title reign within a week and lost it back to him on the most recent Smackdown episode. WWE has booked a few shock title changes to shake things up but more went into this specific title change.
PW Insider Elite revealed the real reason for Zayn winning the world championship belt:
“PWInsider reports WWE sources believe the company is looking to run WWE Champion Sami Zayn vs WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns as the main event of their November Crown Jewel event. This would be the reason for the Punk to Sami title change.”
The title change was done to set up a big Saudi Arabia attraction match for Crown Jewel 2026 between the two world champions. Reigns and Zayn are both expected to hold their respective titles heading into the early November show.
Zayn’s Muslim background makes him the closest thing to a local favorite for the fans in Saudi Arabia. Reigns is still considered the biggest star in the company and has a strong fan base in the Saudi Arabia audience as well to make this a noteworthy main event match for that market.
Sami Zayn Finally Gets A Respected Title Reign
Zayn’s first world title reign in WWE ending so quickly felt like a slap in the face to many fans who waited years for that moment. WWE eventually went back to Zayn here and will see him holding the belt for about two months.
The title run will most likely end at some point between Survivor Series 2026 and Royal Rumble 2027. WWE typically likes to put the biggest names in the world title matches come WrestleMania season to make it unlikely Zayn holds it past the Rumble.
However, that means there is enough time for Zayn to deliver a memorable title reign with strong matches. Kevin Owens and Zayn will likely have a world title match since they have a long feud, and Owens unintentionally helped Zayn defeat Punk. Another multi-man match involving Punk also makes perfect sense since he’ll need a title match.
Sami Zayn & Roman Reigns Get To Tell Deep Story
The ascension of Zayn to an upper card role in WWE started all the way back when he worked with Reigns in the Bloodline. WWE became hotter than they’ve been in decades thanks to the storyline involving Roman, Sami, and the Usos.
Zayn would have a more realistic shot at winning now since both men are world champions and neither tile is on the line. A future rival of Reigns would viably cost him the match to give Zayn a win that cements him as a respected world champion in front of an adoring crowd.
The previous feud saw Zayn standing up to the Bloodline and losing his world title match against Reigns in his hometown of Montreal. Both men are in different situations today that sees WWE wanting to go back to this story for a big international match.
Shocking Reason Revealed For Sami Zayn’s WWE Title Win