Backstage Update: Possible SummerSlam Plans for Sami Zayn After Winning WWE Championship

A new report provides a potential spoiler on WWE's upcoming plans for Sami Zayn following his triumph at Night of Champions on Saturday.

Zayn defeated Cody Rhodes and Gunther in a triple threat match to win the WWE Championship at Night of Champions, ending the American Nightmare's latest reign at 112 days.

Barring any surprises, Zayn will carry the WWE Championship into the SummerSlam 2026 pay-per-view. That two-day event will be held on the Aug. 1-2 weekend at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

During the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t Ringside News), Bryan Alvarez said he expects 2026 King of the Ring winner Oba Femi to defeat Sami Zayn for the WWE Championship. Elsewhere, Alvarez thinks Seth Rollins will challenge Roman Reigns for the World Heavyweight title:

"My presumption when the show is over is that Oba Femi is going to kill Sami Zayn at SummerSlam and win that title, and Seth Rollins is going to wrestle Roman Reigns, because I can't think of any other reason that Seth Rollins should have beaten Bron Breakker clean in this cage match," Alvarez said.

Femi defeated Jey Uso in the King of the Ring final at Night of Champions to earn a world title match for SummerSlam. Considering that Reigns rarely loses and that WWE is seriously pushing the 28-year-old Femi, it certainly would be a surprise if WWE booked a match between these two at SummerSlam.

Sami Zayn Is Now a Grand Slam Champion

With his stunning victory over Rhodes and Gunther on Saturday, Zayn is now a member of the exclusive Grand Slam championship club. The veteran superstar also previously held the United States, Intercontinental, Raw Tag Team and SmackDown Tag Team Championships.

Zayn had waited more than a decade to finally win his first world championship on the main roster. We'll see how long it lasts, but it's nonetheless a special time for one of the company's longest-tenured stars.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 28, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published June 28, 2026 at 4:26 PM.