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 Elimination Chamber ee loogu talagalay Horyaalka WWE ee dhacdada isku magaca ah, taas oo noqon lahayd kulankiisii ugu horreeyay ee horyaalka adduunka; si kastaba ha noqotee, waxaa laga saaray dhaawac sharci ah awgiis, waxaana lagu beddelay Kofi Kingston. Ali wuxuu dib ugu soo laabtay telefishanka
Fastlane pay-per-view, oo ah daqiiqadii ugu dambeysay ee lagu daray ciyaarta horyaalka WWE ee u dhexeeya Daniel Bryan iyo Kevin Owens, oo Ali lumiyay ka dib markii Bryan uu ku dhajiyay. Bishii Maarso 25, 2019, magaciisa ciyaarta ayaa loo soo gaabiyay Ali.