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Monday June 20th 2016 – EBWF Monday Night Warfare – T-Mobile Arena – Las Vegas; Nevada
Joey Styles: What a finish Corey! Sami progresses to the next round of King of the Ring!
Corey Graves: That’s right, Syxx put up a good fight but Sami’s march towards that crown continues!
Christy Hemme: Here is your winner…Sami Zayn!
The words Sami Zayn was so desperate to hear, Christy Hemme letting the world know that he had done enough to advance into the next round of the same tournament he had won one year ago. Sami stumbled into the corner and fell down, clearly out of breath as he looked at Syxx having just pinned him after hitting the Blue Thunder Bomb. He wiped the sweat away from his face with both of his hands, composing himself before using the ropes to get himself to his feet as the referee approached him and raised his arm in victory as Sami smiled at the audience who continued to chant his name, chant ‘Ole!’ and were singing along to his theme song. He slowly exited the ring and began to walk up the ramp with his hands on his hips as the lights in the arena turned a little darker, signalling to a commercial break. However, the cameras continued to follow Zayn after he waved at the audience from the stage, thanking them for their support before disappearing behind the curtain.
The cameras continued to roll again as we watched Edge advance into the next round of the tournament, having defeated the Path to Glory Champion, PJ Black. Before the match between Trish Stratus and Natalya could begin, Corey and Joey turned our attention to the titan-tron, where Michael Cole had caught up with Sami just moment ago, getting his thoughts on what was unfolding in the tournament.
The two were stood backstage, with Sami taking big gulps from his water bottle, looking down at Michael who was standing next to him.
Michael Cole: Congratulations, Sami. A fantastic match out there against a familiar opponent, but the stakes were higher than ever this time, how does it feel to not only advance, but to defeat Syxx in the process?
Sami thought about it for a second, taking it in that he was one of the lucky few who was going to be advancing into the latter stages of the tournament, not something a lot of people can say. He laughed to himself a little before responding to Michael’s question.
Sami Zayn: I don’t think it really matters to me now who I beat to get to this stage, sure…it’s someone I know well but I went out there and did what I said I was going to do. I proved that tonight I was the better competitor, and I know that I deserve to be in the spot I’m in, and the only way is up, I’m winning this.
Michael Cole: Well we just watched Edge pull out a surprise win, defeating the Path to Glory Champion PJ Black and is now one win away from the final. How much does it spur you to go on and battle Edge for a place in the all-important final?
Sami Zayn: I know the position he’s in, I know how intense it is because now he has to go to the pay-per-view and have – potentially – two matches in one night, and it’s not easy. Look, I’m not going to beat around the bush, I’m stoked that I can go on to face Edge and I hope that I get the chance to do that. I’m pretty sure he knows who I am, what I bring and I think after who we’ve both fought through in this tournament, it’s something I want, it’s something he probably wants but I know this is what the fans want. In an ideal world, it’d be me and Edge in the final, it’s a match of that magnitude for me in my eyes, but to do it in a semi-final would be just as big, just as fun and I still plan on beating him.
Michael Cole: I’m sure everybody agrees that a match between yourself and Edge would be nothing short of brilliant…however, to do that you have to go through one more superstar. You defeat him, and you’re going to King of the Ring again…Chuck Taylor.
Sami looked up and smiled, knowing that once Cole would mention Chuck’s name, it’d draw a great reaction from the fans and it did.
Sami Zayn: Let me tell you something, when you show this interview in a little while and you bring up Chuck’s name, I can promise you the fans will react because again, this is something they want. They want the great performer’s sharing a ring, and I’m excited about sharing the ring with him again, I can’t wait for next week and I’m sure he can’t either. He’s going to be confident that his Cinderella story is continuing, unfortunately I’m going to be the one that has to end it, but right now friendship and respect is thrown out of the window because we’re going to do whatever it takes to advance.
Michael Cole: Thank you for your time, Sami and good luck in your match next week.
Sami Zayn: Thanks, Cole.
And with that, Sami walked away in confident mood of defeating Chuck next week on Warfare, before going on to face Edge in the King of the Ring semi-final. It was going to be a tough task for Sami, considering he’d seen very little of Chuck in the EBWF and it had been quite some time since he last shared the ring with his foe. Regardless of that, Sami knew that his current run could help him pick up the tough win he needed with one final stretch left to reclaiming his crown.
