Why was Sami Zayn unofficially banned from WWE shows in Saudi Arabia?

Sami Zayn's relationship with Saudi Arabia is one that many fans are aware of, as it also affected his WWE appearances. Ever since WWE announced its partnership with the country in 2018, the superstar was never featured in any of their shows. However, circumstances have now allowed the star to perform in the country.

Sami Zayn, born Rami Sebei, is a superstar who doesn't shy away from his heritage. He is a Muslim and was born in Quebec, Canada, to Syrian parents. Which makes him a Canadian of Syrian descent. In July 2017, he even launched Sami for Syria as a way to provide medical care to civilians displaced by war. Due to the conflicts between Syria and Saudi Arabia, the superstar decided not to appear in shows that took place in the latter country.

However, both countries have since resumed work on diplomatic missions. With that in mind, this was why Sami Zayn could now appear in Saudi Arabia. Additionally, it was also reported that WWE representatives in Saudi Arabia wanted Zayn and Kevin Owens for Night of Champions.

"What basically happened there is that Saudi Arabia has opened up to where Syrians can come in. When Sami was allowed in, he decided to go, and then Kevin decided to go too." [H/T Ringside News]

WWE was last seen in Saudi Arabia in November 2022 for the Crown Jewel show. The main event saw Roman Reigns successfully defend his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Logan Paul.

Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens are slated for a major challenge at WWE Night of Champions

Zayn and Owens' history with The Bloodline has been ongoing for months now, yet it looks like both groups are not done crossing each other's paths. This time around, they will be facing another duo in the group.

After winning the Undisputed Tag Team Championship from The Usos at WrestleMania 39 in impressive fashion, both groups continued to face each other. The former Tag Team Champions were even given a chance to reclaim their titles, but they failed. Due to this, Roman Reigns decided to intervene in order to secure all the gold in The Bloodline once again.

On a recent episode of SmackDown, The Tribal Chief announced that he no longer trusted his cousins to get the job done. Instead, Reigns and Solo Sikoa will battle Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship.

It remains to be seen who will walk out with gold in the upcoming Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, premium live event.