SAMI ZAYN
Thank you guys for turning up tonight and staying loud and supporting us. Tonight was a big night for me as it was my first main event match here in the EBWF and I promise you all this, it definitely won’t be my last main event match. Judging by the sound of you guys during the match, you seemed into it, am I right? Ha that’s great, that’s great but I understand why the rest of you won’t be happy and trust me I understand how you’re feeling. In fact I am probably a lot angrier, more frustrated and upset than all of you combined. I was scheduled to face AJ Styles one on one in this ring, but what timing, the inconvenient suspension taking place just when he was scheduled to step into the ring with me. You want to know what I think? I think AJ is scared, scared that his fans will be let down if…when I defeated him. He will have nothing to boast about it he lost to me, and I think he acted on purpose to ensure he doesn’t get me in this ring…but it’s all good from my side. I turned up, I gave it my all and AJ – as always – continues to lie and cheat his way through to the top. That spot he’s swimming in will be mine one day, the only difference is I will earn it. Thank you all for turning up tonight, get home safe and I’ll see you all next week in Oklahoma!
Fans applauded and cheered for Sami Zayn as he sent the fans home happy, whilst still visibly annoyed at the fact that he didn’t get AJ Styles as scheduled and as promised. He exited the ring and clapped with his music which started to play as the fans left the arena, he signed a couple of autographs for the fans that stayed back before taking a few pictures and then leaving the stage. He picked up a bottle of water from behind the curtain as he continued to walk through the backstage area; thanking some of the personnel congratulating him on his win and his performance out in the ring against Bad News Barrett. He sat down on one of the tall production boxes in the backstage area, he started to take off his wrist tape and stretched out his hands for a little while. He continued to drink his water and watched the production team pack some of the things away as they would be back on the road in just a few hours. Sami Zayn was just about to jump off the box until he was approached by Shane McMahon who had a couple of papers in his hands with a big grin on his face.
SAMI ZAYN
I have no idea what you’re smiling about, but I’m positive it’s because your wallet is getting bigger; whatever it is, it better be good after what you did this week.
SHANE MCMAHON
Sami, my man – look it was out of my hands and AJ had to be suspended, everything you said out there we will let slide because I understand you’re frustrated and you had to get it off your chest but…
SAMI ZAYN
Everything I said out there wasn’t for entertainment or because I had to prove myself. It was to make a point, to tell the truth about what kind of person AJ Styles is and why he doesn’t deserve to be where he is, but all of you yes-men are deciding to not look at the future and the problem in the EBWF; AJ Styles. Now tell me, tell me I have media duties this week, tell me I have interviews, tell me people want to get in touch with me and reach out to me because they saw what I had to say to AJ Styles, but make sure you tell me that next week you actually get his ass inside that ring against me in a one on one match and don’t just go agreeing with whatever the hierarchy has to say, do your job. You’re the one that wants the money right? Why you sold out on your own family to get a good-paying job here in the EBWF…do your job, this match is money and that’s what matters in this business, that’s what I’ve learnt. I’ll continue to do what I have to do, and that’s wrestle. But give me something to bite my teeth into, to put on a spectacle every single week.
SHANE MCMAHON
Well, you’re half right. Media outlets love what you just did out there, and you will probably have a flood of e-mails and phone calls; trust me pick out one or two that stand out and get your name out there and just like that your fan base will grow. Look Sami…there’s no AJ Styles because we’re still unsure what his situation is. But you’re the first name I thought of for this match, next week at Warfare in Oklahoma, I want you to defy the odds, go out to that ring and show that size doesn’t matter, because I want you to leave the fans breathless and put on a heck of a show…against Daniel Rodimer.
SAMI ZAYN
Daniel…Rodimer? THAT makes money in your books? Well…whatever you say, I’ll be there.
Sami jumped off the box still giving Shane McMahon some attitude after he was unable to get him AJ Styles inside the ring, but now he confirmed to Sami that he would be in action next week where he will take on Daniel Rodimer. He then walked over to his locker room and closed the door before changing into his every day attire and walking away with his briefcase to head home before he is back on the road. He walks over to his rental car and throws in his briefcase in the back seat, before getting into the car himself and driving away from the arena.
- - - - - - -
It’s Tuesday afternoon and Sami Zayn walks back into his apartment after Warfare the night before. He puts his keys back into his blazer pocket before picking up a wad of letters from the table which he brought upstairs. He put his bag down and shut the door behind him, looking through the letters and scrunching up the useless adverts. He walked over to his phone and pressed a button, signalling he has new messages.
VOICEMAIL
You have…56 new messages, press 1 to listen to…Beep.
SAMI ZAYN
Oh hell no.
Sami turned it off not wanting to listen to many messages, instead he hopped into his bathroom for a shower. A couple of hours later while he was relaxing on his couch, he opened his laptop and his e-mails, looking through them where the popular trend was interview requests. He read through a few of them and stopped at one which caught his eye, mainly because it was a phone interview which he could do from the comfort of his own home without leaving. The e-mail mentioned how they want to interview Sami for their guest role on a TV show and want to talk about his feelings towards the AJ Styles situation and his upcoming match against Daniel Rodimer at Warfare. He looks over the details and decides he doesn’t want to do a full interview, instead he would be leaving a full explanation on the answering machine; he continued to dial a number before leaving a message.
