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Monday May 16 2016 – EBWF Monday Night Warfare – Target Center – Minneapolis; Minnesota
It was an exciting time in the EBWF once again, as the King of the Ring was once again upon us where two lucky athletes would be crowned the Queen and King of the Ring, with an opportunity to contend for the World Championship title. For Sami Zayn, this was something important, having signed with the company two years ago mid-way through the tournament, forcing to watch the others make a good go of being crowned the King, before going on to win the tournament the following year. It was all topped off with a World Championship win for him, dethroning Dolph Ziggler – and that win triggered his downfall. One vicious attack from the group known as Vertex cost Sami his championship, and his touch in the ring, failing to string together impressive wins on numerous occasions. However, since the start of the year, Sami has pulled together a string of wins at the correct time, hoping to retain his crown and receive an overdue shot at the World Championship, currently held by Chris Jericho. The tournament bracket is already full of incredible talent including the likes of Shinsuke Nakamura, Randy Orton and Edge, but Sami wasn’t going to let the stacked bracket put him off, if anything, he thrived off it.
This week, the EBWF was in Minneapolis at the Target Center, where some of the first round matches of the King and Queen of the Ring matches were taking place, including Gionna Daddio vs. Velvet Sky, as well as an intriguing match-up between Nakamura and Chuck Taylor. The main event, however, was being contested by Sami Zayn and a face that hadn’t been seen around the EBWF for quite some time, Alex Shelley. There’s a reason this match was put in the main event, the interesting styles had the fans excited for what the two men had to bring in the battle to advance to the next round, where Syxx would be waiting, another man Sami knew all too well. With the night underway in full flow, there was only a few moments remaining until the main event was scheduled to begin. The fans found their seats as a commercial break came to an end and the cameras were rolling yet again inside the Target Center.
The fans suddenly erupted into a chorus of cheers as the lights around the arena changed to red, yellow and blue with “World’s Apart” by CFO$ blasting the PA system. The cheers grew even louder when Sami Zayn danced his way through the curtains and on to the stage, donning his usual attire of black wrestling tights, a grey flat cap along with his Lonsdale jacket. He looked around the arena as he danced, before shouting “Let’s Go!” into the camera as his dancing continued down the ramp and on to the steel steps. He pumped up the crowd as they sang along to his theme music, getting into the ring and smiling while nodding his head, appreciating every fan who was in attendance and was supporting him. He walked over to the corner to take a microphone and circled the ring once more, waiting for his theme music to end before addressing the rowdy Minneapolis crowd.
Sami Zayn: What a crowd we have here in Minneapolis tonight!
As expected, the Minneapolis fans responded with thunderous cheers, just as Sami expected as he laughed before continuing.
Sami Zayn: Kind of a strange night tonight, don’t you think? I mean it just feels different to your normal episode of Monday Night Warfare. There’s the excitement, the unpredictability this time of year brings…the King of the Ring. I’m pretty confident you all remember what happened at this stage in 2015, when I fought through Wade Barrett, Brock Lesnar, Brian Kendrick AND PJ Black to be crowned the King…and I gotta tell you…one heck of a feeling when you win that, and in my first attempt too. Normally they tell you to keep your cards close to your chest, but I don’t care who knows my plan and what I intend to do, because my plan is to repeat the whole thing in 2016 and retain my title as the King of the Ring.
The fans cheered at Sami’s determined attitude, he maintained his serious look throughout, but with a small grin on his face at all times.
