WWE Made 4 Mistakes Unbefitting of Sami Zayn After Night of Champions 2026 on SmackDown

WWE's SmackDown program, airing immediately after the recent major event Night of Champions 2026, showcased situations that were far from a shining start for new champion Sami Zayn. Despite achieving the greatest success of his career, Zayn unfortunately could not find the expected grand victory celebration and the attention usually accorded to champions.

In particular, while Zayn winning the Undisputed WWE Championship should have made him the new face of the company, the narration regarding him remained quite dull during the show, standing out as a notable detail. In this episode, an atmosphere that could mention his name in the same category as legendary figures could not be created.

Even more surprising was the fact that no match was planned for the new champion to experience the excitement of defending his title, and Zayn was burdened with a mandatory defense on a RAW program immediately the next night. This situation unnecessarily shortened his time to enjoy his reward and damaged the championship aura.

When the general flow of the program is examined, it is understood that management decisions left an ambiguity that makes the audience wonder 'what will happen in the next program?' rather than elevating Zayn's momentum. A champion is expected to make an impressive entrance to the program and savor the victory, but being pushed into a scenario that immediately thinks of the next day can be considered a major strategic error.

Consequently, SmackDown missed the opportunity to start a strong story by highlighting the champion's glamour and has trapped Sami Zayn in a standard daily cycle. Such a lack of celebration and leaving the title risk for the very next day has been a decision that dampened the spirits of both the audience and the commentators.