Roman Reigns walked out of Crown Jewel with a victory over Sami Zayn. However, the match could have gone either way, with Zayn having the upper hand for stretches of the match.
With his win, ‘The Tribal Chief’ is now the 2026 Men’s Crown Jewel Champion. Both Reigns (WWE World Heavyweight Champion) and Zayn (Undisputed WWE Champion) walked in sporting gold, yet it was Reigns who won the additional title on the night.
Yet, in true WWE fashion, it’s what happened after the match that had fans losing their minds. Following Reigns’ win, Zayn asked Reigns to shake his hand, noting that he’d made Reigns give all he had to get the win.
Instead of shaking Zayn’s hand, Reigns pulled him in for a hug. It was then, while embracing, that Reigns spoke a seven-word message to his counterpart.
“You’re not an honorary,” Reigns said. “You’re an Uso.”
Roman told him, “You’re not an honorary. You’re an uso.”
#WWECrownJewelAs you could imagine, the crowd went wild. The callback, to one of The Bloodline’s more humorous moments, was enough to add a perfect closing moment to the match and to set up whatever comes next as Reigns and The Bloodline face off against The 9-4-6.
Could Reigns Recruit Zayn Against The 9-4-6
If Zayn is truly an Uso, then maybe this is the start of Reigns recruiting him to become an unlikely ally against the 9-4-6. Reigns’ words during their hug could be the start of an olive branch that reunites a version of the Bloodline that WWE creative already knows fans love.
Right now, The 9-4-6 have the numbers advantage. Zayn teaming up with Reigns and the rest of The Bloodline would provide some much-needed depth for the faction moving forward. Furthermore, Reigns will likely have more faith in Zayn’s ability to hold his own after such a grueling Riyadh matchup.
For Zayn, this could finally be his chance to be accepted by Reigns. During his previous stint, Zayn went from an outsider to one of the group’s most important figures. Now, he could be walking into the group as a fully recognized member, with ‘The Tribal Chief’s’ respect, and that’s the one thing he never had his last go around.
Zayn Could Spell Problems For The WWE and 9-4-6
For all his accomplishments, Reigns cannot expect to beat the 9-4-6 on his own. Zayn would offer more than just another body. He’s a former Bloodline member, a world champion in his own right, and someone who has proven he can stand toe-to-toe with Reigns.
For a faction that has spent most of its time operating in a weird, not-so-heel-like fashion, this could be the start of a genuine face turn for the entire group. The 9-4-6 would also need to recognize that Zayn is a champion in his own right, and that The Bloodline has two of WWE’s top stars anchoring it moving forward.
For a young upstart faction, The Bloodline, with Zayn, could be too much to overcome.
For now, Reigns’ seven-word message to Zayn might simply have been a callback to one of WWE’s more recent iconic moments. Yet, with the 9-4-6 looming, it could also prove to be a turning point toward something way bigger.
If Zayn really is an Uso, then this is his fight too.
‘You’re an Uso’: Roman Reigns Sends Emotional 7-Word Message to Sami Zayn After Crown Jewel Win