DOCTOR
Well Sami, it definitely looks like you took a nasty bump to your head, actually not even one. You first took that nasty Beauty Shot from Tyler, that hit you right on the left temple and looks to knocked dazed a little bit, and then Seth’s Curb Stomp wasn’t too bad on the back of your head but it seems the impact of it resulted in your forehead smacking the canvas pretty hard and that’s when we decided to come to the gorilla position and take a closer look. And then, Tyler dumped you out of the ring and you landed on your head again and that wasn’t a good sign for us, we were close to coming to the ring but you looked okay to continue, but it’s good we checked up on you. There’s no lasting damage thankfully, nothing too serious, nothing to be worried about. So what I would recommend for you now is to take the rest of the night off, I am sure you can catch up with the event tomorrow during the day, so go back to the hotel and sleep on it, drink some water and straight to bed for the night and hopefully, fingers crossed you feel a lot better before Warfare tomorrow night.
SAMI ZAYN
Well what do you think Doc? How’s it looking for tomorrow night? You know I can’t afford any more time off the show right now, I need a match and I need a win.
DOCTOR
As I said it shouldn’t be too much of a worry, don’t stress to much about it I am sure the agents will book you in a match tomorrow night but right now I haven’t heard anything from them about you competing so I’m not the best person to ask, I’m just advising you on what you should do for the rest of the night.
SAMI ZAYN
No problem Doc, thanks for the help, I appreciate it.
DOCTOR
No problem Sami, glad to help and unlucky out there tonight, a bunch of us though you had it...
Sami Zayn smiled at the doctor and they shook hands, Sami Zayn left the doctor’s office but stopped for a brief moment, looking over to the gorilla position as he could hear the fans cheering in excitement, once more he smiled and limped towards the locker room, he went inside and in a couple of minutes he was back out, with his equipment back in one hand, tossed over his shoulder; wearing a pair of boots, jeans, his ‘InZayn’ t-shirt with a grey blazer over it, topped off with his brown-ish flat cap, signalling he doesn’t have or care about the latest fashion trends. He closes the door behind him and coughs before walking off, until he is approached by Renee Young who wanted to catch an interview on Sami Zayn’s thoughts about the match.
RENEE YOUNG
Sami…Sami! We’re going to be live in just a moment, can we watch a quick word about the match and whatever happened out there and in the doctor’s office?
SAMI ZAYN
Yeah of course Renee, not a problem…
RENEE YOUNG
Ladies and gentlemen, my guest at this time…Sami Zayn. Now Sami, over the last week you emphasised the fact that you wanted to win and you wanted to face Seth Rollins as the final two competitors, how does it feel to know you were this close to winning the match?
SAMI ZAYN
Well Renee as you can imagine I feel pretty sick inside right now, I was this close to taking out Seth and Tyler but it just wasn’t my night so I hope the fans enjoyed the match and they should be reassured that this isn’t the last they’ve seen of Sami Zayn. Yeah, I wanted Seth Rollins because I felt I had a point to prove, to prove I have been the better man even though every independent fan thought I was always the underdog, tonight was my night to prove them wrong but…it just wasn’t meant to be so congratulations to Seth Rollins on the win.
RENEE YOUNG
Well, actually Sami I don’t think you know about this but Tyler Breeze actually pulled off the win, he eliminated Seth Rollins and is now the #1 contender to the Breakout Championship!
SAMI ZAYN
You’re serious? Wow…I genuinely though it was his. I mean you all saw it, I smacked the ground a number of times because I couldn’t believe Seth outdid me again…there you go. Tyler Breeze, #1 contender for the Breakout Championship. Congratulations to Tyler Breeze, but I guess the one positive from this is that Seth isn’t better than me as he said; right now we’re equal. We both lost, it’s now up to me to go out there and prove Seth Rollins and the rest of the world wrong.
RENEE YOUNG
Final question Sami before we head into our second match, we heard you were taken to the doctor’s office, as you couldn’t even stand on your own two feet. Can you tell us what they said?
SAMI ZAYN
I was hurt that’s for sure, but let Tyler and Seth know that they didn’t do this to me, they knew I was the threat so they teamed up on me but that’s fine because I liked that, they saw me as a threat…let them know this wasn’t because of them. Sami Zayn hurt himself for the fans, he did this to himself so they go home happy and I’m pretty sure they will, they said nothing is wrong, I should be able to compete tomorrow if I’m given the chance, and I will grab that opportunity with both my hands, it doesn’t matter who the opponent is…
RENEE YOUNG
Thank you Sami, and we’ll see on the Warfare pre-show tomorrow night; back to you guys…
Sami Zayn then nodded his head to Renee Young; signalling the conclusion of the short interview as the cameraman moved his camera away from Sami. He then picked up his bag again, tossed it over his shoulder and proceeded to leave the backstage area and towards the parking lot. He then pulled out the keys to his rental car and threw the bag in, slowly getting into the driver’s side and driving away with his first pay-per-view as an EBWF superstar cut short.
