Buuxi weedhan soo socota: Intii uu ku jiray "205 Live", Ali wuxuu soo jiitay dareenka Gudoomiyaha WWE Vince McMahon, oo go'aansaday inuu ku daro astaanta SmackDown. Sida laga soo xigtay qoraaga hore ee WWE Kazeem Famuyide, Champion-ka WWE ee xilligaas Daniel Bryan wuxuu si adag u riixayay backstage si uu u helo "muuqaal dhallinyaro ah oo kulul" oo telefishanka ah, isagoo ku dooday in dhammaan carruurta ay haystaan ay riixayaan 40-sano jir; tani waxay keentay in maamulku u doorto Ali riixitaankan. Ali wuxuu markii ugu horreysay ka soo muuqday 11-kii Diseembar, 2018 dhacdadii "SmackDown Live", isagoo la kulmay Daniel Bryan oo uu ka badiyay dabayaaqadii habeenkaas. Toddobaadkii xigay ee "SmackDown Live", Ali waxaa loo xaqiijiyay inuu yahay xubin buuxda oo ka tirsan "SmackDown" wuxuuna la midoobay AJ Styles si uu uga adkaado Daniel Bryan iyo Andrade "Cien" Almas kulan koox koox ah, ka dib markii Ali uu ku dhajiyay Bryan. At Royal Rumble on January 27, 2019, Ali ayaa ku tartamay tartanka loo yaqaan 'Royal Rumble', oo socday 30 daqiiqo oo uu ka saaray Shinsuke Nakamura iyo Samoa Joe, ka hor inta uusan ka saarin Nia Jax. Bishii Febraayo, Ali waxaa loo qorsheeyay inuu ku tartamo ciyaarta qolka tirtirka ee WWE Championship
Ciyaartaas oo ahayd tii ugu horeysay ee uu ku guuleysto horyaalka adduunka, si kastaba ha ahaatee, waxaa laga saaray sababtoo ah dhaawac dhab ah, waxaana lagu beddelay Kofi Kingston. Ali wuxuu ku soo laabtay telefishanka Fastlane pay-per-view, isagoo ku soo biiray daqiiqadii ugu dambeysay ee ciyaarta horyaalka WWE ee u dhexeeya Daniel Bryan iyo Kevin Owens, oo Ali lumiyay ka dib markii Bryan uu qabtay. Bishii Maarso 25, 2019, magaciisa dhabta ah waxaa loo soo gaabiyay Ali.