Sami Zayn has become one of the most beloved Superstars in WWE over the past few years, and fans have long hoped to see him finally crowned as a world champion. Heading into WrestleMania 42, that dream might still be alive — but it’s clear that WWE’s creative plans have changed in recent months, leaving Zayn’s path uncertain.
WrestleMania 42 Plans: A Shift That Affects Sami Zayn
According to multiple reports, including insights from Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select, WWE creative made significant changes to its WrestleMania 42 plans around the end of 2025.
One of the earlier storylines involved Sami Zayn potentially getting a world championship match before WrestleMania, a direction that built upon his long-running feud with Karrion Kross throughout 2025.
A WWE creative source told Fightful:
“This has been a story that many on the team were hoping to get to.”
However, as of now, the creative landscape heading into WrestleMania 42 remains uncertain, and Sami’s future in it is unclear.
Zayn’s Next Step: Saturday Night’s Main Event Fatal 4-Way
Despite the shifting plans, Zayn remains in the mix. He’s scheduled to compete in a high-stakes Fatal 4-Way Match at Saturday Night’s Main Event this weekend. His opponents:
- Randy Orton
- Damian Priest
- Trick Williams
The winner of that match will face Drew McIntyre for the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble 2026 in Saudi Arabia.
Zayn is reportedly the betting favorite to win, and creatively, it would make sense. The Saudi fans love Sami, and WWE has been building subtle storylines toward a Zayn vs. McIntyre match even before Drew’s recent title win.
Can Zayn Beat McIntyre?
If Zayn does win the No. 1 Contender’s Match, he’ll face a tough challenge. McIntyre currently holds an 11-0 singles match record against Zayn, a stat that the Scottish Warrior proudly reminds fans about. Add to that McIntyre’s momentum after winning the WWE Championship for the first time in five years, and the odds aren’t in Sami’s favour — at least at the Royal Rumble.
This storyline is strikingly similar to Zayn’s heartbreaking title loss to Roman Reigns at Elimination Chamber 2023. That moment led to his redemptive WrestleMania 39 win alongside Kevin Owens, but it also proves that WWE doesn’t shy away from letting Zayn fall short in big matches, only to eventually give him his moment down the line.
Sami Zayn’s WrestleMania History and Future
Zayn has proven to be a top-tier WrestleMania performer:
- WrestleMania 39: Main evented Night One and won the Undisputed Tag Titles with Kevin Owens.
- WrestleMania 40: Defeated Gunther to end his historic Intercontinental Championship reign in one of the weekend’s best matches.
- WrestleMania 41 (2025): Left off the card entirely, despite his growing popularity.
WWE can’t fit everyone on the WrestleMania card, even with the show spread across two nights. But leaving Zayn off the event again would be a surprise, especially given his consistency in both the ring and on the mic.
The Ideal Path for Sami Zayn at WrestleMania 42
Sami Zayn’s best chance to finally become WWE Champion may come at WrestleMania itself, rather than at the Royal Rumble. If he loses to McIntyre in Saudi Arabia — which feels likely — he still has two ways to earn a WrestleMania title shot:
- Win the 2026 Men’s Royal Rumble Match
- Win the Men’s Elimination Chamber Match in February
Either victory would make him the official No. 1 Contender for WrestleMania 42 and give him a chance to defeat McIntyre on a global stage — potentially in the main event.
