Sami Zayn joins an exclusive club after his coronation on SmackDown

Sami Zayn once again wrote his name in the history of WWE by becoming the new United States champion during the SmackDown show held in Lyon, France. The Canadian not only adds another championship to his record, but also joins a very exclusive club of international champions who managed to win the title outside of US territory.

With his victory, Zayn becomes the fifth wrestler born outside of the United States to win the title outside the country. The first was Kensuke Sasaki, who captured the WCW belt in Japan in 1995. Five years later, Lance Storm repeated the feat in the United Kingdom. Under the WWE stage, Bret Hart surprised in 2010 by winning the championship in Canada, the same country where Shinsuke Nakamura was crowned at Survivor Series: Toronto 2024 after defeating LA Knight.

Now, Zayn joins this select list, proving that the championship with the American flag is not reserved only for local wrestlers. His triumph in Lyon is a reminder of the international weight that WWE carries today and of the Canadian's rising trajectory. It remains to be seen how far his reign as United States champion will go, but the fact that he shares an achievement with legends like Hart or Storm already places Sami Zayn in a prominent position within the title's history.

Despite his quality and history in the company, Sami Zayn still lacks a title in his personal showcase: a world championship. It is an achievement that many fans have demanded over time, especially in recent years.

Now that Sami Zayn is champion, it will be interesting to see how WWE continues this story. A rematch with Solo Sikoa is very likely, although it has not been confirmed yet. Their match was on the verge of the premium event Clash in Paris, so, at least for now, another match between the two is not scheduled to take place at Wrestlepalooza.