10 Crazy Wrestling Partnerships That Shouldn't Have Worked (But Did)

This one's a double-edged sword. There's a downside to the union of Sami Zayn and Shinsuke Nakamura; we barely get to see the former wrestle anymore. Zayn has worked just one televised bout since August 2019. A dismal situation for one of the WWE's best all-rounders, but one that can be forgiven if he's still experiencing shoulder problems after 2018's surgery. If it's a creative decision, as has been reported, then it's close to unforgivable.

That being said, Sami's managerial skills have been a great benefit to 'The King of Strong Style,' who was so lost at sea he may as well have been rechristened Chuck Noland II prior to the link-up. Nakamura wasn't absent, but he was directionless. Having the annoying, yappy mouthpiece dragged his lagging 'Artist' act back towards relevancy by eliminating his need to cut promos, allowing him to focus on the in-ring above all else.

Pairing the hyperactively irritating Zayn with Nakamura would've sounded like a ludicrous proposition beforehand, though transforming Sami from active midcarder to obnoxious manager has created a fun SmackDown double-act, proving, once again, that 'The Great Liberator' can thrive in any role.