12 WWE Nightmares That Could Come True In 2026

7. Sami Zayn’s Main Event Push Bombs

The Rock WWE Title 2026 Nightmares
WWE.com

Check out any given episode of SmackDown every week and you'll see Sami Zayn working some of the best matches going. His United States Title 'Open Challenge' is a hoot, and it's led to excellence against John Cena, Rey Fenix, Carmelo Hayes, Je'Von Evans, Aleister Black and Shinsuke Nakamura. To date. More might've happened by the time you read this piece.

It looks for all the world like Sami is carving out a slow burn push towards World or WWE Title status. He worked as a main event foe for Roman Reigns during the whole Bloodline saga, but it remains to be seen if Zayn would fly as a popular babyface champ. Honestly, it’d be a nightmare if somebody as talented and passionate as he is tanked in the role, but that isn’t out of the question.

The wrestling audience has a habit of yearning hard for something, then turning their backs on it once it happens. We've all done it at some point, and it's a pretty glaring flaw. Sami is showing how adaptable and trustworthy he is during his US Title reign. Triple H would've known that already, but now he knows for certain that Zayn pushing towards an even bigger belt is within reach.

Keep a close eye on things once he gets there. It'd be rather rubbish if Sami becoming World or WWE Champ (something he's worked hard for his entire career) bombed and he was pulled out of the firing line after just a few weeks/months in the hot seat. Not everybody can keep a top babyface run going, y'know.

Not everybody is Cody Rhodes.

Contributor

Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.