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Monday April 18 2016 – Philips Arena – Atlanta; Georgia
The latest episode of Monday Night Warfare was emanating from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia with some great matches lined up for the crowd to enjoy. The likes of Dolph Ziggler, Shinsuke Nakamura, CM Punk, Kevin Owens and Sasha Banks were all in action and one of the highly anticipated clashes taking place on the evening was another match between Sami Zayn and PJ Black. The two were no strangers, having met inside of an EBWF ring on numerous occasions with Black being one of Sami’s first singles opponents when he joined the company almost two years ago. Just a few weeks ago, Sami overcame his latest, biggest test in perhaps his entire wrestling career by defeating Solomon Crowe at WrestleMania; saving his career in the process. With a clean slate following WrestleMania the path towards the World Championship is what he thought he’d be involved in but during his brilliant match with Dolph Ziggler on Warfare last week, Sami was put into a similar situation yet again.
This time, it was CM Punk and Kevin Owens – someone Sami knew all too well – who wiped out Sami alongside Dolph and fans know this is definitely not the end between the four of them. This week, PJ Black was the opponent and with so many impressive wins under his belt in recent months, it was no secret that Sami was towards the top when it came to potential World Championship. Although, that could all change with one loss and the determined Sami everyone knows and loves wasn’t planning on rolling over for the Path to Glory Champion.
There was still some time until Warfare went live and the cameras were backstage near the parking lot as the stars involved on the show as well as other personnel were flooding in. The cameras that were rolling were ready to shoot an interview which would air on the pre-show in a couple of hours. Standing in front of the camera was Renee Young, smiling as she was walking through the parking lot ready to pick out whoever was going to walk past.
RENEE YOUNG: Ladies and gentlemen we’re backstage at the Philips Arena here in Atlanta where in a couple of hours, Monday Night Warfare will be live and what a night we have lined up for you. Matt Sydal goes up against AJ Styles, Torrie Wilson takes on Sasha Banks, in the main event we have Shinsuke Nakamura battling CM Punk and…uh...excuse me…Sami…Sami!
The cameras then focused on Sami Zayn, who strolled into the parking lot with his suitcase rolling behind him. He smiled as he and Renee approached each other, meeting halfway as he placed his coffee on the floor beside him.
RENEE YOUNG: Sami, great to catch you on your way into the arena, can we talk about your match tonight?
SAMI ZAYN: Sure, Renee; what do you want to know?
RENEE YOUNG: Well tonight you’re in action yet again, last week Dolph Ziggler and this week you’re going up against the Path to Glory Champion, PJ Black. Are you worried about complacency, or are there any injuries from the attacks that followed?
Sami looked to the ground and exhaled, knowing that he’d be talking about that attack sooner or later.
SAMI ZAYN: I wouldn’t say I’m worried about PJ, and there are definitely no signs of complacency from my part, there never is. I always go out to the ring and put on a better performance than last time, regardless of what took place last week, the fans will know to see the best out of Sami Zayn. PJ and I, we’ve traded a couple of wins here and there but if I’m being honest when it matters the most…I always pick up the big wins. I mean when I first arrived I believe he defeated me in one of my first matches but when he had the huge chance of resurrecting himself as the main event star we know he can be…he failed.
He failed because I bested him in the King of the Ring final in my first attempt and then I went on to become the EBWF World Heavyweight Champion. I did that while he was and still is content with floating around from match to match, woman to woman, clinging on to the Path to Glory Championship and beating whoever the company decides to put in front of him and it proves nothing. Y’know Renee, I wanted this match with PJ but I at first I wanted the Path to Glory Championship on the line because it seems like the only way I can free him from the rut he’s on and the only way I can get a crack at the World Championship.
Luckily for him, that championship is not on the line because even though I have no problems with PJ, none whatsoever, I would have had no problem adding THAT championship title around my waist. It’s just my luck, though, Renee, for the first time I think I’m happy that there isn’t a title on the line because I know what to expected. Even though I know I can beat him, I know there are going to be two scumbags walking down that ramp to ruin everything else I have going for me, including that match with Dolph last week. I know the heartbreak, I know how it feels when you lose a title you work so damn hard for, and I know that’s what feeds people like Kevin Owens. I don’t want to give him that satisfaction just as much as I don’t want to go through the pain of falling at the final hurdle…again.
