On the latest episode of RAW, Sami Zayn went one-on-one with Rusev – but the match didn’t end the way fans expected.
The tension began brewing last week when Rusev’s backstage brawl with Sheamus spilled over into an interview segment with Zayn. That run-in set the stage for Monday’s clash. In the match, Zayn had the upper hand, delivering a thunderous exploder suplex that sent Rusev crashing into the corner. As he geared up for his signature Helluva Kick, chaos erupted.
Poor Sami Zayn…
— 𝙎𝙖𝙢 (@RhodesKotaEra) August 12, 2025
My condolences for being stuck in this vortex#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/DxJ04qO6GT
Solo Sikoa and his faction, the MFTs, stormed the ring without warning. Wasting no time, Sikoa ordered his men to attack Zayn. The referee immediately called for the bell, ruling the bout a disqualification. Tonga Loa and JC Mateo pummeled Zayn with repeated punches before hoisting him up for a devastating running kick from Talla Tonga, dropping him hard to the mat.
Just as the MFTs prepared for another brutal strike, WWE officials rushed in to break things up. Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the ring, Rusev and Sheamus reignited their heated brawl.
This ambush was payback for what happened on last week’s SmackDown. Sikoa had been mocking the Canadian crowd when GM Nick Aldis booked him in a sudden match against Zayn. The Canadian star pulled off a huge upset, handing Sikoa his first clean loss since his Tribal Combat defeat to Roman Reigns at the RAW Netflix premiere in January.
Monday’s attack also had major stakes for Zayn. He had been lobbying RAW GM Adam Pearce for his first-ever world championship opportunity, but Pearce insisted he earn it. With this match ending in a disqualification, Zayn’s hopes for a title shot are now hanging by a thread.
“Smackdown is better.”
— Roman Reigns SZN 💥 (@reigns_era) August 12, 2025
– Solo.
LMAO #WWERaw pic.twitter.com/ve9InutLjW
As officials escorted Sikoa and his MFTs out of the arena, cameras caught a lighthearted moment amid the chaos. While his teammates argued with security, Sikoa cheekily shouted, “SmackDown is better!” – taking a shot at Pearce and mocking RAW in front of the live crowd. The quip quickly made waves online, proving once again that Sikoa knows how to mix humor with hostility.
Also Read: Levon Aronian’s ‘Grandpa Chess’ Stops D Gukesh’s Run! Says ‘He Had Paid The Price For…’
