- - - - - - -
Monday July 25 2016 – EBWF Monday Night Warfare – Rogers Arena – Vancouver, British Columbia; Canada
The EBWF were in Canada for a second consecutive week, this time in Vancouver after Monday Night Warfare took place in Calgary the previous week. Sami Zayn had the pressure of impressing his home nation last week – as did Edge – as Rated RKO were looking to advance to the next round of the EBWF Tag Team Classic. However, the odd combination of Sami Zayn and Baron Corbin managed to pick up the massive win, dumping Edge and Randy Orton out of the tournament, and advancing to the next round after Sami hit the Helluva Kick on Randy. There were only five teams left, and at the end of the night, there would only be two remaining, heading into Sacrifice to determine who will walk into SummerSlam as the #1 contenders to the EBWF Tag Team Championships. The week marked the latest impressive achievement under Sami’s belt. Having been on a great run which saw him catapulted to the top of the card. As well as being in line to face both the Path to Glory Champion, PJ Black, and Chris Jericho for the EBWF World Championship, but it all came down to whether PJ would cash in. At least this way, Sami was kept busy.
This week, Sami and Baron were teaming up against the team of Seth Rollins, and the Breakout Champion, Jimmy Havoc. A team that managed to overcome The Miz and Alex Riley in the previous round and now stood in their way. Jimmy had created waves since debuting, making a significant impact while he, alongside Rollins, wanted to stamp their authority in the tag team division as well. Since making his own debut around two years ago, Sami hadn’t given much focus to the tag team division, some of it was his disinterest in joining a team, other times it was a lack of opportunities. However, based on how things were going for him at the minute, Sami wasn’t one to waste an opportunity, even if it meant having to go all the way to the top of the division with Corbin alongside Robbie Brookside.
The scene opened up backstage at the Rogers Arena, with the show already in full swing and the first triple threat tag team match almost beginning. Renee Young was seen walking in front of a cameraman, as they approached a corner where Sami Zayn was seen stretching, prompting loud cheers from the audience as they saw Sami on the titan-tron. He was in his wrestling gear already, his black, flag-designed tights, along with a red Cesaro shirt. He took off his headphones and placed them around his neck as he took a sip from his bottle of water, looking over at Renee, who approached him as he almost spilt some trying to talk to her.
SAMI ZAYN: Hey, Renee. What’s up?
Renee almost spoke, but laughed alongside Sami, as the ‘Ole!’ chants were heard backstage, throwing her off guard.
RENEE YOUNG: Well I do apologise for interrupting your warm-up, but it looks like the Vancouver crowd is ready for your match later tonight!
SAMI ZAYN: Oh man, the reception already, this past week and tonight as well. It’s great to be back in Canada, back in Vancouver and I’m already shaking now, imagine the noise when my music hits for my entrance, and when we win the match tonight as well.
RENEE YOUNG: Confident…well before we get into the match tonight, we HAVE to talk about last week where you and Baron Corbin picked up, what many people are calling an upset, after beating Rated RKO. We didn’t catch you after the main event, so can you tell us your thoughts on the outcome of that match?
SAMI ZAYN: I don’t know if I’d call it an upset myself, I was always confident of winning, Baron was always confident of winning and we got the job done, and we’re here tonight. No hard feelings with either of them, I think deep down both Edge, and Randy know how much I respect them, how much I enjoyed being in the ring with them. But…that’s all done now; I’m pretty sure they have enough experience to get over one tag team loss and hopefully when we meet them in the ring again, we’ll have the Tag Team Championships.
RENEE YOUNG: Your alliance with Baron Corbin, a lot of questions have been raised over how you work together, can we see something a lot more stable tonight?
SAMI ZAYN: Yeah…ha…I did say last week that we’re not each other’s first choice, but we have to make do with what we’re given. We’ve spoken about it, we’ve discussed it, and one way to look at is that a team with cracks in them managed to overcome Edge and Randy, so imagine what we can do when we iron out those cracks tonight against Jimmy Havoc and Seth Rollins. I’m looking forward to it.
RENEE YOUNG: Okay, let’s focus on tonight. One thing that’s been discussed is the influence of Robbie Brookside, how important is he to your success as a team in this tournament?
Sami thought about the question for a second, with a confused look on his face as he responded.
SAMI ZAYN: I don’t think there’s a massive influence, not on me anyway. Y’know, people, can say what they want about how he picked someone who is in great form, what they fail to understand is that this was totally random. D’you honestly think Robbie can pull ANY strings with the hierarchy? Really? I mean even if he could, d’you honestly think he would pick ME as somebody to “protect” Baron? He doesn’t need protection; if he needs guidance, then Robbie is the man to give it to him, not me. No disrespect to Robbie, he knows I love him to the death, but he understands as a person who helped me grow as a star, that I made the leap to do this myself, and I won’t need his guidance anymore. I’m doing my thing; he’s doing his own. Was Robbie there when I won my first championship? My first Wold Championship? King of the Ring wins? No, so just because he’s here now doesn’t mean my individual success in this team comes down to him, this is all me, win or lose.
