Sami Zayn was a big fan of the ThunderDome era.
When the COVID-19 pandemic was in full force, businesses were forced to adapt. WWE was no exception, which led to the birth of the ThunderDome. The ThunderDome was filled with virtual fans and piped in crowd noise, which left the door open for criticism.
There were some who praised the setup, as many fans were put off by quiet and empty arenas.
Sami Zayn On ThunderDome
Speaking to Ryan Satin on the Out of Character podcast, Sami Zayn admitted that he actually thought the ThunderDome opened the door for creativity (h/t Wrestling Inc).
“I loved the ThunderDome era. It’s an unpopular opinion, I know, especially because I love the fans. And I’m not going to say that all the time but I do, I really have a deep love for all of you really. Very profound, really, really it means so much to me and I know how lucky we are to spend this time together, it’s a miracle that we’re all here, it really is so I don’t take that lightly.
“However, not having [the fans] there throughout the ThunderDome opened the door for some new creative ways to do things, which I personally, in my opinion, don’t think we as a company took full advantage of. We still tried to present the show as if fans were there but they weren’t there, especially before the ThunderDome, when it was in the empty PC.”
Zayn is currently involved in a feud with Drew McIntyre. He got himself counted out in their match on the April 8 episode of SmackDown. On April 22, Zayn will face McIntyre in a Lumberjack match.