00:15Well, Sami Zayn's first WWE Championship reign lasted nine days.
00:21If he loses tonight, the second reign will last just seven.
00:30Not the distinction Sami Zayn is hoping for, in fact, quite the opposite.
00:36Sami Zayn wants to solidify himself as the WWE Champion by decisively disposing of Kevin Owens.
00:45The paranoia is setting in.
00:47The walls are closing in on Sami Zayn.
00:50You saw the confrontation with Tripp Williams moments ago.
00:53You've got the likes of Kevin Owens in the ring.
00:55Johnny Gargano, CM Punk, Finn Balor, Dunkler, Tripp Williams, Randy Orton, Damian Priest.
01:00Just to name a few, Corey, who have their eyes set on Sami Zayn.
01:06Sami Zayn is a marked man, yet in his brain he views himself as something, as some sort of martyr.
01:13But Sami Zayn's become more of a pariah than a messiah here in WWE.
01:18Let's head up to our ring announcer, Mark Nash.
01:27The following contest is scheduled for one fall, and it's for the undisputed WWE Championship.
01:37Introducing first, the challenger from Maryville, Quebec, Canada, weighing in at 242 pounds, Kevin Owens.
01:52And his opponent, from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, weighing in at 212 pounds, he is the undisputed WWE Champion, Sami Zayn.
02:08Oh, and Kevin Owens wastes a little time going after the champion bell rings.
02:14We're underway.
02:15The official Ryan Tran, as Kevin Owens looks to win the WWE title.
02:20Sami Zayn, of all people, should know better than to turn your back on the prize fighter.
02:25Zayn's in trouble.
02:27Owens bringing the fire.
02:28You talk about full-circled moments.
02:30It has been 3,484 days, almost 10 years since Kevin Owens has held the World Championship.
02:39That being the universal title.
02:41And Owens wants to take the gold tonight.
02:46And there's a running senton by Kevin Owens.
02:49Owens taking out the champion early.
02:52Can he win the gold?
02:53So, my title, bitch!
03:17Kevin Owens taking the fight to the champion.
03:19Remember, though, Corey, Zayn's got the advantage here.
03:22Owens sees the pinter submit.
03:23Sami Zayn to win the gold.
03:24As dictated by the champion's advantage, the onus is on KO to soundly defeat Zayn.
03:31Pinfall or submission are the only ways the title changes hands.
03:35KO's well aware of it, but right now, he's just beating the hell out of his former best friend.
03:40Well, Kevin Owens, by all right, should be WWE champion today.
03:45It's been working for Sami Zayn.
03:47I mean, these are two men whose relationship dates back many, many years.
03:55They grew up together.
03:56They attended their weddings, the birth of their children.
04:01In fact, they were tag team champions at WrestleMania.
04:06But, Corey, that was all soiled by bitterness and jealousy in this quest for gold.
04:12The old saying, familiarity breeds contempt.
04:16These may be more familiar with one another than any other two superstars on the roster.
04:21Oh, and Sami Zayn dropped on the top rope.
04:24And this has been all Kevin Owens.
04:26And Zayn may be in for a very short title reign tonight.
04:31Remember, Kevin Owens' last match before he was injured for 17 months was against Sami Zayn in an unsanctioned matchup
04:39back in March of 2025.
04:47And in that county in NXT, find it hard to believe that Owens and Zayn have never battled for a
04:53world title in WWE.
04:57It's especially hard to believe when you realize how much success these two have both had individually and together.
05:04Sharp right caught Zayn right in the eye.
05:07Just to see this relationship deteriorate to this point.
05:11Watch what I talked about with Cody Rhodes earlier tonight.
05:15Nice DDT by the champion Zayn.
05:17When I talked to Cody about when you become champion, there are no more friends.
05:21Everybody is gunning for the gold.
05:23That's what it's all about.
05:24You hit the nail right on the head.
05:26But both of these two men are birds of a certain feather.
05:29Yes, they love their family.
05:31Yes, they love one another at different points throughout their careers.
05:35But at the end of the day, these two men would both rather stop breathing than lose championship gold.
05:44These WWE fans are all over Sami Zayn.
05:47The self-proclaimed last good guy.
05:51And that irks Sami to the fact that in his mind, these fans have turned their backs on him.
05:57The ride or dies are evaporating.
06:01Oh, what a right by Owens.
06:03Owens is just in a brawling mood tonight.
06:06You can do it better.
06:08Thunderous right by KO.
06:09One by Sami and a chop by Owens.
