New WWE Champion Sami Zayn Calls Absent Kevin Owens a ‘One of One’ Talent

Fresh off capturing the WWE Championship for the first time in his career, Sami Zayn is already thinking about his longtime friend and frequent tag partner Kevin Owens — and what the roster looks like without him.

Zayn won the title at a WWE Premium Live Event over the weekend, claiming the championship in a triple threat match to reach the top of the mountain after years of memorable moments throughout his run with the company. In the aftermath of the win, Zayn addressed Owens’ ongoing absence from WWE programming, calling him a “one of one” talent who leaves a noticeable void whenever he isn’t on the roster.

The two men have one of the most layered relationships in recent WWE history — a decades-long bond forged on the independent circuit that translated into everything from bitter rivalries to beloved tag team runs on the main roster. The Sami and KO dynamic has been appointment television in virtually every form it’s taken, and Zayn’s comments reflect just how much Owens’ absence is felt both personally and professionally.

Owens has been away from WWE television, and with Zayn now sitting atop the company as its top champion, the prospect of Owens eventually returning to a Zayn-led landscape adds a compelling wrinkle to what comes next. Whether that reunion takes a friendly or adversarial form remains to be seen, but if Zayn’s words are any indication, he’s keenly aware that the story between them is far from finished.