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What's the story?
During the most recent episode of Monday Night Raw, Shane McMahon launched a pre-emptive strike on the flagship show, laying waste to most of the Superstars on the roster.
Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens were notably absent from the invading party, and the former El Generico took to Twitter to state that he only fought for what he believed was right.
In case you didn't know...
Kevin Owens and Shane McMahon were engaged in a heated rivalry that resulted in a Falls Count Anywhere Hell in a Cell match at the HIAC pay-per-view.
As the bout reached its conclusion, McMahon positioned Owens on an announce table and took "a leap of faith" from the top of the Cell, but Sami Zayn pulled the Prizefighter out of harm's way, sending the Commissioner of SmackDown Live crashing through the table.
The Underdog from the Underground then placed Owens on top of McMahon for the pinfall, allowing the former Universal Champion to pick up one of the biggest wins of his career.
Therefore, it is fair to say that there's more than a little bit of love lost between Sami Zayn and Shane McMahon.
The heart of the matter
On the most recent episode of SmackDown Live, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn offered to captain the blue brand's men's team at Survivor Series, despite their differences with Shane McMahon.
However, the Prodigal Son was less than impressed and said that both men needed to earn their spots on the team. Sami Zayn lost his match to Randy Orton which means that he will not represent SmackDown Live at Survivor Series.
Meanwhile, Kevin Owens is set to face Shinsuke Nakamura on the next episode of SmackDown Live with similar stakes on the line.
What's next?
After Hell in a Cell, several reports suggested that Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn would face Shane McMahon and AJ Styles at Survivor Series.
While this rivalry hasn't yet run its course, it's unlikely that AJ Styles, who will likely emerge as the next challenger for the WWE Championship, will play any part in it.
Author's take
Prior to the heel turn, Sami Zayn was floundering on SmackDown Live and was sorely in need of inspiration.
However, his character now has a new lease on life, and he has the opportunity to become a main event player.
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