Sami Zayn captured the United States Championship for the first time in his career, defeating Solo Sikoa in the main event of Friday’s SmackDown at the LDLC Arena in Lyon, France. The emotional victory took place in front of a fervent French crowd, just ahead of Clash in Paris.
The title match was granted to Zayn after he secured a non-title victory over Sikoa on a previous episode. Before the bout in Lyon, Zayn addressed the audience with a promo delivered entirely in French, promising to win the championship.
The contest saw interference from Sikoa’s MFT stablemates, but the advantage was neutralized when Jimmy Uso and Jacob Fatu emerged from the crowd to brawl with them to the backstage area. The match featured several dramatic near-falls, including Zayn kicking out of a Spinning Solo and later beating a ten-count after being put through the announce table. The finish came when Zayn countered a Samoan Spike into an exploder suplex, followed by two consecutive Helluva Kicks to secure the pinfall in just under 12 minutes and 30 seconds.
Following the pin, the Lyon audience erupted, singing along to Zayn’s theme music as he celebrated emotionally in the ring. The broadcast concluded with the new champion holding the title high amidst a massive pyro display.
The significance of the moment was quickly acknowledged by WWE’s Chief Content Officer, Triple H. He took to X (formerly Twitter) to congratulate the new champion, sharing a backstage photo and video.
“An incredibly gutsy performance by one of the best. For the first time, @SamiZayn is your United States Champion. #EtNouveau,” Triple H wrote.
This victory marked the rubber match in their televised singles series. Sikoa won their first encounter in March 2023, while Zayn evened the score earlier this month before winning the title in their third meeting. The United States Championship now joins Zayn’s previous accolades, which include four reigns as Intercontinental Champion and an Undisputed Tag Team Championship run alongside Kevin Owens.