WWE News: How Sami Zayn Is Viewed Through The Eyes Of Vince McMahon
The battle between Vince McMahon and his WWE Universe over who should get pushed and who shouldn’t is a long and arduous one that won’t end until Vince finally calls it quits. The latest in a long line that spark a difference in opinion is Sami Zayn. Zayn has won over fans around the world for his work on the independent scene, Ring of Honor, NXT, and now, the WWE. His reputation preceded his WWE arrival, which can certainly help launch a career quicker than in years past.
Vince McMahon has displayed strong degrees of stubbornness over the years, and continues to convey that quality in today’s product. Just in next month’s Money In The Bank main event, Vince is trying to prove everyone wrong when it comes to both competitors. The fans want to see Roman Reigns drop the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, or least turn heel if he’s going to keep it. Vince won’t budge, at least not yet. Fans were pining to cheer a returning Seth Rollins, but Vince decided to bring him back as a top heel, despite the enormous reactions he got his first two nights back on the job. The roster is littered with cases like this, with the latest being Sami Zayn.
As mentioned, Sami Zayn was already over upon his WWE debut. His 2015 injury, suffered moments before his first-ever main-roster match with John Cena, certainly derailed any momentum or initial push he may have gotten, but his re-emergence earlier this year was met with similar fanfare. Yet, according to a report from Ringside News, Vince doesn’t understand the appeal of Zayn, and is likely the impetus behind Sami’s mid-card status.
It should be noted that not everyone should expect to be pushed to the main event immediately, or even ever, for that matter. And it’s not like Sami Zayn hasn’t had any direction since arriving/returning. We’ll never quite know what plans were in place for his initial debut, as the injury scrapped those. But he came back to an equally-loud reception from the audience and starred in the Intercontinental Championship ladder match at WrestleMania. From there, he went one-on-one with Kevin Owens at Payback, followed by a fatal four way for the IC title at Extreme Rules. The latter was widely regarded as far and away one of the top two matches on that pay-per-view.
@iLikeSamiZayn world traveler, I want to do that… Traveling around the world visiting all kinds of countries… ? pic.twitter.com/sRoz4Eh5fe
— Anfer van Sichem (@vs_randall) May 21, 2016
So while Vince McMahon might not understand the Sami Zayn allure, he certainly has the support of some WWE officials backstage, or else he might have endured aimless creative suffered by other recent NXT call-ups. And whether Vince likes it or not, Zayn is one of the poster boys for the new era they are so heavily promoting. Sami also now has a clear defined path towards the next pay-per-view, as he’ll be competing in the Money in the Bank ladder match for a chance to win the briefcase that contains a contract for a WWE World Heavyweight Championship match.
Vince had recently expressed similar reservations towards Zayn’s long-time rival and fellow Money in the Bank participant, Kevin Owens. But that clearly passed and Owens is currently the favorite to walk away with the briefcase next month in Las Vegas. Perhaps if Vince can come around on Owens, he can do the same with Sami Zayn. It’s still very early in Zayn’s WWE career, and the upcoming brand split is the perfect opportunity for him, and others, to shine with more opportunities. But if he continues to put on matches like the ones at Payback and Extreme Rules, showcasing his versatility, it’ll only be a matter of time before he moves up the ladder, no matter what show he ends up on.
[Image via WWE]