RENEE YOUNG: Your opponents tonight have had a lot to say about you and this match as a whole. The Breakout Champion, Jimmy Havoc and Seth Rollins, coming off the back of a win over The Miz and Alex Riley. Did you hear what they had to say about you?
SAMI ZAYN: Ha, Renee I think everybody has had a lot to say about me and yeah, I’ve heard it all time and time again, but it doesn’t really affect me that much anymore. They’re good wrestlers, they entertain, they do what they have to do to win, and the same applies to us tonight, so it should be a fun match here in Vancouver, and I’m sure they’ll make it clear who they’re cheering for tonight.
Sami laughed as the crowd cheered as loud as they could, along with the ‘Ole!’ chants as Renee laughed along.
RENEE YOUNG: Just want to talk about one thing in particular, first, about your success. You’ve had a fantastic year so far, a King of the Ring win, number one contender for the Path to Glory Championship, you’ve been racking up the wins for a while now, and a win here could be the latest in a long line of achievements. Does it bother you that people are criticising you for how much you’re achieving?
Again, a confused look appeared on Sami’s face. Unaware that he could be criticised for doing something anybody else on the roster would love to be doing.
SAMI ZAYN: I…uh…why is there criticism? If they think I’m taking opportunities, they’ll need to look up the word ‘earning’ in the dictionary because I’m a firm believer that anything given to you is not worth having. People just choose to focus on the success I’m having now, they throw these facts my way like how I don’t need the tag team titles. How I should be saving this spot for someone else. Which quite frankly, is a ridiculous statement because this isn’t a sharing business, and as nice of a guy as I am, everybody joins this industry to focus on themselves. D’you think Chris Jericho woke up one day and decided he wants to join the wrestling industry and be the best tag team star that’s ever lived? Triple H? The Rock? Stone Cold Steve Austin? Hell, Bret Hart?
RENEE YOUNG: That’s a fair point.
SAMI ZAYN: Yeah, I have a Path to Glory Championship match that I probably won’t get, yeah I won the King of the Ring tournament for a second consecutive year, yeah that does make me the number one contender for the EBWF World Championship as well. What’s wrong with that? It’s funny how everyone tries throwing that in my face, acting as if I never earned a single one of those opportunities or accolades. I busted my ass off for the best part of two years to be standing here today. Did I talk my way into it? Did I have someone carry me like Seth is carrying Jimmy to get me where I’m at? Did these opportunities fall to me on a plate, onto my lap? Was I a major player of an attitude era that automatically gives me a right or a free pass to these achievements and opportunities? Was I born into the family that owns this place? No. Every single one of my achievements here, I have achieved all on my own and every single time I have failed, I have done so on my own. So I really don’t understand why it’s making guys like Jimmy and Seth angry that I’m on a great run? Jimmy, is it because you’d throw that Breakout Championship away in a heartbeat to be where I am today? Seth, is it because you’d throw away your creepy friendship with Jimmy to be in the spot I am today? Nothing new there, though. I know, how come you guys don’t find a cameraman and talk about my first match in this company, when I lost to Dave freakin’ Batista, who disappeared the very next week. Is that an opportunity? How come you guys don’t talk about how I lost my first ever championship match in this company to Syxx? How come nobody talks about how The Miz beat me, back to back for the World Championship? Or better yet Jimmy, why don’t you bring up the fact that I never received a single opportunity to fight for that Breakout, or Path to Glory Championship? You come in from nowhere and take that opportunity in a heartbeat; you didn’t hear me complaining so don’t you dare spew your nonsense about me having so many opportunities. But I’ll tell you one thing, if you and I ever get a singles match, and you’re still the champion, I’ll take THAT opportunity too and take your championship.
Sami stopped for a second, and refocused, before looking back at Renee and continuing.
SAMI ZAYN: So yeah, I had to sit back, and I did my best and watched everybody else take these opportunities I know I worked hard for, deserved, and didn’t get. And when I didn’t get them, I didn’t bitch and moan like you guys are doing now just because I saw somebody at the top that DESERVED to be there. So this whole jealousy thing, saying I need to leave something for the others…perhaps if either of you guys stepped up and show me you deserve it, I’d have no issue stepping aside and letting you both continue your path to the tag team championships while I continue my path to the World Championship. So…I guess tonight Jimmy and Seth; you have a chance to prove that. If you beat us fair and square, and you prove that you deserve this spot more than I do or more than Baron does, maybe he won’t do this, but I’ll have no problem in raising your arms as the rightful winners. And I’d let everybody here in Vancouver know that they’re looking at the next tag team champions. But, until that happens…I can’t do that, because right now the spot I’m in…is mine. The spot I want is going to be mine, and I’d be a fool to roll over and let somebody who has barely been here for a few months take it from me before disappearing off the map when he fails as many others have done in the past.