Sami Zayn: What a time it is to be a wrestling fan, what a time to be performing for the EBWF 365 days a year, it actually made me realise walking down here how lucky I am to be in this position. When you’re in my shoes, you get to see what’s going on around you, a drunk, incredible wrestler trying to sleep with anything with a pulse, a loudmouthed jackass trying to find three bigger jackasses to form a group which is doomed to fail. Two best friends or brothers or bitter enemies finding unique ways to kick each other’s asses and sink to new lows every single week, somebody finding any excuse to spit apples in somebody’s face and much…much more. You also get to see some criminally underrated wrestlers from around the world getting opportunities that aren’t available anywhere else, in any other wrestling promotion. Dalton Castle, Finn Balor, and I’m sure you all saw and heard Chuck Taylor earlier on in the evening, guys that have all the talent in the world and you wonder what took them so long to get here. THIS, this King of the Ring is the perfect platform for a star to be created, and truth be told, any one of them can do it. But…there’s a difference. The thing about the apple-spewing guy, the two friends kicking each other’s asses, the loudmouthed jackass, the drunk, incredible wrestler looking for a night of fun…they’re actually HERE to show us what they’re about, every single week and it’s because we see them so much, we know what they do and what their intentions are, unlike my opponent tonight.
Fans couldn’t help but let out cheers when Sami was referring to his opponent, Alex Shelley. Somebody the fans and the company knew very well, as he held a high position on the roster many years ago and would be competing in the ring once again.
Sami Zayn: I can understand the excitement, I only realised he was competing here again when I read the tournament bracket, and in fact, I’m glad that I’m put up against somebody so loved, and incredibly gifted in the ring because that’s how I love proving to the world that nobody can stop me from achieving my goals. My latest goal is to retain my King of the Ring, so Alex is making his return at the worst time possible against the best opponent he could’ve imagined. I actually see many similarities between myself and Alex, so I’m actually excited for his music to hit so he can get down here, but let’s just wait a moment for that. Even though he was here doing his business in the EBWF way before I was even on the scene, I heard and saw what he was about, I think we all did because – like me – he was on top of the world, even though my stint at the top was for a month and he was there for a very long time. We captured the Intercontinental Championship once, these fans loved us so much that they voted us as the face of the year and we’re both, right now, one-time World Champions in this company. The beauty of this tournament is that the winner gets an opportunity at the World Championship, and I’ll be damned…if you swoop back in and become a two-time World Champion before I do.
Sami circled the ring a little more aggressively as the cheers continued, determined not to let this golden opportunity pass him at another crucial stage in his career.
Sami Zayn: I’m not letting somebody slide their way into the tournament and let them walk away with a championship match, an opportunity I work so hard for every single week so if I’m honest, I don’t care if it’s Alex Shelley, The Rock or even Cesaro…this is my tournament and it’s my time to shine again. It’s been six long years since he was last here, but the fact that he’s been away for so long means he needs to understand that this isn’t the same EBWF that he was a part of. This isn’t the same company where he was the longest reigning World Champion in history, this isn’t the same company where the likes of John Cena and Randy Orton run the rule over everybody in that locker room, this is a completely different era where wrestlers like Sami Zayn bust their ass for 365 days a year because we love it. I’m not somebody who’s going to disappear for years and come back when it suits me, when I’m done…I’m done. And believe me, I’m far from done because I’ve a lot of unfinished business starting tonight.
The ’Ole!’ chants continued to echo throughout the Target Center as Sami let out a little smile, while a little out of breath after getting things off his chest.
Sami Zayn: I know though; I know the pressure is on me. Not just this match, this entire tournament is a weight on my shoulders because I’m the one with the target on my back, I’m the one everybody will be looking to take out of this tournament, it just so happens Alex has that opportunity first. But, he can lose and go back to whatever it is he was doing, whether he was sat at home or wrestling elsewhere, whereas I’m walking in as the King who became a World Champion so not only do I need to prove that I deserved it last year…but I’m good enough to do it for a second year.
Sami put the microphone down in the corner for a second, before picking it back up to finish what he had to say.
Sami Zayn: But hey, Alex, I’m not stupid enough to overlook you, you’ve done great things in the company…but that was back then. This is now, and I’m at the top of my game and on top of this company, this isn’t the same EBWF you know when you were here, this is my time. Nobody, not even you, can come close to taking it from me.
Sami smiled at the stage, waiting for his opponent to come out before eventually putting the microphone down and taking off his cap and jacket, circling the ring, eagerly waiting for his defence to begin.