Two Former WWE Tag Champs Return To SmackDown During Sami Zayn Men's US Title Defense

Sami Zayn retained the United States Championship over Shinsuke Nakamura via technicality during "WWE SmackDown," after Solo Sikoa dispatched his MFTs to run interference and isolate the champion in the ring.

Zayn won the US Championship from Sikoa at the end of August, kicking off his reign the next week with an open challenge against former titleholder, and open challenge defender himself, John Cena. That match ended in a no-contest allowing Zayn to retain his title, but he has since beaten Rey Fenix, Carmelo Hayes, Je'Von Evans, and Aleister Black in subsequent challenges. 

This week's episode saw Nakamura return to face Zayn, coming out to his original theme song like he did when he debuted in WWE against Zayn nine years ago. Their contest would last thirteen and a half minutes before a hooded figure emerged at ringside to attack Nakamura, calling the match to an end as it become clear that the assailant was the returning Tama Tonga, donning the face-paint he popularized with Tonga Loa as the Guerrillas of Destiny. 

Tonga set upon Zayn in the ring after being joined by Loa, Talla Tonga, and JC Mateo, all wearing their own face paint, to continue their beatdown of the champion at the behest of Sikoa, the only one wearing a suit and omitting the face-paint of his stablemates.