RENEE YOUNG: Let’s look at Seth Rollins first, somebody you know well, he knows you well too…is he the one your focus will be on tonight?
SAMI ZAYN: I think it’d be wrong to focus on just one of them, but there’s no denying how dangerous he is. I think the world knows about his talent, and you can understand why everyone was excited when he jumped ship to come here and as a wrestling fan, of course, I’m happy. We have one of the best wrestlers on the planet in this company. But…as a wrestler…as an opponent of his, none of that matters because if the roles were reversed and Rollins was in my place, he wouldn’t be complaining, and he’d forget Jimmy was even a friend. That’s just the sort of person he is. The difference between us is that when I go at it alone, I go at it the right way, and when he goes at it alone, he chooses to stoop to new lows which haven’t even been discovered yet, and that shows the individual he is. That’s why it won’t surprise me that this unit of their will implode sooner or later, so I’m not worried about Seth tonight, not tonight, not ever.
There was a bit of a silence as Sami waited for Renee to bring up her next question, but she had to follow-up on Sami’s comments regarding Seth.
RENEE YOUNG: Well, many would argue that he is one of the finest performers that’s made the move to this company…
SAMI ZAYN: I’m not denying that I’m just saying that when you join the EBWF, you’re expected to show the world why you build that reputation for you. Seth is a fantastic wrestler, one of the very best but he’ll have all of my attention when he works up the ranks like I did, until then he can be another obstacle. Perhaps talking so much isn't so bad for him, I don't plan on giving him my spot, so maybe we need to get used to Seth hosting his own talk-show rather than competing for championships. He can say what he wants; the fact is no amount of redesigning, and no amount of rebuilding can change what’s going to go down tonight. And well….you actually need to achieve something here other than a number one contender's spot, Seth, before you say you can reclaim it.
RENEE YOUNG: Their team as a whole, how dangerous are they combined when it comes to your goals of becoming the champion in this tournament?
SAMI ZAYN: I just thought this team that formed from nowhere. I know it’s based off a friendship and everything, but it’s just a little strange to me, seeing them a little TOO close compared to teams we’ve seen together for years that still haven’t managed to create this…strange bond. I think it’s the fact that they need to showcase it to everyone, every single day might even get people uncomfortable, sharing every little detail of what they’re doing. Nobody NEEDS or wants the diary of their whereabouts, asking if the other has fallen asleep yet, asking who is going to make breakfast and bring it into bed the next day. I’m not going to text Baron and ask him what colour boxer shorts he’s going to wear that day so we can match on the night and proclaim how we were destined to be partners and champions. We’re not going to publicly force our teamwork, or the lack of it, to the world. The fact that you guys need to do that every single day to prove how close you are, it just shows me the weaknesses, the cracks because no legitimate tag team feels the need to tell us that. I don’t remember Rated RKO doing it, hell, not even The Miz or Alex Riley do it, no team AJ Styles has been in has said it…and I’ll be the first to admit that me and Baron just don’t work as a team, but we’ll have to somehow make ends meet.
There was another little silence before Sami snapped out of it and remembered her question.
SAMI ZAYN: Oh, yeah they are now the most dangerous team to overcome, there’s no denying that. Then perhaps Shinsuke and Leo Kruger because they bring the unpredictability. But we’re confident of getting the job done, regardless of who is in the ring with us tonight, or next week. We’ve seen this act before, and I know that Jimmy and Seth probably won’t stop until they get what they want, and that makes them dangerous, which isn’t exactly good news for myself and Baron. But…I’ve overcome bigger challenges, jumped over more dangerous hurdles, and I beat another sick bastard at WrestleMania to send him packing from the company. So if Jimmy and Seth think they have me or Baron trembling in the corner in fear, they’re wrong. I’m ready for whatever Seth has to bring, I’m ready for whatever Jimmy has to bring and deep down, they know that they’re out of their depth because we’ve just beaten the best team the tournament has to offer, and now they’re up against the best team. So the two of you can keep showing us how close you are, or how much it matters, how great you think you are, how well you think you work as a team but the social media tag team championships…you can keep those because I have no interest in pursuing those imaginary titles. One we win tonight, and you realise that this team of yours isn’t as solid or as great as you THINK it is, nobody here in Vancouver will be surprised to see the emergence of Crossfit Judas.
RENEE YOUNG: Let’s focus on Jimmy Havoc now, the champion, very confident based on the comments he made. What are your thoughts on what he has to bring?
