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Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens have been in a rivalry before they were even signed to WWE.
Over the years, WWE has seen some rivalries develop that have trumped all the others. These rivalries have usually seen two superstars who have extraordinary chemistry with each other battle throughout the course of their careers.
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are just two such superstars. When they arrived in the company, their natural chemistry with each other saw them thrown together over the years – be it in a rivalry or in an alliance.
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Whatever may be the case, every time Owens and Zayn face each other, they usually make an impression that no WWE fan forgets too soon. As a result, some of their matches all-time classics.
Owens recently lost to Zayn at WWE Hell in a Cell, and is now taking a break from the company. In this article, we will talk about five occasions where Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens had amazing matches against each other.
#5 WWE Hell in a Cell 2021 – Sami Zayn vs Kevin Owens
The most recent time that Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens faced each other was at this year’s Hell in a Cell pay-per-view. Both wrestlers put on quite the display as they battled for survival. They had built their feud over their mutual involvement in the Intercontinental title picture, but as always, when they battled, it was personal.
The two wrestlers left everything in the WWE ring when they were doing battle, taking things to an extreme through their wrestling skills. Sami Zayn lost the last time he faced Owens. It had been at WrestleMania 37, but now, with the feud continuing, Owens had entered his match against Zayn with a handicap.
Two nights before, Commander Azeez had hit him with the Nigerian Nail, as a result of which he was still having difficulty breathing. He competed nonetheless and put on a strong showing for the fans.
In the end, Zayn was too much for Owens. He focused on Owens' arm and then managed to send him throat-first into the ropes. Before the floundering Owens had time to recover, Sami Zayn hit him with the Helluva Kick, getting the win.
#4 WWE NXT TakeOver: Rival – Kevin Owens vs Sami Zayn for the NXT Championship
Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens have been at it ever since they both reached WWE. Zayn got his greatest victory in NXT when he faced and defeated Neville (now known as PAC) to win the NXT Championship. The win had been a long time coming and Zayn had worked his way up the roster to get there.
When he finally did, Kevin Owens, his apparent best friend, was there to celebrate the title win with him. However, he would not have long to celebrate. Owens, in a move that would be a forecast of things to come in his WWE career, turned on his best friend.
He attacked Zayn and demolished him, hitting him with several powerbombs. He made it known that he was going to go after the title.
The two friends finally faced each other when the time came at NXT TakeOver: Rival. The match told an excellent story as Kevin Owens played the role of the dastardly heel, while Sami Zayn was the babyface who refused to give up. In the end, Owens got the win over Zayn when the match ended thanks to a referee stoppage. Owens became the new NXT Champion, breaking hearts of Sami Zayn fans.
#3 WWE Payback 2016 – Sami Zayn vs Kevin Owens
When Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens faced each other at WWE Payback, it was a match for the ages. Both wrestlers were willing to give everything they had to tell one story – the story of their rivalry.
This was the first time that Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn were battling each other in singles competition on the main roster. They had previously faced each other in a multi-person match, that we will come to later, but this match was special. It was up to the two wrestlers to tell the story of their rivalry to an audience who might not have been aware of their long history.
They did an excellent job and it was the match of the night at WWE Payback 2016. Kevin Owen and Sami Zayn stole the show completely thanks to the unbelievable chemistry that they had with each other.
Zayn and Owens might not have had a prize to fight for on this occasion, but the fact that they went to the lengths that they did when they were simply fighting for pride astounded the audience.
#2 WrestleMania 32 Ladder Match – Kevin Owens vs Sami Zayn vs Sin Cara vs Stardust vs The Miz vs Dolph Ziggler vs Zack Ryder for the Intercontinental Championship
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn faced each other, as well as multiple other superstars at WrestleMania for the Intercontinental Championship. The ladder match at WrestleMania 32 was one of the best matches on the card, and with new callups like Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn involved, it was an intriguing look at the new WWE roster.
Fans had a lot of stories to see in this match. It was one of Stardust’s final appearances in WWE. Cody Rhodes would have enough of the gimmick soon after and leave the company to try his luck elsewhere. Owens and Zayn didn’t spare one another as they displayed their innovative offense in the ring, not holding back at all.
The match was one of the best ladder matches in WrestleMania history. The only reason this match didn’t make it to the top of the list was because while it involved Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, it was really telling the story of Zack Ryder.
Ryder won the match in what was an incredible moment. Unfortunately, he would not hold the title long, losing it the very next day to The Miz, but for the moment, it was one of the best moments in WrestleMania history.
#1 WWE Battleground 2016 – Sami Zayn vs Kevin Owens
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn have continued to battle in WWE multiple times over the years. But despite their matches, the moment their original feud ended on the main roster was one of the best moments in their rivalry history.
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn faced each other at WWE Battleground 2016 in a match where they were telling yet another fantastic story. This was supposed to be the “end” of their feud. In many ways, it was. It was an emotional climax to a rivalry that had drawn the fans in from the very beginning.
The real-life friendship between Owens and Zayn only added more to the feud. In many ways, it was similar to Triple H and Shawn Michaels’ feud after HBK’s return in 2002. This was a match that everyone was focused on.
Owens and Zayn delivered a match of the year contender as neither star held anything back. The emotion was evident on their faces as the match came to an end. While Sami Zayn won the match on that occasion, both men’s performances were cheered by the fans.
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