- - - - - - -
It’s now Monday July 14th, not even 24 hours have passed since the eventful King of the Ring pay-per-view, where Tyler Breeze was crowned the number one contender to the Breakout Championship. Damien Sandow retained his gold, Brie Bella was crowned the Queen of the Ring whilst Randy Orton became the King of the Ring once more. The cameras are inside the Kansas Expocenter in Topeka, Kansas where tonight’s Monday Night Warfare event is taking place, the cameras go to Sami Zayn who is leaving his locker room with a t-shirt and shorts, with the event hours away he still has time to get ready a little later on in the evening. He approaches a large piece of paper on the wall near the gorilla position and it looks as if it is the official match card for the evening, he approaches it slowly, a little nervous as he desperately want to compete on the night and avenge his defeat last night by defeating whoever his opponent may be. He has his finger at the top of the paper and moves it down every time he doesn’t see his name, eventually around four matches down he spots the name ‘Justin Gabriel’ and next to it read ‘vs. Sami Zayne’, he then laughed under his breath.
SAMI ZAYN
Ha...didn’t even spell my name right, still; glad to be competing tonight…Justin Gabriel; should be fun.
He then continued to read the rest of the card, as a wrestling fan he was interested in what matches will be on offer tonight. He then walked away and the same doctor from yesterday stopped Sami in his tracks.
DOCTOR
Hey Sami, I was looking for you. I see you noticed that you’re in a match tonight. Well Sami, I am not going to lie; it’s my job to look out for our talent and make sure their health comes before anything else and I just got out of a discussion with the booking agents a short while ago and it’s better you hear from me rather than behind my back that I was lobbying for you to not compete tonight and I…
SAMI ZAYN
You were doing what? You WANTED me to miss tonight after everything we talked about yesterday about me wanting to compete and get back on track?
DOCTOR
Look Sami, I know you’re desperate to compete and it’s not too late to pull out just yet, I am positive the booking agents will let you take this week off and recover because you did look pretty out of it yesterday; I am glad to see you’re looking a little better now but we can’t take any risks with your health here…
SAMI ZAYN
Look Doc, I appreciate everything you’re doing, I appreciate this is your job and you NEED to make sure none of us hurt ourselves, but what hurts me more is not being able to go out into the ring in front of die-hard wrestling fans and doing what I do best, wrestling.
DOCTOR
I know Sami, I know but think about it, think about your opponent tonight. This isn’t any ordinary match Sami where you can wing it and hope for the best…you’re up against Justin Gabriel, he is a risk-taker and he’ll put his body on the line to win and that means you’ll be put in dangerous spots as well and you really cannot afford that this early into your EBWF career.
SAMI ZAYN
Doc you’ve probably been in your profession for over 20 years, you’re more experienced in that field and I won’t dispute your judgement. But you’ve never stepped inside that ring and put your body on the line, you don’t know what it feels like to have those fans chant your name as they want more and more from you every single time. You pull off one great manoeuvre early on and they want five greater manoeuvres to make up for it. So I’d appreciate it if you don’t tell me if I should go out there and compete, look at me. I am standing on my two feet and that tells you I can go out there and compete. Now, I know Justin is dangerous, he is great inside that ring and I’m sure he’ll kick my ass a lot more based on what happened last night when he lost to Randy Orton; he’ll want to win tonight and I want to win to. I have my game plan ready for superstars like Justin, and Doc I want you to watch closely as to how I defeat Justin Gabriel and show him and everyone else why I should be the number one contender right now, and not Tyler Breeze.
DOCTOR
Sami, look I didn’t mean it in a personal way, I just…Sami….Sami!
Sami Zayn then walked off, not happy with how the doctor went about trying to get Zayn out of his important match against Justin Gabriel. He walked back into the locker room and preparing for his pre-show spot on the panel alongside Renee Young in just a couple of hours.
- - - - - - -
There are only thirty minutes left until the start of Monday Night Warfare but the cameras are on Renee Young, Alex Riley and Sami Zayn who is a special guest on the pre-show panel; he is in his normal day-to-day attire including the flat cap as Renee Young then picks off the pre-show.
