Roman Reigns' Win at WWE Crown Jewel vs. Sami Zayn Sets Him Up For a Massive L Soon

Roman Reigns picking up a win over Sami Zayn at Crown Jewel will surely set the pro wrestling fanbase ablaze yet again.

As the age-old adage in the sport goes, though, the worst reaction is no reaction. And this particular outcome with Reigns and Zayn is a measured decision that aligns with ongoing themes and sets up big surprises at landmarks like Survivor Series soon.

In fact, Reigns beating Zayn is hardly surprising. The biggest shocker of the night from Saudi Arabia was the fact that Royce Keyes' 946 didn't interfere.

Real Winners and Losers of Crown Jewel ⬆️⬇️

Talk about coming full circle: The biggest complaint about Reigns during his Bloodline days was that he always won dirty and with an assist. Now…fans are mad he's winning clean and there's little outside shenanigans.

Said fans aren't really paying attention, considering this current Reigns run has been all about him picking up clean wins. It's all for the long-term benefit of the obvious Oba Femi match at next year's WrestleMania.

It also benefits Keyes and 946. When the faction warfare unfolds at Survivor Series, there's a little leeway for Reigns to take a beating and a loss, maybe even eating a pin. That's the only time on the calendar before 'Mania that was ever realistic for Reigns to take a loss.

Cementing a new faction by having them beat down and win over the previously dominant faction is a no-brainer route. That PLE also offers layers of angles to spin off, too, since Solo Sikoa or Jacob Fatu could play a role that actually costs Reigns a win.

And to be blunt, we have to stop pretending that Zayn needed the win over Reigns, or even that the loss devalues him. His stock has never been higher in WWE. Now he's getting main-event programs with Reigns that continue a story years in the making.

Want to see devalued? Take a gander at fan favorite LA Knight, who gets chances and losses, chances and losses, while becoming a meme online when a WWE docuseries reveals that the powers behind the scenes are iffy on him right before the botch lowlight reels.

The 42-year-old Zayn will be fine. Reigns is a vehicle to put over the next generation. Scoff all you want, but his getting involved with 946 is absolutely massive for the members of that stable. A faction that is mostly 32 years old or younger.

Also in that age bracket and the "next generation of the very top of the sport" bracket? The 28-year-old Femi.

Truth might hurt, but this isn't about building up Reigns. A loss tomorrow would mint his challenger for life. It's more about common sense. There's a vocal portion of the pro wrestling fanbase sticking its collective fingers in its ears, pretending this is still Big Dog Roman Reigns when it's not. WWE can't win with how it's handling Reigns, but it's inarguable that he's the top guy with the most crossover appeal to non-wrestling sectors right now.

WWE can't really win at Survivor Series with that sort of fan, either, because Reigns losing won't be a "loss" to them. What it can do, though, is put 946 in the best position to succeed by using his star power and this general angst about all things Reigns to make them look good and keep the momentum going.

We'll revisit this sort of topic if WWE bellyflops and has Bloodline win at the next big PLE or just generally botches the whole thing. If it's all just a ruse to fulfill a PLE's namesake before nothing from before it matters again, well, that's an issue everyone hoped WWE had outgrown.

But for now? Zayn isn't worse off from the "loss" at an overseas show with a made-up title that most fans agree isn't all that important anyway. Reigns isn't "stronger" for it. He is, though, set up for a loss that could really matter to the promotion's future before the year's out, so fans would be wise to look past the initial knee-jerk reaction for now.