Sami Zayn’s next opponent: Who is coming for the WWE Intercontinental Championship?
WWE.comAlthough Sami Zayn retained his WWE Intercontinental Championship against Chad Gable, he could still face another major threat in his next title defense.
Zayn made a statement at WrestleMania 40 when he stormed back to win the Intercontinental title against Gunther with a ‘Brainbuster’ and two ‘Helluva Kicks’ to seal his victory.
It was a monumental victory for the Canadian, who ended Gunther’s record-setting 666-day title reign, which began back in June 2022. Gunther was not expected to lose, making Zayn’s win all the more shocking, but now heavy is the head that wears the crown.
Zayn will have to fend off a collection of viable talents on the WWE Raw brand in order to remain as champion. Here are the fighters that could give him a run for his money leading up to Backlash.
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A matchup with The Miz
As of late, the Miz has done most of his dirty work in tag team action alongside R-Truth. No matter, the WWE superstar has a recent individual track record that includes bouts against World Heavyweight Champion Damian Priest, United States Champion Logan Paul, and former Intercontinental Champion, Gunther.
Zayn can add credibility to his rap sheet with a matchup against the Miz — a former world champion in his own right. He’d be tested with Miz’s methodical and aggressive style, especially after Gable did a number on his injured left knee on the April 15 episode of Raw.
However, Zayn brings much of those qualities to the ring himself. His fan-favorite personality is the ideal foil to Miz’s “I’m better than you” demeanor. The two contrasting styles on the mic would lead to a fun package between these two WWE veterans.
Sami Zayn vs Kofi Kingston could boom
Another worthy contender would be the high-flying Kofi Kingston. His name has quieted down a bit since his historic WWE Championship victory over Daniel Bryan in 2019. However, Kingston has remained busy as a valued member of The New Day faction.
Individually, a new day could be on the horizon for him as a title holder as Kingston has a path toward winning a championship belt that he’s had around his waist multiple times before.
Zayn and the former four-time Intercontinental champion put on a masterclass of wrestling in their last meeting back in October 2022. Reigniting that spark could set the stage for a new and exciting chapter of this rivalry.
Zayn gets back at Chad Gable
After Zayn picked up the win against Gable on Raw, the 38-year-old turned on the reigning International champion as he celebrated with his wife in the stands.
The Alpha Academy stable leader came from behind and hit Zayn with a German suplex before further attacking his injured knee. The April 15 episode of Raw ended with Gable brutally assaulting the champion as the screen faded to black.
The Intercontinental champion will want to defend his pride after Gable embarrassed him in front of his family. Considering that the two trained together ahead of Wrestlemania 40, the new bad blood between the friends-turned-foes could drive a feud in their overarching storyline.
Gable did also tell Zayn that he owed him a favor backstage at ‘Mania, perhaps alluding to the eventual attack at Raw and a future showdown between the two at WWE’s next PLE — Backlash France.
This rivalry is merely at its beginning stages and should be fleshed out by the WWE over the course of the next couple of months. Two former best friends that are now hated enemies is the type of Hollywood story fans can buy into.