WWE SmackDown Reveals New Intercontinental Champion

Tonight’s SmackDown featured the long-awaited Intercontinental Championship match between Shinsuke Nakamura and Sami Zayn, which took place during the SmackDown taping last week (since everyone is in Saudi Arabia this week for Elimination Chamber. WWE revealed that Sami Zayn had become the new Intercontinental Champion after defeating Shinsuke Nakamura, but the taping aired tonight, and so we finally know how things went down in that match and how Zayn became the new Champ. Zayn and Nakamura circled each other a bit but Nakamura looked in control and had Zayn on edge a bit. Then Zayn got Nakamura in the corner and threw some punches before flinging Nakamura to the other corner but Nakamura charged out of the corner and hit Zayn with a flurry of kicks and knee strikes.

Nakamura propped Zayn up on the top of the turnbuckle and knocked him over and then hit a running knee on Zayn, but he missed a knee drop after Zayn moved out of the way.

When things returned from break Zayn was in control, grounding Nakamura with a hold and keeping him from unleashing anymore kicks. Zayn then hit an elbow drop and went for a pin but Zayn kicked out. Nakamura countered and went to get Zayn’s arm locked but Zayn countered into a pin attempt, though Nakamura kicked out.

Nakamura then hit a Basement Dropkick and sent Zayn into the corner. He twisted Zayn around and hit a Baseball Slide and went for a pin but Zayn kicked out. Nakamura went for a move but Zayn countered and slammed Nakamura to the mat and went for the pin, but Nakamura kicked out. Zayn went to the outside and dove through the ropes towards Nakamura, but Shinsuke kicked him in the head and knocked him down to the floor.

Nakamura charged up and went for a kick but Zayn shoved him into the steel steps. Nakamura would recover and hit Zayn with a knee after hopping on the top rope, but Zayn kicked out of the pin. Then Nakamura charged forward but Zayn reversed into a Blue Thunder Bomb, though Nakamura kicked out of the pin. Then Zayn mocked Nakamura and Nakamura hit Zayn with a flurry of strikes and kicks on the ropes. Nakamura then hit a big kick to the side of the head and then the Champion stomped Zayn’s head against the ropes.

Nakamura set up for the Kinshasa but Zayn rolled out of the ring to get some space and a moment to breathe. Zayn was able to wrap Nakamura’s leg around the post and slammed it continually against it, hurting the previously injured knee. Nakamura tried to kick but then Zayn kicked the other leg and he went for the pin and got it, becoming the new Intercontinental Champion.