#283: The Usos vs. Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn, WWE WrestleMania 39, Night 1 (4/1/2023).
This is for the Usos’ Undisputed Tag Team Championships.
Zayn had been a member of the Bloodline since the middle of last year, and had worked his way into the favor of Roman Reigns, The Usos and Solo Sikoa. But by the time Roman defeated Kevin Owens at the Royal Rumble, things had changed, and Sami turned his back on the Bloodline in a memorable moment. He’d challenge Roman for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at Elimnation Chamber, and he’d fall short thanks to interference from The Usos.
Kevin Owens would return after a month long absence, and reunite with his long time friend Zayn in their pursuit of tag team gold against The Usos, who by this point have become the longest reigning Tag Team Champions in WWE history.
This match marks the first time ever that the Tag Team Championship match has main evented WrestleMania.
The bell sounds, and we begin with Sami Zayn and Jey Uso. How appropriate, considering the trust these two men thought they’d built together in the Bloodline. They lock up, and Jey takes the side headlock. He lands a shoulder tackle to Zayn, and does the Bloodline pose. They lock up again, and Jey again takes the side headlock. Nice Lou Thesz press by Zayn. Jimmy makes the tag, and sends Zayn to the outside. He connects with a big clothesline.
He drives Zayn face first into the ring post. Jey makes the tag now, and lands a Tope onto Zayn. He follows up with a suplex on the floor. Back in the ring, Jey lands some vicious forearms to Zayn in the ropes, and Jimmy adds to it with a boot to the face. Jimmy tags in, and he stomps away at Zayn’s body. He takes a cheap shot at Owens, knocking him off the apron. Jey is in, and he gets a nearfall off of Zayn. He puts Zayn in a chin lock next.
Zayn finally fights his way back, knocking both Usos down. He makes the long crawl to Owens, who finally tags in, and Owens goes to the top rope. He hits a cannonball on the champions, and then sends Jimmy into the ring post. He brings Jey into the ring, and lands a frog splash from the apron to Jimmy. He goes back to the top rope, and hits another frog splash to Jey for a nearfall. Owens goes for the stunner, and Jey counters into a neckbreaker.
Jey places Owens on the top rope, and Jimmy makes the tag. Owens knocks Jimmy off the apron, and lands a Swanton Bomb to Jey, who gets his knees up to block it. Jimmy lands the Uso Splash to Owens, and he kicks out. Owens blocks a hip attack by Jimmy, and lands two superkicks. He follows up with the cannonball splash in the corner. He goes to the top rope, but here’s Jey to hold onto his leg. Zayn grabs Jey and hits a brainbuster on the apron!
Owens hits the Swanton Bomb to Jimmy, and he gets a nearfall. Zayn tags in, and hits the Uso Splash on Jimmy! He covers, and Jimmy kicks out. Jimmy elbows Zayn, and then superkicks Owens off the apron. He tags in Jey, as Zayn hits the Blue Thunder Bomb on him. Superkick by Jey, and Zayn kicks out. Another superkick by Jey, and he tosses his shirt at him. Jimmy tags in, and we get multiple superkicks on him. Jimmy makes the cover, and Owens breaks up the pin.
Jey superkicks Owens out of the ring. He tags into the match, and The Usos land a double superkick to Zayn. Jey covers, and Zayn kicks out. Jimmy tags back in, and they hit another double superkick. Jimmy hooks the leg, and Zayn again kicks out. Jey tags back in, and Owens cuts off their double team offense by sending Jimmy into the announce table. Zayn gets a sunset flip roll up on Jey for 2. Owens tries to powerbomb Jimmy, but Jey cuts him off. The Usos grab Owens, and throw him through the opposite announce table. The Usos hit the 1D on Zayn, and he kicks out! No one in history has ever kicked out of the One and Done. Jimmy is in disbelief.
Jey smacks Zayn, and asks him why he won’t quit. He elbows him repeatedly in the face. Jey hits the Helluva Kick on Zayn, his own finisher. Jey talks more trash, and Zayn hits an Exploder Suplex into the turnbuckle out of nowhere. Owens is somehow back on the apron. Zayn makes the crawl, and he tags in his best friend. Owens with a Pop Up Powerbomb to Jimmy, and one to Jey. Helluva Kick to Jimmy, and a Stunner to Jey. Owens makes the cover, and Jey kicks out. The crowd is losing their mind.
Both teams return to their feet, and stare each other down. The crowd pops hard for this moment. Big brawl between both teams, as Owens and Jey go at it, while Zayn and Jimmy go at it. Superkick by Jey, and one by Jimmy to Owens, and a double superkick to him, and then to Zayn. The Usos hit the Double Uso Splash to Owens. Jey covers, and Owens kicks out! Jimmy makes the tag, and The Usos hit another double superkick to his jaw.
Jey tags back in, and he places Owens on the top rope. Zayn pulls Jimmy out of the ring, and throws him across the announce table. Owens grabs Jey and hits a fisherman back suplex to the mat! Zayn gets on the apron, and begs for the tag. The crowd pops hard, as Owens tags in Zayn. The former Honoary Uce stares at Jey, and hits the Helluva Kick. Jey collapses into his arms, and Zayn places him in the corner. He hits another one, and Owens hits the Stunner to Jimmy.
One more Helluva Kick by Zayn to Jey, and that’s enough to win! Owens and Zayn are the new Undisputed Tag Team Champions! What an unbelievable match. While I’m certainly in the minority when I say it should’ve been Sami Zayn against Roman Reigns in the main event, I can’t deny the story being told here against The Usos, and everyone here played their part well. This was an exciting, up and down, thrill ride of emotion and storytelling. The action was also fucking great, too.
The Usos were great heels here, as they systematically tore apart the challengers, and showed malice throughout. Owens was a great backup for Zayn, as his saves throughout this match were pulled off very well. Zayn was the star here, as he fought tooth and nail with his former stablemates, and never gave up. He ate so many superkicks, and he never stayed down. This was about revenge, and this was a full circle moment for Zayn, who saw through the cracks of the Bloodline, and remembered exactly who he was – Kevin Owens’ best friend.
Tremendous stuff here, and a match I can say is one of the best tag team matches of all time. I was blown away by the quality here. I was parachuted into this match, as I still wasn’t watching WWE at this time, but I fucking loved this.