Book-a-Feud....

A little chance to engage in some new year creativity... going into as much detail as you would like outline a feud, angle, story arc or anything else that you think would make interesting viewing this year at any level of the main WWE roster.

Me up first with... the debut of Sami Zayn and first feud against, Alberto del Rio

Zayn debuted on Raw in 2015, taking on John Cena, nearly winning the US Title in Montreal before a shoulder injury kept him out for over six months. Now back, what to do with him? Should he stay in NXT or move permanently to Raw? For me it is the latter and a great way to get him over and relevant would be for a feud with ADR over the US Title.

Zayn re-enters the main roster with an appearance at the Royal Rumble, a surprise one at that, with audible "Ole" chants around the arena. He comes in around #10 and lasts for around 20 mins to give himself some credibility before being eliminated by ADR who gloats, talks trash to Zayn in Spanish and is promptly eliminated from behind by Reigns. ADR's role in the Rumble is prominent due to the LoN vs. Reigns and so Zayn's role in the Rumble (despite elimination) is therefore significant, and by consequence he is too.

On Raw the next night Zayn faces Neville. The commentary team reflect on their past in NXT, montage clips from the title match etc and the guys go for around 12 mins and are getting into an excellent back and forth before ADR spoils the match, KOs Neville and puts Zayn in the X Armbreaker. Commentary team reference how he has bravely returned from a shoulder injury and he future for Zayn is in real jeopardy "so sad for someone who has just made such a grew comeback... etc".

The following week on Raw Zayn gets a short promo, talks of his background and challenges ADR on "why"? Del Rio retorts that Zayn mocks him and his people and culture. The crowds "Ole" chant a ginger Canadian? Zayn used to pretend to be a lucha wrestler (giving some background to him as El Generico and WWE legitimising the Ole chant that will hopefully become popular and really get him over)?

ADR says that he intends to disgrace Zayn like Zayn disgraced him and send him away from WWE for good and back to "the minor leagues". Zayn is surprise attacked by Rusev who super kicks him and ADR continues a beatdown.

Zayn demands ADR at FastLane but Del Rio comments that he won't get a US title shot on his first night this time "Cena may have given away title opportunities to just anyone, but it won't work like that this time..." Zayn is distracted by backstage footage of Neville being beaten down by Barrett and Del Rio takes the opportunity for a cheap shot with the title belt before holding the belt up to his face, kissing it, smiling, saying "Ole" and laughing.

FastLane is an epic match between two very talented in ring performers. The match goes 20mins and is hailed as a match of the night. In the end Zayn sets up the Helluva Kick only for ADR to pull the ref in front of him, Zayn swerves to miss him, catching his legs on the ropes, hanging and allowing ADR's double stomp for victory. A few more Ole taunts and a beatdown by three of LoN and Zayn is left beaten down but not defeated.

On the following Raw ADR takes on Dean Ambrose in a non title champ v champ match, 2/3 in Zayn's music starts up. ADR gets peed, shouts at the officials and it stops, but it starts an Ole chant in the arena, which continues as a distracted Del Rio shouts at the crowd until Ambrose rolls him up from behind and takes the win. ADR left in the ring at the end fuming.

The next week Zayn is back on Raw after selling the effects of his beatdown. He says "life has taught me many things, overcoming adversity, that challenges make you stronger, and that a bad man can never truly overcome a good man. Alberto, you are a bad man. The biggest challenge I have ever faced but I am a good man and you will not overcome me. You may have thought you had but in the hearts of these people (crowd), in their passion and love I endured and you heard that last week. It just goes to show Alberto, that YOU should be scared of ME, of US. You may have knocked us down, many times, but We. Get. Back. Up. And we have a Helluva Kick to us when we do. So, let's do this, at WrestleMania, and I promise that I will take that US title from you"

Del Rio laughs it off claiming that Zayn hasn't even earned another match. So the next week it is set for Zayn to take on Barrett to earn the right to face ADR at WM. A strong TV match ends with a clean Zayn win and the match is on. But ADR says that that doesn't mean that the title is on the line, he says that, for example, Rusev is way ahead of Zayn. At that point Zayn interjects and says "so if I beat Rusev next week, you will put the title on the line at WM?" ADR looks nervous, caught in a trap but agrees. Zayn can earn the title shot.

On the last Raw before WM Zayn faces Rusev, going 15mins and with LoN interference blighting the start of the match the two have a very even contest that leads to a clean Zayn victory. ADR is seething at the top of the ramp. Rusev, having rolled out the ring returns and super kicks Zayn in the face, Del Rio rushes the ring and beats down Zayn once again leaving him in the X Armbreaker as the commentary team shout about an amazing potential WM match being ruined by ADR and his unwillingness to face a fair fight.

WM arrives and this match represents the opener, a great pure wrestling match to start things off. Zayn has a heavily taped and strapped shoulder, the Ole chants are ringing around the arena much to the annoyance of ADR. The commentators talk at length about the struggles of Zayn over the last 12 months and how this is "redemption" to end up battling for the US title at WM given that his dream debut involved it too. ADR looks to use every advantage available, particularly the ring post for advantage but Zayn will not quit. In the end Zayn sets up the Helluva Kick only for ADR to perform the same move with the ref as at FastLane. Zayn, stuck in the ropes again, appears to be about to suffer the same fate. The commentators are going ape Poopie about Del Rio's cheating tactics - shaming the audience out of a real finish. Except that Zayn ducks out of the foot stomp, ADR looks amazed and attempts an Enzuigiri kick only to be caught for an Exploder Suplex. Going to the opposite corner, the crowd chant Ole, Zayn rushes and connects with ADR. Cover. Count. One. Two. Three. Zayn is the new US champion.

So that is my book-a-feud. Like the sound of it? Do come up with one to join as well