Who Could Join Sami Zayn’s ‘Ride Or Die’ Faction Next?

Sami Zayn has leaned heavily on his self-styled ‘Ride or Dies,’ Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae, as he’s fended off a crowded field of challengers for the Undisputed WWE Championship. The arrangement has worked both ways: Zayn has had allies in his corner through a stretch of title defenses, while Gargano and LeRae have enjoyed a more prominent spotlight on WWE television than they’ve had in some time. That success raises an obvious question heading into the next phase of Zayn’s title reign — does the group expand?

The faction was put to the test on SmackDown on Friday, October 23, when Zayn and Gargano brought in Ricky Saints for a six-man matchup against Penta, Rey Fenix and Trick Williams. The trio came up short, which complicates — but doesn’t necessarily close off — the idea of Saints eventually being welcomed into the fold. Saints has shown signs of life in recent SmackDown appearances after a relatively quiet summer, but he’s still not being presented as a top-of-the-card player. A more defined role alongside Zayn could be the vehicle WWE uses to let Saints’ personality breathe on screen in a way his current booking hasn’t allowed.

On the Raw side, Otis and Akira Tozawa present a different kind of opportunity. Both are well-liked characters who haven’t felt essential to the show’s storytelling since Otis’ momentum cratered following Chad Gable’s heel turn and the Gable–Zayn feud years ago. As likable as they are, Otis and Tozawa have largely been treading water as straightforward babyfaces with little direction. Slotting them in as enthusiastic, slightly overmatched hype men for Zayn — not unlike the role Gargano currently plays — could give them a clearer purpose and a bump in visibility without requiring a full character overhaul.

Then there’s Big Cass, whose career has found its best moments when he’s playing muscle for a smaller, scrappier partner — first alongside Enzo Amore in WWE, more recently next to Ricky Saints in AEW. Zayn isn’t undersized by any stretch, but adding a legitimate enforcer to watch his back would fit the besieged-champion dynamic WWE has built around him. Cass also showed real comedic range during his run in Chris Jericho’s Learning Tree, suggesting there’s untapped potential for him to be more than just muscle if he landed in Zayn’s circle.

None of this is confirmed WWE creative — it’s speculation born from how well the Gargano-LeRae pairing has clicked and how many roster spots on both Raw and SmackDown could use a spark. But the appeal of the Ride or Dies as a storytelling device is clear: it gives Zayn allies worth rooting for and gives underused talent a built-in excuse to matter again. With Zayn still juggling a stacked list of championship threats, don’t be surprised if WWE decides that two Ride or Dies aren’t enough. Whether it’s Saints looking to erase a loss, Otis and Tozawa searching for new footing, or Cass angling for a fresh runway, the door to Zayn’s circle doesn’t look closed just yet.