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Monday June 27th 2016 – EBWF Monday Night Warfare – Vivint Smart Home Arena – Salt Lake City; Utah
The EBWF was in Salt Lake City where the King and Queen of the Ring competitors would be narrowed down further. Randy Orton, Sami Zayn, The Miz, Roman Reigns and Chuck Taylor were aiming to make it to the pay-per-view but with an action-packed night ahead, only time would tell which lucky individuals would be moving on to the King of the Ring pay-per-view. The pressure was on Sami Zayn this week, if he could get past Chuck then only two people were left and the confidence would grow as he aimed to achieve the same feat he achieved last year.
As the fans settled down mid-way through the show, they erupted into massive cheers as “Worlds Apart” by CFO$ blasted the PA system as Sami danced his way on to the stage. He shouted “Let’s Go” into the camera in sync with the thousands of fans in attendance as they started to sing along to his upbeat theme music. He danced down the ramp in typical fashion wearing his wrestling gear along with his Harrington jacket complete with the grey flat cap. He pumped up the fans from the steel steps before getting into the ring, circling it as he smiled at the audience. Eventually his music faded out as he reached through the middle rope to receive a microphone, but wasn’t able to speak right away because of the thunderous ‘Ole!’ chants that didn’t take long to kick off. Despite the loud cheers, he had to speak a little louder to get the show on the road.
Sami Zayn: Wow, an incredible reception…I just hope you’ll be saving your energy for a little later on when my music hits again and I’m standing on the top of the ramp, celebrating with all of the Zayniacs that WE have made it to the King of the Ring pay-per-view.
The fans cheered as Zayn smiled, knowing that it would receive a loud reaction if he mentioned the input they had on his career.
Sami Zayn: Tomorrow…it will be an entire year since I pinned both PJ Black and Brian Kendrick to become the King of the Ring, it’s gone by so fast and so much has happened but we’re back here once again. Now, there are only three guys standing in my way. I take one of them out of the picture tonight…Chuck Taylor. Then, I get a match with the Rated R Superstar, Edge…and I don’t plan on losing to him either. Then, whether it’s Dalton Castle or Roman Reigns…the story remains the same, I’m winning the King of the Ring and I’m winning it my way.
Fans cheered for a pumped up Sami, who was in confident mood that nobody can beat him based on the form he’s in.
Sami Zayn: As far as I’m aware, only two people have won this tournament twice. That’s Randy Orton, and Bret Hart. I plan on doing the same and only the second guy to do it back to back and if you ask me, that’s some pretty sweet company to be in. But that all comes later, for now that’s all a fantasy which can only become a reality after tonight is out of the way, and tonight just happens to be the night Chuck Taylor and I share a ring for the very first time in the EBWF.
Sami circles the ring, with only a small section of the fans being louder than the rest, as they knew the history both Chuck and Sami had before the mask came off.
Sami Zayn: Even though this is the first time most of you are going to see the two of compete in this ring in this company, I actually know Chuck quite well, so I’m prepared with whatever he has to bring my way. It’s been a while since I last met him, but I know for a fact that there a couple of things that can never change with Chuck. He talks…a lot. He’s the most annoying person you’ll ever meet, yeah…he’d give Kevin Owens a run for his money. He’s a great competitor, I can’t deny that and finally…he gives really, REALLY shitty massages.
Some of the fans laughed, as Sami referred back to an infamous segment between the pair back in their Pro Wrestling Guerrilla days as he smiled to himself as he couldn’t hide his excitement about putting on a fantastic match with him yet again.
Sami Zayn: Regardless of all of that, I’m not taking Chuck lightly. I know he comes out here and he’s all cheerful, like me…he likes to have a good time…like me…and he loves wrestling…like me. But I know how else he’s like me, he hates losing just like I do. I mean come on, how can the most laid back, careless, carefree and…strange individual can waltz in here from out of nowhere and pick up a win over somebody like Shinsuke Nakamura, that’s not easy I can assure you that much. The fact is, Chuck hasn’t tasted the bottom of the barrel, he doesn’t know what it’s like to be thrown at the bottom and having to fight your way to the top of this business. The Chuck I know, well…let’s just say I see right through him.
