Number One Contender Crowned on WWE SmackDown

The slow dissension between Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens continued this week on SmackDown as we got [...]

By Ryan Droste

The slow dissension between Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens continued this week on SmackDown as we got the duo in the main event to decide the new number one contender for AJ Styles' WWE Championship.

Or did we?

SmackDown started with Shane McMahon coming out to lament that he is tired of all of the television time being dedicated to Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens. This turned into a face-off with Daniel Bryan, who McMahon claimed is being manipulated.

McMahon noted that the "Yep! Movement" was a cheap imitation of Bryan's greatest creation. He said that everyone knows that Bryan wants to return to the ring more than anything and that he is living vicariously through Zayn and Owens. The fans boo'ed him for that one pretty loudly.

We eventually got to that main event, which was the second match of the night on Tuesday that was very good (Rusev vs. Roode was tremendous as well). They teased some heat as the match went on and on. Owens hit a great looking Swanton Bomb. Zayn his Blue Thunder Bomb. But in the end, AJ Styles (who was doing guest commentary) got involved when the pair were on the outside, leading to a DQ finish.

This brought out Bryan, who did nothing to change the perception that he is favoring Owens and Zayn. Instead, Bryan explained that since Styles basically inserted himself in the match and ruined our chances of getting a new number one contender, he will now have to face both Owens and Zayn in a triple threat match at WWE Fastlane.

So once again we will have Owens, Zayn, and Styles in a title match at a PPV, though this time everyone will be competing to be the singular champion, versus last month at the Royal Rumble when Owens and Zayn were trying to win in a handicap match to become "co-champion."

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