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Sami Zayn remains one of WWE’s most beloved babyfaces. (Credit: Georgiana Dallas/ WWE via Getty Images)
WWE via Getty Images
WWE SummerSlam 2025 marked the biggest match of Karrion Kross’ WWE career, a presumed final showdown with longtime nemesis Sami Zayn.
Over the past several months, Kross has been the devil on Zayn’s shoulder, urging him to go to the dark side until he wrecked Zayn when Zayn refused. The two stars battled in a pair of televised matches on Raw in recent weeks, with Zayn picking up a win and Kross emerging victorious in their most recent battle.
So, WWE SummerSlam was the true definition of a rubber match for Kross, one of WWE’s best heels, and Zayn, perhaps wrestling’s ideal underdog-type babyface.
WWE SummerSlam 2025 Results for Karrion Kross vs. Sami Zayn?
Although Kross had been pushed more strongly en route to WWE SummerSlam than he’d ever been on the main roster, he never stood a chance in his blowoff match against Zayn.
Arguably the most beloved star on Raw, Zayn was finally able to overcome the man who’s been a thorn in his side since WrestleMania. Zayn defeated Kross via a Helluva Kick in a short match inside MetLife Stadium.
Some of the standout moments of Kross’s biggest singles match of his main roster career were:
- After a slow start to the match and a quiet crowd early on, Scarlett distracted the referee as Zayn hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a very close two-count.
- Scarlett tempted Zayn to use a lead pipe to show his dark side. Zayn considered it, but then through the pipe out of the ring. Kross nearly won with a roll-up.
- Zayn responded with a Helluva Kick for the quick victory.
Zayn’s emphatic, lightning quick victory at WWE SummerSlam may not bode well for the future of Kross.
WWE SummerSlam 2025 Results: What’s Next for Karrion Kross and Sami Zayn?
Kross’s loss at WWE SummerSlam 2025 will raise questions about his long-term future in WWE.
According to a recent report from Fightful (h/t SEScoops), “Kross has been telling people that his current WWE contract is set to expire in August and that no new deal has been signed…Kross had claimed that neither he nor Scarlett had been approached by WWE about a new deal.”
The fact that Kross wrestled in such a high-profile match at one of WWE’s biggest events has led many to believe that he has, in fact, re-signed with WWE. Of course, Kross has morphed into a cult favorite of sorts among the WWE fan base after a blistering promo after WrestleMania 41 that ultimately resulted in a bigger role on TV.
Still, Kross has, for the most part, not been presented as a top star, and this could be a classic case of WWE wanting to get the most it can out of Kross before he walks away. Putting over Zayn on his way out of the company is a logical booking move, but even if Kross is staying, the widespread expectation is that he will have a reduced role moving forward.
Kross’s below average in-ring work and awkward placement as a heel who’s liked by fans really limits WWE’s options for him even if does stick around. The same is certainly not true of Zayn, who has been in the midst of one of the best character arcs in WWE. The company has been pushing the fact that Zayn has never been world champion, has associated him with the man who could be the next World champion in Seth Rollins and portrays him as one of WWE’s greatest underdogs.
The recent trajectory of his character has not-so-subtly hinted at a potential first-ever world title win down the road, so logic says that Zayn will continue to face major obstacles similar to Kross before his redemption begins to come to fruition in late 2025 or early 2026.
After Zayn’s win at WWE SummerSlam, the adversity will keep on coming until he, well, finally overcomes it.
