Sami Zayn Expresses Gratitude for His 49-Day yet Iconic United States Title Reign

Each match brought out the best in everyone involved, helping restore the prestige of the mid-card title in the process. Zayn’s reign came to an end on October 17 in San Jose, when Ilja Dragunov made his return from a torn ACL and defeated him in another instant classic to win the championship.

And now two weeks after the loss, Zayn took to X to share his thoughts on the run, describing it as one of the most meaningful stretches of his WWE career. 

Been reflecting on my run as US Champion. One of my favorite things I’ve done in WWE. 8 weeks, 8 very different opponents, 8 bangers in a row. It’s hard to do something great. In the age of content, it’s even harder to do something memorable. It felt like this was both. Grateful.

Sami Zayn via X

Moreover, Dragunov has quickly picked up where Zayn left off. On the October 24 edition of SmackDown, the Russian star made his first successful defense of the United States Championship, defeating Aleister Black in a hard-hitting bout. The victory came after a timely distraction from Damian Priest , who interfered seeking revenge on Black.

Following the match, Dragunov received high praise from none other than Zayn himself, who commended both the champion’s performance and their thrilling encounter in San Jose a week earlier. It was a classy gesture that showed the mutual respect between the two warriors, one symbolically passing the torch to the other.

Former WWE head writer believes Sami Zayn will win the World title soon

It has been a long-standing tradition in WWE to test a potential top star by first giving them a secondary championship before moving them into the main event scene. The idea is simple: if a performer can handle the pressure of carrying a mid-card title, they might be ready to represent the company as its face.

There are plenty of classic examples: John Cena held the United States Championship before capturing his first WWE Title at WrestleMania 21, and Randy Orton won the Intercontinental Title before becoming the youngest World Heavyweight Champion at SummerSlam 2004.

According to former WWE head writer Vince Russo, this same formula might be unfolding for Sami Zayn. Russo believes Triple H is setting the stage for Zayn to finally win a world title, after more than a decade in the company. Zayn’s recent run as United States Champion, along with his previous Intercontinental Title reigns, has solidified him as one of the most reliable and consistent performers in WWE.

During an appearance on The Coach and Bro Show, Russo reacted to reports that Zayn personally wanted Ilja Dragunov to be the next U.S. Champion. Russo explained that such decisions usually reflect long-term planning rather than just a wrestler’s input. 

Guys, when a guy has an underneath title and he loses that title, that means they’re getting him ready for the title above that. So, yes, Sami could’ve said, ‘Let me do the job’ to so-and-so. They would not take the belt off of him unless they were grooming him to bring him to a higher level.

Vince Russo via The Coach and Bro Show

Russo has even predicted that Zayn could win the 2026 Royal Rumble, set to take place in Saudi Arabia, and go on to capture the World Championship at WrestleMania 42. If that happens, it would be the perfect culmination of Zayn’s long, hard-fought journey from underdog to world champion.