WWE Reportedly Does Not View Sami Zayn as a WrestleMania Headliner Star

This past Saturday’s WWE Royal Rumble 2023 event featured Sami Zayn breaking away from The Bloodline due to his refusal to attack Kevin Owens after Owens’ match with Roman Reigns. Friday’s Smackdown show featured the official announcement of Zayn vs. Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at this month’s Elimination Chamber 2023 event in Montreal, Canada.

Dave Meltzer reported in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that his sources stated that WWE currently does not view Zayn as being a WrestleMania headliner type star. Meltzer reported that while some WWE officials have acknowledged internally how hot Zayn’s program with Reigns and The Bloodline has been for the company, both Vince McMahon and Paul “Triple H” Levesque currently do not view Zayn as someone who could headline a WrestleMania event.

Meltzer reported that this was the reason why WWE officials went ahead with their plans for Cody Rhodes to win this year’s Men’s Royal Rumble match and facing off against Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania 39. This plan reportedly was only decided upon after WWE’s original plans involving Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Stone Cold Steve Austin did not come to fruition.

Meltzer reported that WWE officials had planned for the past several months for Zayn to break away from The Bloodline at this past month’s Royal Rumble 2023 event and for his feud with Reigns to end at this month’s Elimination Chamber 2023 event. WWE reportedly also had plans at the same time for Zayn and Owens to team up against The Usos for the WWE Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania 39.