RENEE YOUNG
Less than 24 hours have passed since the eventful King of the Ring pay-per-view, what a night it was, Tyler Breeze becoming the number one contender to the Breakout Championship, that fantastic tables match between John Cena and CM Punk and of course Randy Orton becoming the King of the Ring. Plenty to talk about and reflect on as we head towards Sacrifice in just a couple of weeks. Welcome to the Monday Night Warfare pre-show, I am your host Renee Young and joining me as usual is EBWF analyst Alex Riley; and a special guest this week, Sami Zayn!
SAMI ZAYN
Thank you for having me Renee.
RENEE YOUNG
No problem Sami, now Sami just moments ago I received a message, and I hope you packed your wrestling gear because it looks as if you’ll be in a match tonight and your opponent…the exciting Justin Gabriel!
SAMI ZAYN
Yes Renee I just heard about that myself, I always pack my gear and yeah, I’m…I’m looking forward to the match tonight against Justin.
RENEE YOUNG
Now Justin Gabriel was close to advancing to the King of the Ring finals last night, but fell short. Whereas you’re still on the Breakout scene and you failed at that hurdle. This means that in this match; although your careers have been similar, you’re seen as the underdog whilst Justin Gabriel is the favourite; what are your thoughts on that?
SAMI ZAYN
I think that’s fair to say Renee, he’s done a lot here especially to get so far in the King of the Ring again and I can’t even reach that stage yet, but I do belong there. I’m still starting out but I hope that tonight it changes. Look, I mean the underdog often starts the fight, and occasionally the upper dog deserves to win, was that the case in my match? Who knows, I guess it’s for analysts like Alex to figure that one out. But Renee, I never expect to lose. You can match me with anyone, Batista, The Undertaker, nine other man, I never expect to lose. Even when I’m the underdog as you said, I still prepare a victory speech and tonight will be no different. I think the one thing people like about me and is a big reason why fans chant my name is because the thing they like is the combination of being the underdog, because I’m not the biggest superstar but I have enormous authority in myself and that’s something Justin Gabriel lacks and I believe it puts me in a better position than him already; so Renee you guys can call me the underdog all you want, it’s not your fault because you’re doing your job and you’re saying what everyone is thinking, the Ikeda’s, the CM Punks, the Orton’s, the Cena’s and even Gabriel and Seth Rollins and Tyler Breeze, you’re all thinking it and tonight I’m proving it. I have always felt like the underdog, and I am happy and comfortable with that label until the day I decide to call it a day. It’s been a trend my whole career Renee, I’ve had the issue with always kind of being an underdog and making big errors when it matters the most, then I fall back ten steps and I have to climb back up and reach everyone again. I can’t afford another loss tonight, I need to start having some momentum and getting what I want here, one minute everything is peachy and I am seen as the future of the company and I am loved, and the next I am the worst superstar to have stepped in this ring, I don’t belong here, I should hide under the mask again, all of these things so it’s bittersweet, but sure call me an underdog all you want, call Justin the favourite, those labels don’t matter once the bell rings.
RENEE YOUNG
What do you think you have to prove against Justin tonight? Especially since you lost your match last night?
SAMI ZAYN
Well Renee if you remember we both lost our respective matches last night; and I know Justin he’ll probably go on and talk and talk about how he lost to a big superstar in Randy Orton, no Justin. I think we both need to man up and say neither of us were good enough last night and tonight we both have something to prove out there. But there is one thing, one thing Renee which really irritates me about how we’re all treated here, because Justin is seen as this big, international standard superstar that has travelled the world and is treated like royalty here, put into matches which suit him which he sometimes fails in, whereas I am put into matches I know I should win and I don’t belong there. I personally feel it should have been me in Justin Gabriel’s position yesterday, no it’s not sour grapes at all before anybody starts saying that, I am happy for Justin, he’s had a good career but I think every independent wrestling fan will tell you that I have always been underrated and underutilised where Justin has been given a lot more, I’ve earned it all. It’s not sour grapes because I think I belong on that stage, I think here at EBWF I don’t belong with your R-Truth’s and the Los Matadores because they’ve never been a serious threat, they’ve