5 potential finishes for the Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn match on SmackDown Live 

The Shane McMahon-Daniel Bryan saga has been the central focus on SmackDown Live recently. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are two ancillary players in that storyline, who've been at odds with Shane McMahon and very loosely aligned with Daniel Bryan.

WWE has booked a very interesting match for next week's show. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn will take each other on in a singles contest, and the winner of that match will go on to Fastlane, to challenge the WWE Champion. AJ Styles will only have to face one of the two men, unlike the Royal Rumble.

There are so many ways this match could go down. We will only list five of them, for your reading pleasure.

Let us know in the comments below, how you think this highly anticipated match will actually play out.

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#5 Tye Dillinger lays out both the challengers

In that case, this match would be a no-contest

As Tye Dillinger reminded us this week on SmackDown Live, he had every right to be in the Royal Rumble match, at the Number 10 spot. Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens blindsided Dillinger and Zayn eventually took his Royal Rumble spot, for a precious few minutes.

Why would Dillinger be okay with Owens and Zayn going all the way to Fastlane, when they cost him his opportunity? He could come out during the finish of their match, to lay both men out. In which case, we predict a Triple Threat match at Fastlane 2018.

Having Dillinger enter the fray would also bring about some fresh blood at the top of the card. He's a solid worker and would greatly benefit from a tussle with Owens and Zayn.

In terms of continuity, this option makes perfect sense.

#4 Kevin Owens wins the match clean

Owens has been booked stronger among the two men anyway

Of the two men, Owens has always been booked more strongly than Sami Zayn. Bear in mind that Kevin Owens has held gold several times in the past. It's easy to forget that at one time, he was the WWE Universal Champion. It wouldn't surprise us if he went over Zayn absolutely clean, making Zayn the 'underdog from the underground' once more.

If this were to happen, it would set the stage for a babyface turn for Zayn, down the line. It could also set up a possible Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn match for WrestleMania, something fans would definitely be interested to see, having followed their individual journeys. They've had many classics together, but never on the grandest stage.

The reason this possibility ranks so low in our list is because we've already seen several Kevin Owens vs. AJ Styles matches already. They feuded all through the summer of 2017, for the US Championship.

What we're certain about, however, is that if given the chance, Styles and Owens could tear it up.

#3 Dolph Ziggler disrupts the proceedings

Ziggler's character would be opposed to Owens and Zayn getting so many shots!

Let's face it. In storyline, Dolph Ziggler does have a few valid grievances. After all, it's only been a select bunch of guys at the top of the card on SmackDown Live. More often than not, it has featured Kevin Owens and his cohort, Sami Zayn.

We saw Dolph Ziggler return at the Royal Rumble. We did not see him appear the week after. Could we see him interfere in this match?

It would make sense for him to return here, and not the US Title picture. After all, we've seen Bobby Roode vs. Dolph Ziggler far too many times, and by taking out both men, we could have the 'Yep Movement' duo stay together, for the future, thanks to Ziggler.

Also, one assumes that he's moved on from the United States Championship, considering he left it lying in the ring!

#2 Sami Zayn wins the match clean

Maybe, everything is meant to turn on its head

Everyone expects an AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura classic at WrestleMania 34. Everyone certainly also expects the Fastlane match to merely be a filler that AJ Styles will win again. Maybe that is not the case. Maybe this is Sami Zayn's time.

What is often forgotten is the fact that Sami Zayn had quite the classic of his own, down in NXT with the King of Strong Style, on his debut.

Maybe the WrestleMania 34 plan is to have Zayn and Nakamura square off again. If the objective is to cater to hardcore fans with the Nakamura vs. Styles clash (no pun intended), the same audience wouldn't mind a Zayn vs. Nakamura match either.

Maybe WrestleMania 34 is supposed to be Sami Zayn's stage to shine bright. So yes, one possibility could be that of Zayn beating Owens next week, beating Styles at Fastlane and Nakamura at WrestleMania 34.

As both Daniel Bryan and Johnny Gargano have proved, sometimes it's just the Underdog's day.

#1 The swerve

Could everything we saw on SmackDown Live be merely an act?

Finally, we arrive at the likeliest scenario. We feel that while the match may start off as planned, the finish could be well orchestrated. Both men could pin each other, with their shoulders on the mat, at the same time. What would this achieve, you ask?

We think it will lead to a Triple Threat match for Fastlane. This will be the final speed-breaker for AJ Styles before WrestleMania 34's big title match. And yes, it will be uncovered that the shenanigans we saw on SmackDown Live were all a mere ruse.

Join us for live coverage of SmackDown Live, this Tuesday. We'll cover all the action and highlights from the blue brand.

Whatever happens during the match, rest assured we're in for a real treat.