WWE Superstar Sami Zayn recently shared his thoughts on why the company avoids political themes in its storytelling, contrasting the current approach with past eras when real-world conflicts often influenced wrestling narratives.
During a media call on Monday to promote this weekend’s WWE Elimination Chamber event from Toronto, Zayn talks about professional wrestling’s history of reflected societal issues, citing past examples such as Sergeant Slaughter’s controversial Iraq storyline in the early ’90s and the presence of stereotypical foreign villains in the mid-20th century. However, he pointed out that today’s WWE takes a different stance, deliberately steering clear of political content. In response to a question from Jan Murphy of the Toronto Sun, Zayn said:
“Wrestling is sort of a reflective art form. It mirrors societies and the times,” Zayn explained. “Now, I think in a strange way, we’re doing a sort of weird anti-reflection reflection wherein we just simply don’t touch politics. As a company, nothing about the political climate is reflected in the product anymore.”
Zayn attributed this shift to the heightened sensitivity surrounding political issues, as well as WWE’s role as a form of escapism. He suggested that, in an era where real-world challenges like economic concerns impact daily life, wrestling provides a space where fans can disconnect from those stresses.
“WWE is meant to be like an escape from all that stuff—especially when people feel it in their day-to-day lives,” he added.
The approach marks a departure from previous decades, when wrestling often incorporated contemporary political tensions into its storytelling. While some fans appreciate the shift toward pure entertainment, others debate whether avoiding political narratives entirely limits creative possibilities.
Escapism vs. Realism in Wrestling
WWE’s current stance reflects a broader trend in entertainment, where some franchises choose to keep politics out of their content to maintain universal appeal. With a diverse fanbase spanning multiple demographics and political beliefs, WWE’s decision to remain neutral allows it to cater to as wide an audience as possible.
At the same time, some wrestling promotions continue to embrace real-world issues in their storylines, showing that there remains an appetite for blending reality with fiction. For now, the company appears committed to maintaining a space where fans can simply enjoy the spectacle without outside distractions, brother.