The pro-wrestling industry has been very vocal in its praise following Sami Zayn‘s crowning as WWE Champion, who became the company’s 19th Grand Slam champion in the process.

On Saturday afternoon in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Zayn came up against and defeated both Cody Rhodes and Gunther in a triple threat match in the main event of the Night of Champions to secure his first world title in WWE.

Towards the end of what was a high-octane, entertaining match, it looked like Zayn was going to get dropped with a Cross Rhodes. However, the Canadian wrestler managed to counter it into a pin and get the three-count to claim the victory, sending him and the crowd into raptures.

Fellow WWE Superstars React to Sami Zayn’s Historic Win

Following his victory, stars across the wrestling world have come out to heap praise and congratulations on Zayn. Chief among those was Kevin Owens.

Owens and Zayn have a storied history together over their time in WWE, and even well before that. They established themselves in the wrestling industry at the same time and have been both rivals and partners at various stages over their years as wrestlers.

After Zayn secured the win, Owens posted a heartwarming message to congratulate his longtime friend.

“I’ve missed a lot of things I wish I hadn’t in the last 15 months because of this injury, but today is, by far, the one I wish I had been there for the most,” Owens wrote on X.

Owens has been out of action since April 2025 as he recovers from a neck injury and the subsequent surgery, but to see his friend win the world title has clearly given him a great deal of happiness and cause to rejoice.

Owens is not the only one who took to social media to show their support and love for Zayn. Becky Lynch wrote: “I was crying tears of joy then, and I’m crying tears of joy now! So well deserved! Congratulations Sami Zayn!”

Matthew Rehwoldt wrote: “Underdog from the underground… now on top of the world. Congrats champ. Sami Zayn Forever”

On the Night of Champions post-show, Big E, a former WWE Champion himself, weighed in on El Generico’s victory and rise to the top.

“Sami’s overcome a lot of nevers. When I was in the locker room for the longest time, we knew who El Generico was, we knew about his work on the indies, but there was always, ‘He’s not the WWE mould. He’ll never be signed here.’

”He finally comes to WWE: ‘Okay, he’s a good hand. He can put on these great matches in the mid-card, but he’ll never be World Champion.’

The overarching theme of Zayn’s victory and the praise he has received, is how much of an underdog story it is. He entered at the bottom where most didn’t give him a chance and came out on top. The eloquent, heartfelt messages he has received, with Kevin Owens’ standing out, highlight the indelible mark he has made on the industry and why he is a well-deserved champion.

Plenty of names were thrown into the conversation about who is the best player in the world heading into the 2026 World Cup, with several of the usual stars catching the eye and forcing their way into discussions.

Performances from the usual suspects in the group stage from players like Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Vinicius Junior have the debate among pundits as alive as ever over who is truly setting the tournament apart.

One man who certainly isn’t shying away from giving his verdict is former Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and he has been left in no doubt after watching a teenager over the course of the last few years.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic Believes Lamine Yamal is the Best

Heiko Becker Via Reuters

That player is Lamine Yamal, who wasted little time announcing himself on the biggest stage. The Barcelona winger needed just 10 minutes to open the scoring in Spain’s 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia, becoming the eighth-youngest player to score at a World Cup.

Having already dealt with fitness concerns heading into the tournament and only managing 19 minutes in Spain’s 0-0 draw with Cape Verde, Yamal’s 45-minute display against the Saudis was enough to convince Ibrahimovic that he’s watching the best player on the planet.

Why Zlatan Rates Lamine Yamal So Highly

Ibrahimovic, never shy about sharing strong opinions, be that as a player or a pundit, explained exactly what sets Yamal apart from his rivals in this conversation, right before his opener in his first World Cup start.

It’s not the first time the Swede has gone out of his way to praise the teenager, either. Before the tournament, Ibrahimovic had already flagged Yamal as the player he was most desperate to watch.

With backing like that from one of football’s best-ever strikers, the rest of the world may need to start catching up to Zlatan’s verdict.

After successfully qualifying for two consecutive European Championships and the 2026 World Cup, Steve Clarke has called it a day at the helm of Scotland, after seven years in charge.

It’s been one of Scotland’s most successful periods. After not qualifying for a major tournament since 1998, some memorable moments have taken place during his time, none more so than the 4-2 win over Denmark, which booked their place at this year’s World Cup.

But there was another moment of apparent victory against a bitter rival that Clarke highlighted in his lengthy resignation letter, which the official X account of the Scottish national team have released, that has everyone talking, and not necessarily for positive reasons.

What Steve Clarke Said About England

It hasn’t been the first time he’s been under fire for his comments lately. In the wake of Scotland’s 3-0 defeat to Brazil, which ultimately led to their elimination from the World Cup, Clarke was accused of being “disrespectful to his players” after an interview at full time.

Among the highlights Clarke chose to reflect on from his seven years in charge was Scotland’s 0-0 draw with England at Wembley during Euro 2020, a result he referenced as one of the standout moments of his reign.

For many supporters, holding the Auld Enemy to a goalless draw four years ago doesn’t quite carry the same weight as some of Scotland’s other achievements, and the inclusion of that line in such an emotional farewell letter has seen Clarke come in for a large amount of criticism.

Read Steve Clarke’s full resignation letter below:

Fans React to Steve Clarke’s Departure on X

REUTERS/Paul Childs

One fan wrote: “Sums it up. Celebrating a 0-0 draw against England at the euros. Embarrassing. Good riddance.”

Another added: “What an embarrassment, thank god he’s resigned.”

A third questioned how the comment made it into an official statement at all, asking: “How has that gone out on official team channels.”

Others were equally scathing. One supporter posted: “Sums up why he had to go and everything that was wrong with his tenure,” while another called it a “terrible statement by the arrogant person he is.” One fan summed up the disbelief, simply admitting: “Had to check this was the official account and not a parody.”