Sami continued to circle the ring, as the audience leaned closer to listen to what he had to say about Chuck, somebody they knew loved to have a good time.
Sami Zayn: I know losses hurt you, I know the prospect of losing to ME will hurt you because after tonight, the only Chuck Taylor’s these people will remember are the shoes. I know that he’s all giddy and excited every single week, but I see right through that. I see how much it means to him to kick start life in the EBWF in the best possible way because it’s probably the ONLY way you guys will remember him or give a damn about him, that’s not me being bitter, that’s just the cold hard truth because the sooner he accepts that, the sooner he’ll adapt to life as being somebody who cannot defeat Sami Zayn, not tonight…not ever.
He laughed to himself a little, as he started to understand that Chuck was one of the most unorthodox athletes he was going up against.
Sami Zayn: It’s funny though, I take this business seriously, I watch my opponents, I know what I have to do to win and I bring my all into this match but Chuck…man…I don’t even know how you prepare yourself for a guy like Chuck. Even if I tried, I wouldn’t know how to put myself in his shoes, and quite frankly I don’t want to. I have an amazing opponent standing opposite me, but at the worst possible time. I need this win, this is the final stop so if I had Syxx, if I had Dolph, if I had PJ…I KNOW I’d be going to King of the Ring, but with Chuck…it’s not so easy. I’m not going to waste my time figuring out how to get in his head, seeing what makes Chuck tick, seeing what motivates him because I don’t plan on prancing around this ring with a flower in my ear thinking it’s all going to be okay, that it’s all going to be fun and games and the sooner he realises that, the better. Chuck, means absolutely nothing to me, he’s just another name I need to cross of the list, another name I need to throw out of the tournament to get what I want. So what do I do? How do I figure out what makes Chuck, Chuck? Do I dance around without a care in the world and hope that people forget when I suffer a big loss? Do I just spew utter gibberish to Renee or Michael, or to you guys to make it seem like I’m confident heading into a match? The fact is, Chuck can do absolutely nothing to get into my head, to make me believe that I can lose, in my head nobody can beat me now. In my head, I’ve beaten everyone I need to and only a couple of guys stand in the way.
Sami took a breather, making it clear to the fans that nothing Chuck could do or say would put him in an advantageous position.
Sami Zayn: The only thing it means is that you guys are guaranteed one hell of a match…but I’ve tasted life at the top. I know what it’s like working to reach that level, that’s what I’m craving, not whether I’m good enough to beat Chuck or not because deep down, he and I both know that no matter what he has to offer, he can’t get the job done tonight. He was so happy to get Shinsuke in this ring, now no disrespect to Shinsuke and I can only hope he and I can share a ring some time down the line, but if you were excited about facing Shinsuke then I can’t imagine what’s going through your head. You’re probably bouncing from wall to wall because if I had to, I’d beat the both of you on the same night to become the King of the Ring, again. You’re getting the final tonight my friend, this isn’t an ordinary match, you beat me and I’ll be the first to admit that Chuck Taylor is good enough to become the King. But, if you lose, which you will, you’re just going to be another name that tried to take what’s mine and pay the price for it. Then you’ll know what I had to go through, where ONE loss can change it all and perhaps next year in this very tournament you can win it and go on to become King, and challenge ME for the World Championship.
The fans instantly reacted positively when Sami referred to himself as the future World Champion, and he couldn’t help but smile as he moved one step closer to that becoming a reality.
Sami Zayn: I don’t know how many more times I can say it before Chuck finally understands that there’s no way on earth he’s advancing in this tournament. You can beat Carlito three hundred times, it’s not going to change the outcome of tonight. I’m beating you, I’m going to go to the back and relax, watching the girls kick ass and then finding out if I’ll be facing Randy in the final, or if another crazy son of a bitch is standing in my way in the final. You’re my final hurdle, I’ve jumped over so many and I’ll be damned if I fall at the last one. I've gone through the best of the best when nobody gave me a chance, and I don't plan on letting you become 2016's Sami Zayn. Nobody is stopping me from getting to King of the Ring, especially you, Chuck.
Sami dropped the microphone to the outside as his smile quickly turned into a determined look, taking off his jacket and flat cap, throwing them out as well as he proceeded to sit in the corner, waiting for Chuck to make his way to the ring. One more win is all he needed to get to King of the Ring, he was determined to get it.