Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are back together.
Owens and Zayn used to be the best friends, but they had a heated feud throughout 2021. They later got back to the point where they were on decent terms, but Zayn's alliance with The Bloodline (Roman Reigns, The Usos & Solo Sikoa) drove a wedge between them throughout the latter half 2022. Zayn even turned on Owens during the WarGames match at Survivor Series 2022 by hitting him below the belt and helping The Bloodline score the win. Owens continued to feud with The Bloodline, and Zayn was firmly on the stable's side. But as 2022 rolled into 2023, Zayn's loyalty faltered as he teased that Owens was still his friend.
This tension reached boiling point at WWE Royal Rumble 2023, where Reigns defeated Owens to retain the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. After the match, The Bloodline brutally attacked Owens, and Reigns told Zayn to hit the fallen challenger with a chair. Zayn refused and hit Reigns with a chair as well, which launched a feud between the former stablemates. Zayn then lost to Reigns at Elimination Chamber, but Owens saved him from a post-match beatdown. Over the next few weeks, Zayn tried to reunite with Owens, but he repeatedly refused to help Sami take down The Bloodline. But Owens had a change of heart on the March 17 episode of SmackDown.
The show opened with Cody Rhodes calling out Zayn and Owens, hoping to mediate the conflict and bring them together. Instead, Owens walked out on the duo after he said Zayn didn't want to be his friend.
GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT! --
— WWE (@WWE) March 18, 2023
Despite @CodyRhodes' efforts to unite the former friends so they can take down #TheBloodline, @FightOwensFight still wants nothing to do with @SamiZayn. #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/hifKRgNp7x
Later in the show, Zayn approached him as he was leaving and told Owens they were brothers, and he loved him. At the end of the show, Zayn had a heated showdown with Jey Uso, and The Usos ganged up on him. Owens came to the ring and fought the brothers off. He then hugged Zayn in an emotional moment as it was clear that he had changed his mind.
WHAT. A. MOMENT. --@FightOwensFight and @SamiZayn just took on Jimmy and Jey @WWEUsos TOGETHER!
— WWE (@WWE) March 18, 2023
And yes, they hugged it out. --#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/WV2raUQ8t8
Roman Reigns is set to appear on the March 20 episode of WWE Raw, where he will confront Cody Rhodes. More information is available here.
Catch up on our coverage of the March 17 episode of WWE SmackDown here. For a full review, check out our post-show podcast on our YouTube channel.
