WWE may address status of Sami Zayn's Intercontinental Title this week

WWE is set to take a call on another championship this week. After Becky Lynch vacated her Raw Women’s Championship, another WWE Superstar may have to give up his title if reports are to be believed. According to Post Wrestling, the status of the Intercontinental championship may well be addressed this week on SmackDown Live. Current Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn, who is a part of SmackDown, has not been present at recent shows at the WWE Performance Center. The Intercontinental title was not defended at the Money in the Bank PPV.

Sani Zayn had also pulled out of last week's SmackDown TV tapings. According to Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer, Zayn has chosen to not appear on SmackDown tapings and "had still not agreed to return to work at last word".

Hope everyone is doing okay.

— Sami Zayn (@SamiZayn) May 12, 2020

WWE have given their Superstars the liberty to not appear on shows if they do not want to, due to the coronavirus pandemic. While wrestlers have been asked not to attend tapings if they are worried about exposure, WWE management decide to take the title away from Zayn in order to further along storylines with other Superstars.

WWE has been forced to adjust plans and change storyline due to the coronavirus outbreak. WWE has already decided to crown one new champion due to the coronavirus pandemic. With NXT Cruiserweight Champion Jordan Devlin unable to leave Ireland during the pandemic, it decided to crown an interim titleholder via an eight-man round robin tournament.

Timothy Thatcher has subbed in for Pete Dunne in NXT Tag Team Championship matches alongside Matt Riddle. Earlier, Braun Strowman was inserted into the match against Goldberg at WrestleMania in the absence of Roman Reigns.

Sami Zayn Has Not Appeared On WWE Since WrestleMania

Zayn had won the title from Strowman at Elimination Chamber in March. However, he hasn't wrestled a match since WrestleMania 36 where he had defended his title against Daniel Bryan. Zayn is currently the leader of the Artists Collective faction consisting of Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro.

Zayn recently had his wisdom teeth removed and it could be another reason behind his absence from WWE TV. Zayn hasn't been in any feud since the end of his feud with Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania 36.

Zayn was expected to resume his storyline with Daniel Bryan after the Money in the Bank PPV. Bryan and Zayn were originally booked to have a lengthy feud and that WWE could have got back to it after MITB. However, with Zayn not expected to appear on the show, the feud may have to wait.

There has been speculation that Zayn’s decision to stay home may be related to concerns related to coronavirus like Reigns. The Big Dog had pulled out of WrestleMania 36 and WWE tapings in order to protect his newborn twin boys amid concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.

Meanwhile, Money In the Bank winner Otis will appear on this week's SmackDown as part of a Miz TV segment with The Miz on Friday. WWE NXT Women's Champion Charlotte Flair will also appear on the show.

Becky Lynch on Monday announced that she is pregnant and will remain away from action for "a while." The Man relinquished the Raw women's title to the 2020 Money in the Bank winner Asuka. Lynch held the Raw women's champion belt for a record number of 398 days after defeating Ronda Rousey in the WrestleMania 35 main event in April 2019.

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