Sami Zayn Triumphs in Thriller to Capture U.S. Championship on SmackDown

LYON, France (August 29, 2025) - In front of a raucous crowd at the LDLC Arena, Sami Zayn dethroned Solo Sikoa to claim the WWE United States Championship for the first time in his career.

The main event kicked off with Sikoa asserting his power early, dropping Zayn with a Spinning Solo and controlling the bout with the backing of the MFTs. Zayn battled back through a series of signature dives, including a risky dive to ringside, but took further punishment when Sikoa repeatedly executed his spinning strikes onto the commentary table. Just as it seemed Sikoa’s dominance would prevail, interference from Jimmy Uso and a surprise appearance by Jacob Fatu neutralized the MFTs at ringside, swinging momentum in Zayn’s favor.

Back inside the ring, Zayn survived a Samoan Drop and two consecutive frogsplashes, only to dodge a Samoan Spike and counter into a pair of Helluva Kicks. The second Helluva Kick was enough to secure the three-count, crowning Zayn as the new United States Champion to thunderous applause from the French fans.

Post-match, Zayn celebrated atop the turnbuckles, hoisting the U.S. Championship belt and marking the beginning of his first run with the title.

The victory caps off a red-hot resurgence for Zayn on Friday Night SmackDown and sets the stage for a heated fall season as he defends his new gold.