never had the passion and they’ve never backed any of that up. I have, now - okay I should thank the booking agents for including Tyler Breeze and especially Seth Rollins because what the match should have been, not throwing in superstars who don’t bother to bring their A game every single week when the rest of us travel 365 days a year and go out into that ring and bust our asses to get what we deserve. I deserve to be in the King of the Ring final, I deserve to be fighting for World Championships and tonight, tonight is the ONLY time I am pleased Justin Gabriel is in the limelight more than he should be, he’s on your posters, he’s on the EBWF website every single week even if it’s me who has achieved more that week, he’s at the signings, he’s always at the house shows; I am pleased because when I go out there and I show everybody what I really can achieve, they’ll take me seriously. The bookers will take me seriously, the media staff will take me seriously, the doctors, the superstars, the divas, the board; everyone will take me seriously because I’ve fought my whole life to get to this point, it’s too close to throw it all away. When I step into that ring tonight, I WILL take a microphone and speak because I need to be heard, I can’t be sued as a minor special attraction anymore, ‘oh look – we signed Sami Zayn, a man who competed everywhere in the world against the best, he wore a mask, he has wrestled in thirty countries’, no! Not any more, from now on I will make sure I change everyone’s thoughts about me and I am seen as a serious threat to the gold. Tonight Justin, and I hope you bring you’re A game unlike some of the guys last night, I will beat you. Because when I beat the EBWF’s golden boy, their special attraction, their go-to guy, I will leapfrog you. I will leapfrog you in the rankings and I’ll replace you. I mean, for goodness sake they couldn’t even bother to spell my name right but they have enough time on their hands to accommodate you and make sure Justin Gabriel is satisfied with everything whereas people like me take a back seat and dream of what that feels like. Tonight you’ll feel what it’s like to be in my position, and I will take full advantage of being in yours…now don’t get me wrong Renee and Alex, I am not someone who gets personal and I never will because I’m sure Justin is a great guy outside of the ring just as he is inside, but he will appreciate the fact that there is somebody that can not only match him inside that ring, but probably beat him as well. I think it’s time to open the eyes of the hierarchy and show them that they need to hold on to the talent they have right now…we know certain people like to walk out when things don’t go their way. But I’ve been underutilised my whole life, I’m used to it, I take the back seat when asked and watch from the stands when I know I’m probably better than most in front of me. It’s my time to step up and I acknowledge that and tonight I will step up and move up a class, there are plenty of guys out there I need to get the better of, Seth and Justin are two I NEED to beat, and beat soon.
The camera faded out to a short commercial break, signalling the end of Sami Zayn’s short; emotional piece before he took off his microphone as his emotions and passion got the better of him there. He then shook Renee’s hand as he walked off to prepare for his match a little later on.
- - - - - - -
We’re now well into the night with some brilliant matches having taken place, and before the next match can begin we hear ‘Worlds Apart’ by CFO$ blast the PA system as Sami Zayn emerges on the stage, all smiles. He claps his hands in sync with his theme music as the fans then follow him as he does so. He walks down the ramp, high fiving some of the fans closer to the barricade as they try barging past one another to get a touch of him. He continues to clap his hands as he gets back into the middle of the ramp and then runs into the ring and quickly on to the top ropes, where he poses and points to the fans and smiles, he jumps off on to the canvas before he asks for a microphone and goes back into the middle of the ring. He waits for a second as he smiles, waiting for his music to fade out; eventually it does and we finally get to hear what Sami Zayn has to say to us tonight.
SAMI ZAYN
Well this is new for me, first time I’m in this ring before a match and talking to you. So; for the thousands that still don’t know me and they probably won’t even care, my name is Sami Zayn…ha, and my only accomplishment to this date in the EBWF is that I came third place in the battle royal last night to determine the number one contender to the Breakout Championship; that counts for something right?
The fans laughed with him as he slowly got to grips with what he wanted to say and how he wanted to say it, as this was something new for him in the EBWF.
