WWE Closes Sami Zayn-Roman Reigns Feud With Perfect Main Event at Elimination Chamber

Despite immense pressure under the weight of perhaps the greatest modern pro wrestling storyline ever, WWE stuck to its storytelling intentions and delivered a classic at Elimination Chamber in the main event between Sami Zayn and Roman Reigns.

Zayn, the Daniel Bryan-esque babyface in front of the searing-hot hometown Montreal crowd who looked like an overmatched underdog, nearly took down the unified champion.

And in the telling of the near-classic storybook ending, all involved took careful, measured steps to steer things toward what has consistently seemed like obvious WrestleMania destinations.

How good was the in-ring storytelling Saturday night? The result was effectively set in stone, yet all involved made onlookers believe anyway. That's the magic of pro wrestling at its best, especially in front of a red-hot crowd like the one at the Bell Centre.

"It's kind of an unhappy ending [Saturday]," Zayn said in the post-show press conference. "And I'd be lying if I didn't say it doesn't affect me. I know what this is, we all know what this is, but some of this stuff is real, man. You kind of just dream of that happy ending. So close, but no cigar."

One might say the environment itself was hotter than some of those classic CM Punk in Chicago moments and yet by the time it was all said and done, the arena deflated in a way crowds never really do anymore. There was no heat for Reigns in the aftermath. Just silence, then acceptance.

Thank the storytelling. The Tribal Chief started the match dominant, then gradually agitated at the hostile chants directed at him by 17,000-plus people. So he beat the tar out of Zayn while taunting his family in the stands. The challenger rallied, then looked multiple times as if he'd do the impossible, scoring multiple near-falls.

Then, Jimmy Uso interference. More gut-wrenching near-falls. And finally, Jey Uso stepping in the way of a chair shot from Reigns to Zayn. The tease being Jey using the weapon on his cousin to give the challenger the win, before being on the receiving end of a Zayn spear intended for the champion that set up the finish.

It's the little subtle things that were masterclass. The popular fan theory going into the event was that Jey would ultimately go back to his family, turning on Zayn in order to set up a tag match at WrestleMania 39 featuring The Usos against Zayn and Kevin Owens.

That's still on the table and the probable thing. But Jey just going back to being the abused underling after all these months of storytelling wouldn't fit his character. So, he took friendly fire from Zayn, adding to the dynamic. Yes, he'll team with Jimmy at 'Mania, but reluctantly so.

And while KO ran out to save Zayn from a post-match beatdown, there was no embrace or words exchanged, just glares. The two have a long history and haven't been great to each other recently, so the full reconciliation needs to be earned another day. They're a bit even now, but not all the way there yet as friends and/or tag partners.

WWE could always throw a curveball at fans between now and 'Mania, somehow finding a way to make the main event a Triple Threat featuring Zayn, Cody Rhodes and Reigns.

But the ship seems to have sailed on splitting the titles before then, no matter how much sense it makes with Rhodes only wanting the belt his father never won. A Triple Threat would give The Usos little to do and leave Owens hanging.

More likely the intended plan all along has been the tag team match main-eventing 'Mania on Night 1 before Rhodes and Reigns close Night 2.

All this time, Zayn's interference has ultimately driven an irreparable wedge in The Bloodline, culminating in ripping the titles off The Usos before Rhodes falls. That's a fitting end for Zayn, at least for now, as a win at The Show of Shows would give Jey permission to leave that situation for good. One has to look far back in the history books to find the last time a tag match main-evented at WrestleMania, too.

None of this is possible without the fantastic execution of the main event on Saturday night. All involved at least deserve a little kudos for not giving in to the moment. The intended tale hasn't reached its ending just yet.

It's hard to call anything perfect, let alone pro wrestling most times, especially when a tale works to a predictable result. But Saturday night flirted with that in a way fans don't often see. Nevertheless, those same fans are a tad spoiled with this arc—they just saw it recently at the Royal Rumble when Zayn initially betrayed Reigns, a true testament to what will go down as one of the best storylines ever.

All that remains is a proper end to the tale at WrestleMania. And if the main event of Elimination Chamber and what came before it are any sign, the resolution in early April shouldn't have any problem nearing perfection and cementing the storyline in all-timer territory.