The Road to WrestleMania could very well end up being 'The Season of Sami'

Riding the biggest wave of popularity in his WWE career, Sami Zayn could hold the key to some of the promotion's biggest storylines as we head toward WrestleMania 39

The flipping of the calendar to a new year usually means a few things; A handful of hangovers, lots of soon-to-be-broken resolutions, and the annual sports entertainment phenomenon known as The Road to WrestleMania.

This year's path will ultimately lead to a huge match-up for Roman Reigns at The Show of Shows. As the face of the franchise and the long-reigning WWE Universal Champion, the event will (rightfully) center around him. At that point, his title reign will have surpassed 1000 days. So, the drama of who will ultimately topple the king will provide the ultimate script on the highway to Hollywood.

While The Tribal Chief is the man who sits atop the throne right now, one of his court jesters may be the one who is the wild card in this entire game. The biggest joker of them all - the wildly entertaining Sami Zayn - is an intriguing trump card at this stage of things. His success as part of The Bloodline, as well as his close relationship with The Champ, will put him center stage in whatever angles guide us into April.

Zayn has skyrocketed in popularity over the past several months. He began as a lovable underdog, an outsider who just wanted to brush up beside greatness. Eventually, however, he became a powerful ally and an asset for The Bloodline, eventually endearing him to the entire group. Once critical of his inclusion, even Jey Uso saw the light, following Sami's MVP performance for the group at Survivor Series.

Sami Zayn is now one of WWE's elite names and most influential characters

Always one of the promotion's most reliable performers, Zayn has never quite been to this level before. Of course, he's been involved in high-profile elements of WWE programming in the past. But in terms of both storyline and status, the Quebec native achieved new heights in 2022. When standing among the bevy of stars in The Bloodline, the crowd often chants Sami's name the loudest.

It's not only been terrific recognition for one of the very best in the business, but it's also let him experiment with his persona. He's stretched out on promos and really added a lot of wrinkles to his overall identity. And based on the reactions of the people, it's all been working out perfectly.

That's why it's so hard to gauge what will happen next. It's difficult to see the folks in charge of WWE wanting to break up such a successful act. And make no mistake, the team of Sami and Roman is a winning act. The pair onscreen together is 'must-watch TV'.

At the same time, the drama surrounding an eventual turn has been brewing for weeks. Hints have been thrown out here and there, and the WWE Universe is left speculating on who will be holding the knife in the end.

It's a murder mystery where no one wants to see a victim. They're so lovable as both a dramatic and comedic duo, so their eventual split must come in an absolutely earth-shattering way. It's got to be swift and shocking, and almost jarring to our collective souls.

Will it be The Head of the Table giving his trusted sidekick the boot? Or, will Zayn turn on his leader in an almost Shakespearean fashion? Et Tu, Brute?

How big of a factor will Sami Zayn be on The Road to WrestleMania?

The junior member of The Bloodline should get a lot of screen time going forward. The faction itself should be heavily featured, not just on Smackdown but RAW, as well. They are the hottest story in the entire industry presently, and things are only going to heat up further as we inch closer to 'Mania.

In the coming months, WWE will hopefully continue to string along the 'will he or won't he?' angle amongst this collection of talent. There are a million different possibilities, but the majority of them would be funneled through Zayn. In the current atmosphere of the promotion's storylines, he is the straw that stirs the drink. Moreso than even Reigns, in many ways. How he interacts with The Tribal Chief in the coming weeks (especially through The Royal Rumble) should give us a few hints on what lies ahead.

Mostly, Zayn's value will come from the spice he will add to every single showdown. If Reigns faces Kevin Owens, Zayn is a huge X-factor. If he takes on Cody Rhodes, that may be a different story. That's where Sami's value lies: the fact that he represents a potential fly in the ointment. His presence alone is enough to keep things on edge and add to the intrigue. That's why he could very well be the most important piece of the overall puzzle.

Without being the champion or being featured in the main event, Sami Zayn might steal the show at WrestleMania 39. He's put himself on that pedestal now, as one of the most prominent and fascinating characters in the industry.