It’s pointless though, him holding that championship because the way things are going…one of two things will definitely happen. One, he’ll cash it in successfully and become the World Champion, then when I get my shot I’d dethrone him, I’d pin him in the middle of the ring and then he’s at the back of the line again where he’s happy to be. Two, I’ll win the championship relatively soon and then he’ll try to cash in, then he’ll fail and then once again he’s at the back of the line which for some reason, he’s fine with. That’s the difference between myself and PJ, Renee. When I lose, I’m right back here the next night trying to pick up a win, trying to pick up some steam and make sure the paying fans get what they came to see. But when he fails, he disappears for weeks and we have no idea he even works for the company until we see his name on the card for the night. He just expects everything to be handed to him, he cries when it doesn’t but PJ, it doesn’t work like that. Maybe it did before I came and maybe that’s what you prefer, but it’s changed now so if you think you deserve something, the chances are you don’t deserve it, you just want it and you cry when you can’t have it.
I mean, I saw that clip you recorded not too long ago, what was it, crying over a Slammy Award? Crying over the fact that these people didn’t vote for him as their face of the year just goes to show that when it matters, Sami Zayn trumps PJ Black and I beat him again. They didn’t vote for me for the sake of it; they voted for me because this past year Sami Zayn achieved things PJ Black can only dream of. I know the talent is there, hell, PJ is one of the most innovative wrestlers that’s stepped foot in this company. But just because he’s happy with his current position and doesn’t want to break down more barriers and achieve much, much more…it doesn’t mean I am too.
Sami exhaled again, getting everything off his chest but it didn’t look as if he was done, laughing to himself a little before carrying on as Renee stood next to him with the microphone up towards Sami’s face.
SAMI ZAYN: I mean, you killed Justin Gabriel for PJ Black, who is just proving to be an edgier version of Gabriel with a little more facial hair and nothing else to show for it. You’ve gone backwards, you got lucky when you captured that championship where you beat Lance freaking Storm, was it? So no, Renee…to answer your question, at last, no I am not worried. Not one bit. I’ve picked up big wins in recent weeks, I’ve beaten PJ too so I don’t see any reason why it has to change later tonight. I’m not rolling over to make the Path to Glory Champion look good, no way.
RENEE YOUNG: Okay, moving away from PJ Black, let’s talk about Dolph Ziggler. He was your opponent last week, the two of you had history and during your incredible match, the both of you were putting on, Kevin Owens and CM Punk attacked him too. Is this what you need, an alliance with Dolph to deal with this situation?
Sami laughed again, he thought about his bitter history with Dolph, how he defeated him for the World Championship at SummerSlam leading to more bitterness behind the scenes.
SAMI ZAYN: Dolph and I don’t exactly see eye to eye, he knows that, I know that and the fact is we probably will never see eye to eye and I won’t be going to any of his comedy gigs any time soon either. Yes, we were both attacked last week after putting on a great match but what’s eating me up is not the attack, but the man who thought I would amount to nothing when he walked around here like an arrogant son of a bitch, the man I dethroned to become champion…I was THIS close to beating him again. So there’s no alliance, I’d say there’s a mutual interest right now but it ends there. When all of this is done I’d love nothing more than to beat Punk, to beat Owens and then to come full circle and finish where I left off by beating Dolph in the middle of the ring.
RENEE YOUNG: Before we let you go and prepare for your match tonight, Sami, I just want to draw your attention to…this Tweet sent out earlier by Shinsuke Nakamura, hinting at watching your back…any thoughts on this, anything that could come from it?
Sami smiled, realising the fact that the company was lucky to have somebody as talented as Nakamura on the roster and there was always the chance that the two of them will meet inside of an EBWF ring too.
SAMI ZAYN: Personally, I’ve had to watch my own back since the day I arrived here, but as you can tell…that hasn’t exactly worked out for me with countless attacks from behind and that won’t end either, so I’ll be keeping one eye on the ramp for sure. I’m sure Dolph will do the same tonight when he goes up against Roman Reigns; I won’t be surprised if Syxx is targeted either and then the brains of the operation is up against Shinsuke. I mean…I guess there could be a time where one of us needs the other’s help so I guess we’ll see what happens, watch this space. But for now, all of my focus is on PJ Black, and picking up another win over him. Thanks, Renee.
RENEE YOUNG: Thank you, Sami and good luck with your match tonight.
Renee smiled into the camera as it faded to black with a determined Sami Zayn ready to face whatever comes his way later on in the evening.