SAMI ZAYN: Jimmy...I think we all know who carried him in that match, who won him that match and I’m not a fan of the way he’s jumped onto the back of an incredible, incredible wrestler, who will no doubt reach the top one day that’s set to come his way…but I know people like you. You’re the type of guy that will hog the spotlight more than the guy that deserves it, but there’s going to be a setback tonight, and then you’ll be forced to re-evaluate this disturbing little partnership the two of you have. Then, when that inevitable, ugly break-up happens, when Seth Rollins slams your head through a steel chair or a table or throws you off a ladder through the announcer’s desk…he’ll go on to achieve great thing whereas his poor friend will be left lagging behind. Looking for another owner that will take him on, take him under his wing and protect him from becoming a nobody in the company, Seth is saving you right now, and we all know it.
Sami exhaled with his hands on his hips, scratching his beard before talking again.
SAMI ZAYN: You’re…you’re enjoying a great run right now, and honestly, I love nothing more than when somebody new walks through those doors, earns their stripes and causes an impact. In your case, you won a championship quicker than I won my first match, but I know what it’s like to struggle and only time will tell whether you have enough mettle to go through what I did, and still manage to come out on top.
RENEE YOUNG: He has been a breath of fresh air on the roster, a unique, engaging character. Do you not agree?
SAMI ZAYN: I appreciate the hard work that he’s put into making a character you can immerse yourself in, and get the fans invested into it, but it’s a whole different ball game when you expect your peers to feel the need to be intimidated. I’m certainly not afraid of him or his antics, he can threaten me all he wants, if I’m not afraid, Baron certainly isn’t. I’m not going to make any mistake of underestimating him or anybody else for that matter, but one thing is for sure there’s nobody in this company that can make me fear them.
A smile grew on his face, as he thought about something regarding Jimmy.
SAMI ZAYN: Sure, Jimmy might be the newest threat in the EBWF, but I alongside many others have survived the odd unhinged star that’s stepped foot into this company. Bray Wyatt tried it, caused some havoc, scared a few people and then the re-emergence of Brian Kendrick. He brought back his twisted ways to the company in a similar setting to Jimmy’s. Oh, and how can we forget the latest sick, twisted nightmare that came here and did the same as you, making everyone’s life a living hell, including mine, including John Cena’s when he dethroned him for the EBWF World Championship. Solomon Crowe.
A few cheers could be heard as Sami mentioned the former EBWF stars, before carrying on with his statement.
SAMI ZAYN: He too had a little lair, being a general pain in the ass which is why you remind me of all of them. So what YOU need to understand is that this is nothing new to me, I’ve been inside of the ring with the sickest of them all. Whether it’s Kill Havoc Kill or Fight Owens Fight. So tonight, we either find out whether Jimmy Havoc is the most dangerous star to walk through those curtains in 2016. Or whether he’s simply a poor man’s Brian Kendrick.
RENEE YOUNG: Does it not bother you the danger he brings, both physically and mentally? And to top it all off, he has a fantastic wrestler beside him, too.
SAMI ZAYN: Renee, I don’t care if it’s Bray Wyatt recruiting men to make friends. Kendrick just wanting to feel a woman’s touch. Locking yourself in a dark room like Crowe because his Mom cancelled his subscription to World of Warcraft…or if you’re Jimmy, who disguises his little den as a room where he can look at his buddies leaked images, and he can leave all of his shame in that room without being judged. I don’t need to hide anything, not anymore because everybody knows who I am and what I do and it’s exactly why I’m leaving alongside Baron as a winner tonight. It’s why I’ve been winning for a while, and if they can’t stomach that then that’s their problem, not mine, no amount of Crossfit or childish intimidation in fantasy-land is going to be enough to beat us tonight.
RENEE YOUNG: Any final thoughts as we wrap this up?
Sami exhaled again, looking calm and confident throughout the segment.
SAMI ZAYN: I’m just glad they’re both fired-up. It makes a nice change, but after all that he said, Jimmy is leaving the arena tonight looking like the idiot, while the fans may forgive Seth. When you have somebody that chirps as much as Jimmy…well…I’m looking forward to hearing his excuses for next week, perhaps it’ll make him grab his title a little…tighter. The only worry I have is that if we beat them tonight despite all of their talk, Baron and I could be the reason another poor guy finds himself locked in Jimmy’s little sex dungeon. Damn…still…time to give Vancouver the show they wanted to see.
RENEE YOUNG: Thanks for your time, Sami, good luck in your match. Back to you guys.
Renee smiled into the camera as Sami was jumping behind her, putting his headphones back on as he continued his warm-up. The fans continued to cheer as Sami looked more ready than ever as he geared up for another important win against two of the finest in the business.