Now, all we can do is sit back... and wait for him to write a huge piece of history in 2023. The flipping of the calendar to a new year usually means a few things; A handful of hangovers, lots of soon-to-be-broken resolutions, and the annual sports entertainment phenomenon known as The Road to WrestleMania.

This year's path will ultimately lead to a huge match-up for Roman Reigns at The Show of Shows. As the face of the franchise and the long-reigning WWE Universal Champion, the event will (rightfully) center around him. At that point, his title reign will have surpassed 1000 days. So, the drama of who will ultimately topple the king will provide the ultimate script on the highway to Hollywood.

While The Tribal Chief is the man who sits atop the throne right now, one of his court jesters may be the one who is the wild card in this entire game. The biggest joker of them all - the wildly entertaining Sami Zayn - is an intriguing trump card at this stage of things. His success as part of The Bloodline, as well as his close relationship with The Champ, will put him center stage in whatever angles guide us into April.

Zayn has skyrocketed in popularity over the past several months. He began as a lovable underdog, an outsider who just wanted to brush up beside greatness. Eventually, however, he became a powerful ally and an asset for The Bloodline, eventually endearing him to the entire group. Once critical of his inclusion, even Jey Uso saw the light, following Sami's MVP performance for the group at Survivor Series.

Sami Zayn is now one of WWE's elite names and most influential characters

Always one of the promotion's most reliable performers, Zayn has never quite been to this level before. Of course, he's been involved in high-profile elements of WWE programming in the past. But in terms of both storyline and status, the Quebec native achieved new heights in 2022. When standing among the bevy of stars in The Bloodline, the crowd often chants Sami's name the loudest.

It's not only been terrific recognition for one of the very best in the business, but it's also let him experiment with his persona. He's stretched out on promos and really added a lot of wrinkles to his overall identity. And based on the reactions of the people, it's all been working out perfectly.

That's why it's so hard to gauge what will happen next. It's difficult to see the folks in charge of WWE wanting to break up such a successful act. And make no mistake, the team of Sami and Roman is a winning act. The pair onscreen together is 'must-watch TV'.

At the same time, the drama surrounding an eventual turn has been brewing for weeks. Hints have been thrown out here and there, and the WWE Universe is left speculating on who will be holding the knife in the end.

It's a murder mystery where no one wants to see a victim. They're so lovable as both a dramatic and comedic duo, so their eventual split must come in an absolutely earth-shattering way. It's got to be swift and shocking, and almost jarring to our collective souls.

Will it be The Head of the Table giving his trusted sidekick the boot? Or, will Zayn turn on his leader in an almost Shakespearean fashion? Et Tu, Brute?

How big of a factor will Sami Zayn be on The Road to WrestleMania?

The junior member of The Bloodline should get a lot of screen time going forward. The faction itself should be heavily featured, not just on Smackdown but RAW, as well. They are the hottest story in the entire industry presently, and things are only going to heat up further as we inch closer to 'Mania.

In the coming months, WWE will hopefully continue to string along the 'will he or won't he?' angle amongst this collection of talent. There are a million different possibilities, but the majority of them would be funneled through Zayn. In the current atmosphere of the promotion's storylines, he is the straw that stirs the drink. Moreso than even Reigns, in many ways. How he interacts with The Tribal Chief in the coming weeks (especially through The Royal Rumble) should give us a few hints on what lies ahead.

Mostly, Zayn's value will come from the spice he will add to every single showdown. If Reigns faces Kevin Owens, Zayn is a huge X-factor. If he takes on Cody Rhodes, that may be a different story. That's where Sami's value lies: the fact that he represents a potential fly in the ointment. His presence alone is enough to keep things on edge and add to the intrigue. That's why he could very well be the most important piece of the overall puzzle.

Without being the champion or being featured in the main event, Sami Zayn might steal the show at WrestleMania 39. He's put himself on that pedestal now, as one of the most prominent and fascinating characters in the industry.

Now, all we can do is sit back... and wait for him to write a huge piece of history in 2023.