Will ‘The Last Real Good Guy’ Be Involved In Any Way at SummerSlam 2026?
If there is any superstar that has had the worst couple of weeks, it’s certainly Sami Zayn. After reaching the pinnacle in WWE and capturing the Undisputed WWE Championship, ‘The Last Real Good Guy’ was forced to defend his title just nine days later. His original opponent, Cody Rhodes, was taken out by Gunther at the start of the show, leaving Zayn to defend the title against a returning CM Punk, who ultimately won the title. His run of bad luck continued as he was forced to team with Gunther to take on Rhodes and Punk, with the stipulation that if his team won, he and Gunther would be added to the world title match at SummerSlam 2026. Zayn and Gunther ultimately lost the match on the July 18th episode of Saturday Night’s Main Event after SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis pulled the referee out of the ring in order to prevent Gunther from winning the match. At SummerSlam 2026, Punk and Rhodes will have their showdown for the world title, while Gunther will square off with Nick Aldis, but where does this leave Zayn, and will he have any sort of involvement at The Biggest Party of the Summer?
SummerSlam 2026 is still a few weeks away, so having Zayn inserted into the world title match despite not earning the opportunity following the tag team loss is still an option. One of his biggest criticisms of the past few weeks was that he feels disrespected by the higher-ups for having to put his world title on the line so soon. When the match was supposed to happen, Zayn didn’t even defend the title against his original opponent, having to then defend the title against someone he wasn’t prepared for. Also, he never received a rematch for the world title, being ignored in favor of a dream match. If Zayn somehow isn’t inserted into the world title picture heading into SummerSlam 2026, then there is no doubt he will get involved in the match one way or another. Although Punk and Rhodes are the dream match, it’s only fitting that WWE does right by Zayn and have him added into the match in order to secure an entertaining Triple Threat match at SummerSlam 2026.
If Zayn doesn’t get involved in the world title picture, another option to have him on the card is to use him as a key piece in the feud between Gunther and Aldis. It’s almost a certainty that Zayn will not allow Aldis to leave unscathed, as his decision to cost Gunther the match also meant that Zayn wouldn’t be added to the world title match either. Aldis has been feuding with Gunther over the past few months, with ‘The Ring General’ disrespecting and even attacking the SmackDown general manager for not giving him what he wanted. After what transpired at Saturday Night’s Main Event, the higher-ups were left with no choice but to insert a match between the two on the SummerSlam 2026 card. While both men will attempt to hurt one another, Zayn will no doubt be plotting against the man who cost him a world title opportunity. One of the best ways WWE can use Zayn in this situation is to have him serve as a special guest referee, with ‘The Last Real Good Guy’ getting into the heads of each competitor in the match. Zayn would no doubt mess around and make their lives in the match a living hell, but if his disdain for Aldis is higher than it is for Gunther, then he will surely play a key role in making sure Aldis does not walk away as the winner.
It would be disappointing not to see Zayn on the SummerSlam 2026 card in any capacity. Whether it’s competing for the world title or getting involved in the Gunther vs. Aldis match, Zayn must make his presence felt. WWE could also keep him off the card entirely and build his character up on SmackDown after SummerSlam 2026, but that might not go well with the Sami Zayn Day Ones. If Zayn does end up finding himself in Minneapolis, hopefully it’s to make a huge impact.