06:18And Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn hanging on and trying to hang on to his undisputed WWE title.
06:24Defending tonight on our main event against Kevin Owens.
06:30And Zayn hanging Owens up on the top rope.
06:32Very resourceful move by the champion.
06:34Well, at the end of the day, Zayn has no one to blame but himself here tonight.
06:37He put his hands on our general manager, Nick Aldis.
06:40He kicked Aldis off.
06:41He'd had enough, and he put Sami in this matchup with Owens, defending his title.
06:48Zayn was able to weather the early storm of Kevin Owens and is now delivering his own punishment.
06:53Can you imagine what will happen, Corey, if Zayn loses tonight?
06:57Cover here.
06:57And here's a kick out by Owens.
06:59I mean, his first reign, nine days.
07:00This would only be seven days.
07:02It might be the greatest crash out in television history, if we're being honest.
07:06Sami would go off the deep end.
07:08No doubt about that.
07:12Obnoxious.
07:13Paranoid.
07:14In many ways, he's gotten where he's come from.
07:18And a lot can be said.
07:20We touched on this earlier, that when you win the gold, Corey, things change.
07:27Absolutely.
07:28Sami was just learning how much they can change when he lost the title during his first reign.
07:33Nine days is not what you want your entry into WWE encyclopedias to say.
07:39Nine days is the industry's hot dog.
07:43So Kevin Owens has been nearly ten years since he's held a world title.
07:49He can change all that tonight.
07:53Zayn now just viciously stomping at the jaw of Kevin Owens.
07:58And here comes the WWE champion Zayn's temper getting the best of him again.
08:03Again, he believes everyone is against him, right?
08:06That was his big conspiracy.
08:10And Owens, oh, bounced off the turnbuckle.
08:12Sami Zayn may very well be the single most paranoid superstar in our industry.
08:18Unfortunately, that often means that Sami finds a way.
08:22Sami will hang on.
08:23Cover here.
08:24Is it enough Kevin Owens stays in the match?
08:26Sami has made a career out of defying the odds of figuring out ways to stay alive, stay relevant,
08:32keep his name on the lips of the WWE universe.
08:35Well, there's no doubt the evolution of Sami Zayn over the years has been something to watch.
08:43And Zayn now trying to head to the top rope and Kevin Owens preventing him from getting there.
08:49Owens, the brawler.
08:50Fight, Owens, fight.
08:51It's not just a moniker.
08:53It's a way of life.
08:54And he's now plugging away at the champion Zayn.
08:57Sami rakes the eyes.
08:58The official was blinded by Owens.
09:00Didn't see it.
09:02Oh, to be honest, the disqualification of Sami would ensure the, say, the champion.
09:07Rolled through by Zayn.
09:09Super kick by Owens.
09:19Remember, Kevin Owens returning from serious neck and back issues.
09:24So I'm grabbing at his neck moments ago.
09:29Zayn, a couple of broken wrists.
09:33And Kevin Owens down.
09:34We're going to feed off the WWE fans here tonight.
09:36There's that running sent on by Owens.
09:39And another one.
09:40The champ's in trouble.
09:43Corpus Christi is rocking with support for the challenger.
09:47Sami Zayn's in trouble.
09:49Clear the deck.
09:50Cannonball.
09:56Up goes Zayn.
09:59Kevin Owens a little old to John Cena with an AA.
10:04Cover on Zayn.
10:06Kick out by Sami.
10:08We mentioned that full circle moment.
10:11How poetic would it have been for Owens to defeat Zayn with John Cena's attitude adjustment?
10:19Oh, you remember the way Kevin Owens burst on the scene in WWE.
10:23One of the greatest moments ever for a rookie.
10:26As Zayn now is whipped across the rink.
10:28Kevin Owens went for the pop-up powerbomb.
10:30Sami Zayn avoided the stunner.
10:33Blue thunderbomb.
10:35Cover by the champion.
10:37Kevin Owens just gets the shoulder up.
10:39Zayn in control.
10:41Can he keep the gold?
10:51What a matchup.
10:53Bitterness.
10:54Jealousy.
10:56The friendship that has deteriorated between these two men has come down to this.
11:01A battle for Zayn's undisputed WWE title.
11:05For Owens, it's been nearly 10 years.
11:07For Sami Zayn, hoping not to be embarrassed yet again with another short title reign.
11:17At this point, Corey, who are you favoring?
11:20You got to give it to the champion, Sami Zayn.
11:22Kevin Owens has looked extremely effective at points.
11:25But remember, Kevin is just coming off of a 17-month layoff.
