What WWE Originally Planned For Sami Zayn & The Bloodline

Sami Zayn unpacks WWE's original plans for him and The Bloodline.

Sami Zayn Roman Reigns
WWE

WWE's most critically acclaimed ongoing storyline it may be, but Sami Zayn's Bloodline affiliation was originally going to be a scaled-down affair.

Zayn himself has revealed as much in a new interview with Mirror Sport. Speaking with Narin Flanders, he revealed that when the story started coming together in April, it was only supposed to involve a handful of sporadic onscreen interactions. At the idea's nascent stage, Sami was to build up a rapport with Roman Reigns, The Bloodline's patriarch.

Said Zayn:-

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“This is one of the more filled-out, long-term stories I’ve ever been a part of, and it’s long, even by WWE standards. Usually we might do two or three month stories, but I’ve been aligned with The Bloodline in some respects since April and we’re still only kind of scratching the surface as to where this is going to go. The initial idea was just to have some on-screen interactions every now and again because it made sense as the self-proclaimed locker room leader I should have a good rapport with the Head of the Table. So we were kind of cooking up that idea.”

Sami has since been inducted into The Bloodline as an Honorary Uce, forging a bond with Reigns, Solo Sikoa, and Jimmy Uso, but furthering tensions with Jey Uso, creating a complicated dynamic. He has become one of the most over personalities on the roster in the process, commanding booming reactions every week on SmackDown.

Continuing, Zayn explained that sometimes, storylines take on lives of their own thanks to WWE's live crowds. He claimed not to know where the situation was going himself, but believes that the audience's investment is such that people will be along for the ride regardless:-

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“…But one of the things I’m realising is with live audiences these stories tend to take a life of their own, and you kind of don’t know where they’re going to go and that’s actually what’s exciting about it. I see all the fans trying to predict it and they don’t know and, in a way, I don’t know because the reactions start taking it in different directions. For example, the dynamic between Jey and myself? I don’t know that it was ever meant to be like this but now you’re starting to get people guessing what’s Jey going to do and where is it going for him. I’m past the point of trying to predict what the end game is. But I think at this point, we have such a level of investment that whatever happens, I think fans are going to just be there along for the ride. It’s been really a lot of fun and seeing how much the fans have been loving it has been really rewarding.”

Zayn and Bloodline member Sikoa will team to face The Brawling Brutes' Butch and Ridge Holland on tonight's SmackDown.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.