SAMI ZAYN
No, no last night was a good night as a whole for this company, a good, successful event; some worthy winners…commiserations to Seth Rollins…but onwards and upwards as they say and no superstar can continue to look back and dwell on the losses, nobody does it more than me anyway, but still we have to look forward and face our challenges head first as we head towards some massive events, such as SummerSlam; a night I desperately want to be a part of. Yeah, I am desperate, desperate because I want to be successful, I want to be THE man the company turns to but I understand while that is easy to say; hard work is needed…yet no superstar in this company has worked as hard as I have to get where I am. Tonight I face another challenge, since I’ve been here I have taken on The Animal Batista, who knows where the hell he is right now. I defeated R-Truth and The Undertaker and then I came up short in the battle royal last night, tonight I’ll let you fans decide whether Justin Gabriel is my most dangerous threat yet. He’s good, oh he is good there is no denying that; he’s been here longer than I have, he has always been in bigger feuds, bigger matches, he’s been more successful; but does he deserve it? Probably, probably. I mean the reality is that most of us are here because the WWE was a platform to move on to bigger and better things, and I didn’t really have to team up with six different men to propel myself on to the main stage, even then Justin Gabriel was the little superstar at the back that was controlled, like a puppet. He didn’t speak his voice, he didn’t stand up and fight, they told him to stand on the turnbuckle and jump off to the fans amusement, and Justin tonight I ask you…was it worth it? Was it really worth being the man in The Nexus that was forgotten, who nobody really cared about? I’ll tell you, I didn’t like it, I didn’t like it one bit because I actually know just how good of a superstar and wrestler you are, but you sold out so you can get your name in the limelight for fifteen minutes and then forgotten about. If it was me, there’s no way I would have signed, knowing that the company won’t push you to the spot you belong in, letting guys who aren’t as talented take the top spots in that group, that’s not my style. Still, I’m pleased you’re here. We do have some great talent here and the two of us fall under that category Justin, and I’m pleased to see that you’ve become your own man, you’re no longer controlled by anyone else and I no longer find the need to hide under a mask. I’m happy for you, seeing you on the magazines, the websites and seeing you grow into this big EBWF superstar but Justin you need to remember where you came from, back in the independent scene you didn’t face guys like Randy Orton, you faced guys like me and we gave you some of the toughest matches you’ve ever been in; just like you have grown into a great competitor, the rest of us have too. And now I am coming into this match to show you and the entire world that I am better than you, just like I always have been. Last night you lost to The Viper, great, one superstar; a dangerous superstar but it took seven men to defeat me, your heart isn’t in this anymore, not like mine is because I’d do anything to taste the success you have taken for granted for all of these years.
He backs up a little and smiles as fans begin to cheer his name, finally hearing what has been on Sami Zayn’s chest for a while now, ever since joining the company.
SAMI ZAYN
Now I’m not 100% sure whether you saw the pre-show I was on a little while ago but I won’t reflect on that too much, because you guys can go home and watch it over and over again, about how I made myself look like a desperate fool, but I know Justin watched and I know those words were and still are floating around in his head, because he knows every single word that came out of my mouth hit a nerve, they hit a nerve because it was all true. But Justin you also spoke some words which probably hit my nerves too because I’m here talking about it all, in the build-up to your match against Randy Orton you told us, you told us all that the EBWF will be going in a new direction, a direction that none of us will be ready for and something that nobody here thought would happen. You talked about winning, you talked about going to SummerSlam and you talked about becoming the World Champion that night…not on my watch.
Fans chanted his name even louder as he looked a lot more serious now, dead into the camera as he continued to talk to Justin Gabriel.
SAMI ZAYN
Yeah, you’re probably good enough or talented enough to go on to become champion, nobody will deny that but those people that are backing you to become a champion have obviously overlooked the fact that the two of us have yet to meet inside the ring, and tonight we will. Tonight I will face off against you, I will beat you, I will prove you and any doubters wrong and then you’re right…we will usher into a new era, a new direction. Not your "angelic" era, but the era of Sami Zayn…where the underdog should never be underestimated!
Sami Zayn smiled as the fans continued to cheer for him, knowing he was hitting all of the right notes and most of the fans agree with whatever it is he is saying.
SAMI ZAYN
Tonight Justin you will be the architect of your own downfall, you will be the reason you lose tonight. Because the days of being humble are over for you aren’t they? Now that you finally got to the big stage and won some matches you think you’re God’s gift and this world revolves around you…this isn’t the Justin Gabriel I know. This Justin Gabriel isn’t as dangerous to me, so this smile on my face is a legitimate smile because I am not worried one little bit about defeating you. Perhaps five years ago, a rainy, dark evening on a farm somewhere with 100 or so sweaty men crowded around a weak ring, perhaps then I would have been a little nervous that I am facing THE infamous Justin Gabriel, but not tonight. Tonight is excitement, tonight I am pumped, tonight I am confident of getting past you; because the only thing I did was take off the mask and adapt as a superstar, I’m still me. You’re not. You’re pulling out with these stunts like jumping out of the plane for your match, wasting this money on a two minute entrance down the ramp, but I bet your exit felt a lot longer last night didn’t it, especially when you heard Randy’s music blast the sound system and it hit you that you lost. Get your head out of your ass Justin…now come out here and let’s put on a damn good show, give these fans what they really want and steal the show like I know we can.
Sami Zayn then dropped the microphone as it was clear he was hoping he saw the Justin Gabriel he enjoyed facing, the confident and humble Gabriel over what he has been seeing over the last few weeks. The fans chanted Sami Zayn’s name whilst his music played once more as he jogged on the spot lightly waiting for Gabriel’s music to hit so they could get their match underway…