11:29You're not going to necessarily get back into championship ring shape in this short period of time.
11:34And for Sami Zayn, as much as we like to talk negatively about him, he has been fighting each and
11:39every week.
11:39Sami Owens finds a way.
11:41What a kick by Zayn.
11:43Cover on Owens to retain.
11:45KO.
11:46Kicks out another near fall.
11:48And now maybe, Corey, frustration setting in for the champion.
11:52That could certainly be the case.
11:55And I want to go back to July 6th, the night that Sami lost the title to CM Punk in
12:00Chicago.
12:01It played out a lot like this.
12:03Sami had near fall after near fall.
12:06He had his big moves.
12:07But Punk was able to survive.
12:09And perhaps that's the pattern that's being played out here tonight with Kevin Owens.
12:13We know almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.
12:16Not WWE Championship matches.
12:19As Zayn teeing off now on KO with a series of vicious elbows.
12:23Right into the nose and the face of Kevin Owens.
12:26Always barely protecting himself.
12:27Ryan, you want to get in there?
12:28Check on him.
12:31KO might be out.
12:32Well, Sami Zayn exhausted from that flurry.
12:36Zayn just unloaded a barrage of sharp elbows to the forehead and temple of the challenger Owens.
12:47And Sami now placing Kevin Owens on the top rope.
12:53This match has been extremely physical.
12:57Zayn just trying to survive as champion.
13:02Kevin Owens looking to get the proverbial monkey off his back.
13:07Owens fighting back.
13:11KO with another right.
13:16Kevin Owens and the WWE Champion, Sami Zayn.
13:21Exchanging blows high above the ring.
13:25In front of an electric crowd in Corpus Christi, Texas.
13:30Down goes Zayn.
13:32Kevin Owens up top.
13:34KO.
13:36Wow, the Swanton cover for the win.
13:41And the title.
13:42Sami Zayn kicks out at two.
13:45And Kevin Owens right back to the surgically repaired neck.
13:50This is where instinct can be a hindrance.
13:53As we look at KO getting all of its swat on.
13:56But one of KO's favorite go-to maneuvers may have just cost him a championship.
14:02Oh, he's immediately clutching his neck.
14:03Oh, and there's Johnny Gargano.
14:04Oh, not this idiot.
14:06Johnny Gargano.
14:07Sami Zayn told him,
14:08You'll only get a title shot if I'm champion.
14:14Meanwhile, on the other side, there's Candice LeRae.
14:17Candice now.
14:18Turns on the second rope.
14:20The official.
14:21Oh, and a DDT.
14:24Tornado DDT by Candice to KO.
14:27The official didn't see it off the Johnny distraction.
14:31And now Kevin Owens in position.
14:35What a lube kick by Sami Zayn.
14:38Zayn gonna survive yet again.
14:41No!
14:42Owens on the air four for Zayn.
14:44This match continues.
14:49Sami Zayn is beside himself.
14:52As we look yet again at Candice LeRae, the poison pixie.
14:56Taking down Kevin Owens.
14:59Allowing Zayn to hit the haluma kick.
15:02But at the buzzer, KO stays alive.
15:06And now Sami Zayn may lose it.
15:08Owens kicked out of the haluma kick.
15:11The WWE fans all over the champion.
15:14Zayn looking for the haluma kick yet again.
15:17KO, though.
15:18Pop-up powerball.
15:21But KO, can he capitalize?
15:25Owens.
15:26Stonado for the title.
15:30Hooks the leg.
15:32Johnny Gargano just saved the championship.
15:36I wish someone would punch Gargano in his face.
15:39Absolutely ridiculous.
15:43And Kevin Owens realizes what happened.
15:47And Kevin Owens now sent Gargano into the barricade.
15:53You gotta understand KO's frustration.
15:56Even if it does mean taking his eye off the task at hand.
16:00KO's had enough.
16:05Gargano's gonna pay for his transgressions.
16:11Meanwhile, Sami outside the ring.
16:13Sami attacking Owens.
16:20Nobody home for Zayn.
16:22And Zayn jumped through the announce table.
16:25The champion through the announce table.
16:27Kevin Owens has got to get him back in the ring, though, to take advantage.
16:31I think that just occurred to KO.
16:35But now he's gonna drag Sami Zayn's dead weight back inside of the ring.
16:42Zayn sent back into the ring.
16:45Kevin Owens with an opportunity.
16:47And there's that damn Gargano like a damn man again.
16:51With the WWE title.
16:53Stunner!
16:57LeRae on the other side.
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