Motor City Machine Guns Cross Paths with Sami Zayn After Their First WWE Appearance

Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin (MCMG)

On October 18, the Motor City Machine Guns (MCMG) made an electrifying entrance into WWE’s tag team scene with their debut on “WWE SmackDown.” Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin were greeted enthusiastically by both Nick Aldis and the live audience, but one of the warmest receptions came from Sami Zayn, who went out of his way to welcome the duo backstage.

Before the episode aired, Fightful Select shared footage on X (formerly Twitter) showing Zayn embracing both Shelley and Sabin. During their conversation, Zayn asked if they were officially part of the “SmackDown” roster, and when they confirmed, he expressed genuine excitement. Repeatedly calling their arrival “amazing,” Zayn added, “Wow, that’s awesome — I’m really happy for you guys. About time!”

Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin with Sami Zayn (WWE)

Although Zayn isn’t currently involved with MCMG on WWE programming, long-time fans will remember his history with them as El Generico in Pro Wrestling Guerrilla and Ring of Honor. His last encounter with Sabin came during Ring of Honor’s Death Before Dishonor VI event in 2008.

The most recent match between Zayn and Shelley took place in 2011, when Shelley and Ricochet teamed up at PWG’s Eight event. As of now, no storylines linking Zayn with MCMG have been announced, given that Zayn is currently part of “WWE Raw.”

After weeks of teasers, Shelley and Sabin’s debut was met with immediate success. They secured a victory over A-Town Down Under and Legado Del Fantasma in their first WWE match. Known for their impressive resumes, MCMG hold multiple tag titles from promotions like New Japan Pro-Wrestling, Ring of Honor, TNA/Impact, IGWP, and Deadlock Pro Wrestling.