WWE Rumors on Kevin Owens-Sami Zayn Botch and Dragon Lee's Contract, Cardona's New Injury Timeline

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.

Botched Finish to Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens Match Explained

The main event of Friday's SmackDown between Undisputed WWE Champion Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens ended in bizarre fashion, but it sounds like neither Superstar was at fault.

In the closing moments of Zayn and Owens' championship match, CM Punk made his presence felt when he drilled Owens with the title belt. Zayn immediately went for the pin, but fans were left confused after the referee counted all the way to three but didn't call for the bell. Zayn eventually hit another Helluva Kick and pinned Owens again to end the match, but the botched ending was hard to ignore.

According to a report from Fightful Select (h/t Steve Carrier of Ringside News), WWE sources said that Owens was never supposed to kick out after being hit with the championship belt, so the confusion arose when the referee didn't call for the bell. Zayn and Owens were forced to continue the action and create a new finish on the fly.

The match already had some shenanigans when Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae interfered, but the shaky ending muddied the waters even further.

It's clear that WWE is building toward a three-man rivalry between Zayn, Owens and Punk, but fans need to see a cleaner operation to get fully invested in the storyline.

Contract Status Updates for Dragon Lee, Others

Dragon Lee recently impressed in his match against Intercontinental Champion Chad Gable on Monday Night Raw in Mexico City, but it sounds like his future in WWE is in question.

Wrestling Observer's Bryan Alvarez recently reported that Lee's WWE contract is nearing its expiration date. The timing of his free agency could match up with his brother, Dralistico of AEW, and there's speculation that they could look to land in the same promotion.

"Dragon Lee and Dralistico both have deals expiring fairly soon, and interestingly enough, they have trademarked the name HERMANOS LEE," Alvarez stated (h/t Steve Carrier of Ringside News).

Despite the uncertainty surrounding Lee's contract status, he's remained a featured member of WWE's programming. He's scheduled to compete in a Money in the Bank qualifier against Solo Sikoa and Dominik Mysterio on this week's episode of Monday Night Raw.

With WWE continuing to grow AAA as its sister promotion, Lee and Dralistico could have a prominent role if they choose to join forces. Alvarez also reported that "there are at least four Latin WWE/AEW talent whose contracts are coming due between October and February, not including Dralistico and Dragon Lee," so more Superstars could be on the move as well.

Matt Cardona Teases Injury Return Timeline

Matt Cardona recently underwent surgery to repair his torn triceps, but he's already looking ahead to his potential return to the ring.

While speaking to Katie Nolan (h/t Felix Upton of Ringside News), Cardona predicted that he could be back in action early next year at one of WWE's "Big 4" premium live events.

"Yeah, the plan is to be back shorter than the surgeons say. Maybe come back to the Royal Rumble," Cardona said. "Who knows?"

Cardona went on to point out that the Royal Rumble has been pushed back from its usual January date.

"That's February this year. So, I got some time," he added.

Cardona suffered the injury last month during a match on WWE Main Event, telling Nolan he "was just too muscular that it just ripped right off my elbow."

Still, it sounds like the 41-year-old is motivated to come back with a vengeance, so he will continue to provide updates on his progress as he recovers.