Sami Zayn’s victory over Solo Sikoa to win the WWE United States Championship on last night’s SmackDown was not just a career milestone; it was also a historic one. The win placed the fan-favorite superstar into a very exclusive club of international champions.
Sami Zayn Joins An Exclusive Club
As pointed out by WrestleStatcast, Zayn’s victory in Lyon, France, made him only the fifth wrestler born outside of the United States to win the United States Championship in a country other than the US.
The unique history of the title spans both WWE and WCW. The first to accomplish the feat was Kensuke Sasaki, who won the WCW US Title in his home country in 1995. He was followed by Canada’s Lance Storm, who won the title in the United Kingdom during a WCW event in 2000.
A History Of International US Champions
After the title became a WWE property, the trend continued. WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart won the championship in his home country in 2010. In 2024, Shinsuke Nakamura captured the title at the Survivor Series event in Toronto, Canada.
Zayn now adds his name to this unique list of international United States Champions. The victory on SmackDown marks the first time in his decorated career that he has held the title.