SAMI ZAYN
Sami Zayn, EBWF Superstar and current number one contender to the Intercontinental Championship here; let me start off by saying I genuinely cannot believe the amount of interest this…thing with AJ Styles has garnered. I never expected it to get this big and I’m not sure whether we will compete, I know a lot of people were let down by the fact that we didn’t get it on in that ring but none are more disappointed than I am. I stand by every single thing I said, he’s past it; there’s no passion and he doesn’t belong here. Every single week I’m asked to reflect on the previous week, and like always I tell everyone to get over it, it’s in the past and stop dwelling on it. Go ahead and praise the victory and the match as a whole with Bad News Barrett and look to the future. Such as next week…where I step inside the ring with Daniel Rodimer; now what do I have to say? For the first time I think I am speechless…I have no idea who or what Daniel Rodimer really is. There’s nothing there for me to grab on to or get fixated upon apart from the fact that he, like many others, don’t belong inside that ring; it’s clear this isn’t his passion but a fall back plan once his football career didn’t take off, I’m not letting somebody like him take my rightful spot away from me. He may look like a Hercules but considering who he associates himself with, he’s doing himself no favours with that team name; I believe he can’t even put 1 and 1 together. He’s your typical high school jock, gets the women, the fame, bullies people around to get what he wants and demands respect…sounds scarily familiar doesn’t it?
Sami switched off the phone, not getting too much into Daniel Rodimer just yet; now he waits for Warfare to get Daniel Rodimer inside the ring.
- - - - - - -
It’s Monday Night Warfare, we’re at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City where some impressive matches have already taken place. Now, World’s Apart blasts the PA system as Sami Zayn emerges on stage nodding his head to his music as the fans are on their feet going along with it. He quickly gets down the ramp and into the ring where he takes a microphone and begins to speak to the Oklahoma crowd.
SAMI ZAYN
Well…it’s certainly been a quieter week compared to the last that’s for sure. Understandable, my opponent – as far as I am aware – hasn’t been suspended so by the looks of it you’re all still scheduled to watch Daniel Rodimer vs. Sami Zayn, so there’s some good news I guess. All week, everywhere I turned people told me they heard the phone call message I left for an interview and everyone asked me, why didn’t I start something? Yeah usually everyone is mad for me opening my mouth and telling the truth but the one time I decide I won’t say a lot everyone is upset; well I guess I decided to save all of that for the lovely people of Oklahoma City!
Fans cheer as Sami laughs and walks around the ring with his hand over his mouth, preparing something he would say to keep the audience interested and on his side.
SAMI ZAYN
I’ll give you all the honest answer, why was I…not very vocal about Daniel Rodimer. The truth is I didn’t have much to say, because I have had no idea how the hell he managed to get himself an EBWF contract. I understand, I’m not the biggest of guys and I’m not built like an action figure like Daniel Rodimer either; but I am faster, technically I am superior because compared to him I think I am at a level I believe he cannot reach. He might be able to bench press more than I can but he doesn’t have the desire to succeed like I do. He can be the biggest powerhouse the company possesses but the fact he lacks in every other department is the sole reason I’ll be walking up that ramp as the winner in a short while. But, like many others Rodimer has decided the way to move up in this business is to associate yourself with someone. I mean we’ve seen it with The Miz and Ted DiBiase who are in love with AJ Styles and clinging on to him like a teenage crush and you’re with…Damien Sandow. An interesting choice to say the least. What the two of you do actually remind me of is a dumbed-down but jacked-up version of Brock Lesnar with a worse back tattoo and less than half of the brain cells he possesses if that’s even possible; and a hairier yet MORE annoying version of Paul Heyman seeming to do the talking in the form of Damien Sandow. The only difference is Brock found something he’s good at and went for it, you couldn’t make football work and I won’t let you make wrestling work, believe me. I’m saying, without Sandow it’s advantage Sami Zayn. Rodimer will be lost without the so-called brains of this team and the embarrassment he will suffer by someone a lot smaller than him won’t sit well with him or his partner.
Fans cheer as Sami Zayn is smiling as well, knowing he is hitting the right notes with the fans and trying to get under Rodimer’s skin, even though he won’t mean it personally the fans know he’d want the best Rodimer possible…to make himself look better if he wins.
SAMI ZAYN
But…you DO remind me of AJ Styles, the confidence you have in yourself. The fact you think you’re on top of the world and people like me are not on your level. You think you can get any woman to want you, you bully people around; but not me Daniel. I’ve had my ass kicked more times than I care to remember by people like you but it was never inside the squared circle; in this ring I am the bully! You’re an athlete, an impressive athlete at that I think any coach would look at you twice and put you in the team to cause the damage needed. But there’s no coach here buddy, it’s just you and I and a referee trying to all this match down the middle. You can’t match yourself to me in this ring because I’m like nobody you have ever faced, or will ever face. You were a Tough Enough contestant almost 10 years ago and you showed to the world you didn’t have it in you to be the man…10 years have passed so I expect to see a Daniel Rodimer like never before! The BEST Daniel Rodimer possible because if he’s anything like that 2004 Daniel Rodimer, I’m afraid it’ll only end in a devastating loss for you...I refuse to lose.
Fans cheer as Sami Zayn drops the microphone as he pumped himself up, telling Rodimer to being his A-Game as he wants the best match possible.