Is a 38-year-old Montreal-born wrestler who once donned the masked persona of ‘El Generico’ on the cusp of becoming the next face of WWE?
Sami Zayn’s popularity with wrestling fans is truly impossible to deny, with the Honorary Uce winning over crowds around the globe with his role in the Bloodline.
Zayn’s journey with the group began in April 2022 when he tried to curry favor with Roman Reigns’ faction, a plan that has clearly paid off.
The Face of WWE?
Since losing their tag match to John Cena and Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn has felt the ire of the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.
After being found not guilty on this week’s Raw (thanks to a last-minute defense by Jey Uso) Zayn was told that he will face a final challenge at tomorrow’s Royal Rumble.
While Zayn has proven his loyalty to the Bloodline time and time again, many feel it is just a matter of time before e and Reigns face off.
Speaking to Ariel Helwani, Zayn was asked about the prospect of dethroning the most dominant champion of the last three decades.
“If we’re being honest, I mean, I don’t know, I can win the World title. I could carry it for a while. I could go do talk shows, I could do all that stuff. I don’t know if I’m the guy you could necessarily hitch your wagon to for the next five to ten years and like face of the company for the next five to ten years.”
“I’m not as big as say Roman or Cena or Brock or whoever and that’s typically the guy who’s the head.”
Sami Zayn.
“If nothing else, I’m somewhat realistic about my physical [appearance.] I’m not as big as say Roman or Cena or Brock or whoever and that’s typically the guy who’s the head at that scene. Because they [WWE] want a certain projection for the long haul.”
World Champion
Zayn may be pessimistic about becoming the next face of WWE, but that doesn’t mean World Championship glory will allude him.
In the interview, Zayn spoke about the possibility of being champion, and says it would be an excellent payoff, as long as the story is done correctly.
“Could I win the world title? I think, especially because of the way the story’s done… if you do it right, fans will buy it and get into it. So I think at this point, the way it’s been built, and I’m not saying this is what’s going to happen. But if it was me and Roman at WrestleMania, and I beat Roman, if we did it right like we’ve been doing it right the past nine month, nobody’s going to go ‘bogus. I’m out. I can’t take that.’ Because we’ve done it right.”
Even if he wasn’t to become the ‘face’ of WWE, Zayn was confident he would represent the company proudly as champion.
“I think I could be a guy who carries that title six months. Go on Jimmy Fallon, make a couple of jokes, have him do that fake laugh that he does. All that good stuff. Sure I could do that. Sure. I could probably do that in my sleep to be honest. But it’s just I understand the company’s projection of what they see as the face of the company.”
“I could be a guy who carries that title.”
Sami Zayn.
“Being the champion and being the face are almost two different things, and I think I could be the champion. No problem. As far as being the guy that they’re like ‘number one, he’s our guy, he’s the poster-boy. He’s the ultimate representation of what our company is.’ I know physically I don’t fit that mold.”
Reigns will face Zayn’s real-life best friend Kevin Owens with the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship tomorrow night at the Royal Rumble.
