Rumor has it Sami Zayn will be competing not only at NXT TakeOver: Dallas on April 1st, but at WrestleMania 32 itself on April 3rd in preparation for a call up to the main roster essentially taking place that weekend and culminating on the April 4th edition of Monday Night Raw.
Of course, when it comes to internet speculation, everything needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Sami Zayn has been long rumored for a main roster spot for months and it has yet to happen, so there’s a possibility this is all coming from nothing or at the very least, being blown out of proportion. Come WrestleMania, we may not see Zayn at all, and he might be sticking around NXT for quite some time, even into 2017 for all we know.
That being said, what are the most likely positions for him at WrestleMania 32 if he does indeed have a part to play in the pay-per-view’s card? Let’s take a look!
NXT Pre-Show Match
The least sensational option is for Sami Zayn to wrestle another member of the NXT roster to fill up time on the pre-show. If this year’s WrestleMania has a 2-hour kickoff like last year and doesn’t need to bump any other matches from the regular card onto the pre-show, then there will assuredly be enough room for more than one match during that time frame.
This would be underwhelming in a way for fans hoping for something greater, but it would still be better than nothing, would it not? If Zayn were to defeat someone like Samoa Joe, it could give him the momentum to come out on Raw the following night and start his main roster run then rather than at WrestleMania itself, so to speak. Plus, giving him a win in this capacity would help undo the damage if he is set to lose against Shinsuke Nakamura at NXT TakeOver: Dallas two nights beforehand.
Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
When in doubt, toss all of the extras in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. This match is tailor-made for anybody to make an appearance because it doesn’t really have all that much substance to it that requires premeditative thought. For the most part, only two or three people have a chance at winning it, and since there isn’t something gravely important on the line, WWE could opt to change the winner five seconds before going out and it wouldn’t make all that much of a difference. There isn’t even a set number of participants, so since all hands are on deck and in the area, even if he isn’t announced ahead of time, the powers that be can just make the call to send him out and have him participate.
Keep in mind that his inclusion in this match wouldn’t necessarily mean that he would win it. In fact, if he does show up as one of the faces in the crowd, the likelihood that he’ll come out on top is rather slim, depending on who else is involved. There are bigger fish to fry on the main roster than someone who is coming up from developmental—unless, of course, WWE plans on giving him a massive push and winning this would be the start of it.
Multi-Man Intercontinental or United States Championship Match
There doesn’t seem to be any clear direction for the two midcard titles yet, but since that’s the case, it can be assumed that at least one of these two championships will be defended in a multi-man gimmick match of sorts. For my money, it makes more sense to me that the United States Championship would be the one on the line, as Kalisto is being treated as a complete afterthought that just happens to hold the title while Kevin Owens is at least being featured on a regular basis.
No matter which title it is for, there’s likely to be at least one, if not two matches that involve three or more people fighting for a belt, similar to how the Intercontinental Championship was defended in a ladder match last year. In that bout, there were seven men grouped together, but this could be anywhere from a generic triple threat or fatal 4-way to a 10-man scramble match or anything of the sort. If not much weight is to be put on Sami Zayn’s shoulders, but he isn’t scheduled to be as low on the card as the jobber men in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, then he could participate in this match and really make a name for himself.
Singles Match vs. Kevin Owens
The highest-profile match that I can see being remotely possible is for Sami Zayn to wrestle Kevin Owens in a singles match for the Intercontinental Championship (if Owens does not lose it ahead of time). These two have a history together which was reignited during the Royal Rumble when Zayn eliminated Owens.
These two have proven that they have a feud that fans are very much invested in and that they can both go in the ring, so it’s a trustworthy match to book 10-15 minutes around. The crowd will be hot and desperately seeking vengeance for all that Owens has done to Zayn, so watching him take the Intercontinental Championship away from him will be a true WrestleMania moment for the record books.
In what capacity would you like to see Sami Zayn at WrestleMania? Should he wrestle a match or should his call up to the main roster be saved for the Raw the next night? For that matter, do you think Zayn should just stay in NXT instead? Tell us your thoughts and predictions in the comments below!
