9 Ups & 11 Downs For WWE In 2025
4. Sami Zayn's United States Open Challenge
When Sami Zayn defeated Solo Sikoa to win the United States Championship on August 29th, a lot of complete idiots saddled him with the "Sami Hogan" tag, which was the first clue that the booking was good and destined for success.
Seven days later, Zayn was able to return a favour John Cena extended to him a decade earlier in a wonderfully cute bit of continuity booking, but strapping up former 'Honorary Uce' was done for more than just challenging 'The Champ' one last time. SmackDown was in need of a number of upgrades, and a guaranteed high quality match each week was one such change. Taking a title and some opponents that weren't exactly ultra-popular and bringing the atmosphere to a fever pitch was an example of the artform at its best, with matches that took on a different tone and flavour all through to his shock loss to surprise returnee Ilya Dragunov.
Dragunov's job was just as important, but he understood the assignment and the slot on Friday nights remained - the 'Mad Dragon's early defences mirrored Zayn's for peaking late on and establishing raison d'êtres for much of the rank-and-file.