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The Clash of Champions 2020 pay-per-view started off in the best way possible with a match that had the entire WWE Universe on the edge of their seat. With three of WWE's best competing against each other in a Ladder Match to determine the undisputed WWE Intercontinental Champion; Sami Zayn, AJ Styles, and Jeff Hardy put an instant classic in one of the best matches of 2020.
While many expected this to be just another regular Ladder Match, the three veterans of the business made sure that this one stood head and shoulders above the ones in recent memory. By the end of the bout, it was former champion Sami Zayn who once again reigned supreme and got his hands on the WWE Intercontinental Championship. The Mad Genius outsmarted both Hardy and Styles, handcuffing the former champion's ear with a ladder and did the same with The Phenomenal One's wrist.
With this win, Sami Zayn re-entered his name into the WWE Hall of Intercontinental Champions but the two-time champion will definitely have a big target on his back. And with Zayn's Artist Collective status with fellow SmackDown champions Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura being unknown, the newly crowned champion is bound to have a tough road ahead of himself.
This article takes an in-depth look into five WWE Superstars who could challenge Sami Zayn for the WWE Intercontinental Championship from the Blue brand.
#5. Sami Zayn grants Jeff Hardy an immediate rematch
Jeff Hardy won the WWE Intercontinental Championship back in mid-August by pinning AJ Styles at the ThunderDome. The win marked the beginning of Hardy's fifth reign as WWE IC Champion, however, within the span of two months, The Charismatic Enigma has now dropped the title to Sami Zayn.
Being the former champion, not only does Jeff Hardy deserve an immediate rematch for the title but for that performance alone at Clash of Champions, the 43-year-old, who doesn't seem to be slowing down with age, should get another crack at Zayn's newly won title.
A singles match between Jeff Hardy and Sami Zayn would be fireworks, of course. And given that both men are so highly athletic, they certainly are more than capable of putting together another masterpiece with the WWE Intercontinental Championship on the line.
#4. Matt Riddle steps up for another shot, this time at Sami Zayn's IC title
Matt Riddle has been associated with the WWE main roster for quite a few months now. However, it is absolutely safe to say that The Original Bro hasn't been able to replicate the performances that he put up on NXT. The man who calls himself a stallion literally has proved his worth as a workhorse of the business. And if anyone ever had any doubts regarding Riddle's abilities in the ring, should go back and watch some of his classics in NXT (Would 10/10 recommend his matches vs Timothy Thatcher).
Now getting back to business with Sami Zayn. The newly crowned WWE Intercontinental Champion is one of the best heels in WWE today. Riddle, on the other hand, is quite the opposite. The former NXT Tag Team Champion is a proper babyface but always brings the fight when it matters the most. Just ask AJ Styles, the same man who was taken to the verge in his IC title defense against Riddle.
A long-term program between the babyface Matt Riddle and the heel Sami Zayn would surely benefit both men at this point. But with not much going on in SmackDown for Riddle, this feud almost feels like a necessity for the NXT alumni.
#3. AJ Styles demands a title shot against Sami Zayn
Sami Zayn and AJ Styles have faced each other on numerous occasions in WWE. The two men have recently battled on SmackDown and in the past, Styles also defended the WWE title against Zayn. And if recent history suggests anything, then a match between AJ Styles and Sami Zayn is bound to live up its hype.
While AJ Styles is also a heel at the moment, he surely isn't as dastardly as Sami Zayn. After all, how often do you get to see a Superstar handcuff his opponent's ear lobe with a ladder? Yes, that does sound pretty messed up.
Now that The Phenomenal One has failed to regain the IC title in a three-way match, the same title that Styles lost to Jeff Hardy, the former could make his claim for a singles title shot against Sami Zayn. The match doesn't necessarily have to be on a pay-per-view and could easily be the opener or the main event of a SmackDown episode, at some point down the road.
#2. Drew Gulak calls for a shot at Sami Zayn's IC title
With Daniel Bryan on hiatus from WWE, Drew Gulak hasn't had much going on for him in the Blue brand, other than being destroyed and humiliated by Braun Strowman, of course. But with Strowman now shifting his focus towards RAW Underground, the former WWE Cruiserweight Champion pretty much remains without a shtick on SmackDown.
However, WWE could turn that around for Drew Gulak and have him face Sami Zayn for the WWE Intercontinental Championship, in hope of having the former Cruiserweight Champion regain some of his lost credibility. By no means is Drew Gulak not capable of hanging in the ring with Sami Zayn, as a matter of fact, the two men could easily put a technical clinic.
With Drew Gulak being more of a submission specialist and Sami Zayn being a little more edged towards the athletic side of things, the new IC Champion would have a perfect opponent in the form of Gulak. In recent times, we've witnessed a technical-athletic combination work wonders in the world of professional wrestling and the recent G1 Climax 30 match between Tetsuya Naito and Zack Sabre Jr. was a proper example of that.
#1. The returning Daniel Bryan sets up a WrestleMania rematch with Sami Zayn
Drew Gulak will likely end up being on the losing side in a potential clash against Sami Zayn but that gives WWE the perfect excuse to mark the return of the former's tag team partner Daniel Bryan. The former WWE Champion has been on a hiatus amid the on-going pandemic but with Roman Reigns also recently making his comeback, the WWE Universe could surely expect to see D-Bry sooner rather than later.
Daniel Bryan, of course, has quite the history with Sami Zayn. At WrestleMania 36 this year, Zayn, who coincidentally enough was also the IC Champion at that point, successfully retained his strap over Bryan. The match, however, was rather underwhelming in many people's books but Sami Zayn and Daniel Bryan are more than capable of fixing those mistakes, especially if WWE invests in a long-term storyline between the pair.
As for Sami Zayn, a feud against Daniel Bryan could set the tone straight for his second reign as WWE Intercontinental Champion and the WWE Universe could strap in for a wild journey with The Mad Genius.
