Dave Meltzer Explains Why Sami Zayn Had a Short WWE Title Run, Says Zayn Is Not a ‘Money Player’ in WWE’s Minds

The WWE Undisputed Title run for Sami Zayn came to a screeching halt last night on WWE Raw. CM Punk served as a last-minute surprise replacement for Cody Rhodes, who was not cleared to compete in the scheduled title bout. Punk, in front of a friendly hometown crowd in Chicago, defeated Zayn, ending the latter’s title reign after only nine days. Dave Meltzer offered more insight regarding why Zayn’s title run was so short on today’s edition of Wrestling Observer Radio.

Meltzer stated that Zayn being a long-term champion was never part of the plan. He explained, “Sami Zayn was never going to be the champion that people that were really happy that he won wanted him to be, it was never going to happen.” He continued, “I mean, the big question was, was it going to be nine days or was he going to be three weeks, or was it going to be a month. And it was nine days.”

Meltzer added, “I saw a lot of people upset about it, and it’s like, look, this is what it was going to be, you know that going in. They don’t, at this point in time — they do this for the undercard titles, they really don’t for the two major men’s titles, they really aren’t — I mean, in the past, absolutely, there were absolutely times where they were passed around belts. You know, I’ve told the stories. We’ve all told the stories.”

WWE Reportedly Doesn’t View Sami Zayn as a ‘Money Player’

Meltzer also noted that Zayn isn’t viewed as a money player in the minds of the top WWE executives. He stated on the main men’s WWE titles and Zayn, “They really aren’t passed around belts now. They really are in the hands of the people who, the perception is, are the money players, and Sami’s not in their minds one of those people; he could’ve been. There was a time when he was, but even then, in their minds, he wasn’t.”

According to Meltzer, WWE doesn’t view Zayn as a “money player” because they’re still “all brainwashed by the cosmetics in a lot of ways, and that certain people are certain people but can’t be the guy in their minds that can’t be the guy.”

WWE has since released a video showing a devastated CM Punk screaming about Sami Zayn returning and getting a title shot after being away from TV for months.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Wrestling Observer Radio, with an h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.