Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are not what most fans would associate with being typical WWE superstars. Instead, both feel like better fits for a more wrestling-based company. Yet Owens and Zayn have done a wonderful job since moving up to the main roster and have been able to establish themselves in key spots on the card. Through the course of their careers, they have both teamed with and fought against each other. Their earliest encounters go far as back as 2003, on the Canadian independent circuit, when Owens was working as Kevin Steen and Zayn was under a mask as El Generico. Also, both come from Quebec, and as a result, this is a friendship that has lasted a long time and been through the bingo halls on the indies to the packed stadiums of WrestleMania.

UPDATE: 2022/12/16 09:00 EST BY ANDREW KELLY

The friendship and rivalry between Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn is something that has managed to blossom in multiple promotions and over many different years. No matter how many times their relationship is revisited, the pair manage to somehow make things different and entertaining every single time. Even in 2022, the next chapter of their saga is still ongoing, with it feeling as though their story will only come to an end once they’ve retired from in-ring action. Going into 2023, the pair are involved in arguably the best storyline in not only WWE, but all of professional wrestling, which just goes to show how compelling the two have made their friendship and rivalry over the years.

Kevin Owens And Sami Zayn Enjoyed A Legendary Run On The Independent Circuit

Both Zayn and Owens started on the Canadian independent circuit, and would find themselves pitted against each from early on in their careers. Their earliest matches took place in 2003, and the two would end up competing for the IWS (International Wrestling Syndicate) World Heavyweight Championship as far back as 2004. The feud or partnership between the two has spanned a couple of decades and several promotions. The two faced or teamed with each other in promotions like Combat Zone Wrestling, Ring of Honor, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla and CHIKARA, before ever making it to WWE.RELATED: Triple H’s Friendship With William Regal, Explained

Thus, it should come as no surprise to anybody that the two have been friends for a long time now, with Owens even describing Zayn as a 'brother' in the past. Their feud on the independent circuit was legendary to say the least. In 2010, it was named by Wrestling Observer Newsletter as the feud of the year.

Kevin Owens And Sami Zayn Met Again In NXT

Zayn signed with WWE in early 2013 and promptly became one of the top stars on the company's developmental brand, NXT. His rise to the top, and winning the NXT Championship in late 2014, is one of the best stories that the company have told in a long time. Incidentally, on the same night, Owens ended up making his debut on NXT. The rivalry between Zayn and Owens was restarted immediately. Owens would come to the ring after Zayn's NXT Championship triumph to congratulate him, only to turn on him and powerbomb him on the apron.

Owens would ultimately end up winning the NXT Championship by beating Zayn. Neither man would remain on the developmental brand for much longer though. Owens made an impactful debut on the main roster, while he was still the NXT Champion, by beating John Cena clean in his very first match. There are few people in the business who have gotten a bigger win straight off the bat in the WWE. Things did not start as smoothly for Zayn though, who also faced Cena in his first match on the main roster. Not only did he taste defeat, but he was also injured. Ultimately, it would end up sidelining him for several months.

The Kevin Owens-Sami Zayn Story Continued On The WWE Main Roster

Zayn would make his return to the ring in late 2015 and was in the 2016 Royal Rumble, where he eliminated Owens. The two would continue to battle on-and-off for the next year or so, before a surprising turn from Zayn. Zayn would turn heel for the first time in his career in 2017, when he helped Owens beat Shane McMahon in a Hell in a Cell match. He would end up proclaiming that Owens had been right all along and started to team with him. This certainly added a fresh dimension to the long-running story. Many fans had viewed Zayn as someone who would always remain babyface, but he has shown his incredible range and thrived as a heel.

RELATED: How The French-Speaking Kevin Owens Learned The English Language Because Of WWE

It is incredible how much both Owens and Zayn have achieved over their careers, especially considering they do not fit the mold of a typical WWE superstar. Both were rumored with moves to AEW earlier but have stayed with the WWE instead, as the Owens-Zayn story looks set to continue.

The two got their one-on-one match at WrestleMania last year, with Owens coming on top. It should not come as a surprise to anyone though if the company decide to revisit it in the future. Both are doing some of the most entertaining work of their careers at the moment.

The Friendship Between Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens Is At The Heart Of WWE's Best Storyline

Throughout 2022, Sami Zayn has grown closer and closer to The Bloodline, with him being brought into the faction despite not being a member of the Anoa’i Family. His role as “Honorary Uce” has resulted in some of the most comedic, compelling, and emotional wrestling television seen in quite some time. The back and forth between whether or not Roman Reigns will turn on him and vice versa, in addition to the different dynamics within the group, have made for must-see television. In the midst of all this, is the friendship between Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, which may be the thing that breaks this entire alliance apart.

RELATED: How Sami Zayn Went From A Generic Wrestler To An Honorary Uce In WWOwens has come out and said that Zayn is one of the best professional wrestlers on the planet, though that has been lost recently. Despite their differences, he has given Zayn advice to get out of The Bloodline before he gets betrayed. Zayn’s love for Owens has seen him conflicted, and this played into the brilliant War Games match at Survivor Series. It is expected that down the line, Zayn and Owens’ friendship will be the stronger pull, with a potential match between Zayn & Owens and The Usos at WrestleMania 39.

It is astonishing to see that despite well over a decade of their relationship being showcased in professional wrestling, that it is still managing to be as good as it is. No matter what, they seem to have a magnetic pull to one another within storylines, whether that be as opponents or partners. The next steps of this story will be intriguing, as it will hopefully see them win the WWE Tag Team Titles for the first time and have an extended run in the tag team division - that is until one of the pair inevitably turns on the other again.