Passion
Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2016 7:19 pm
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Monday 14 November 2016 – EBWF Monday Night Warfare – Resch Center – Green Bay; Wisconsin
The rowdy Green Bay fans were still finding their seats as the latest commercial break was coming to an end. As they made their way into the seats, their attention was drawn to the titan-tron and erupted into raucous cheers as “World’s Apart” blasted the PA system, and it didn’t take long for them to start singing along to Sami Zayn’s theme music. Eventually, he appeared on stage in his usual, cheery fashion; shouting ‘let’s go!’ into the camera before dancing his way down the ramp in his wrestling gear. He walked up the steep steps and pumped up the audience before getting into the ring, and stretching against the ropes. Finally, after his introduction, he asked for a microphone as he looked ready to go. He lifted his hand up to try and get his music to stop, and was forced to speak over the loud ‘Ole!’ chants echoing throughout the Resch Center.
Sami Zayn: This past week has been a little strange, you guys. A mix of emotions, it started off with anger and motivation, leading to happiness and relief, and we’re back at anger, and confusion. You all know how pumped and excited I was for last week, I was excited to team up with Alex which…was an experience in itself and let’s be honest, I’m sure we both surprised ourselves with that result. I was excited and pumped to face The Broken, and most of all to shut Jimmy Havoc’s mouth up, and guess what? We did it. He was on the losing side, I was on the winning side and as far as I’m concerned, that chapter is closed, for me.
Fans cheered as they were happy that Sami finally got what he wanted, a match and another win against The Broken, before he continued.
Sami Zayn: Then earlier when I saw the match card at the back, I thought Alex and I would be rewarded for our efforts. I thought we’d get the big matches and good for him, he got Seth Rollins right before I came out and then I continued reading and I thought…Matt Sydal…okay, this could work. Maybe not the AJ Styles or the Chris Jericho I was hoping for, but it’s okay, better than sitting on my couch and watching the show, right? And then…I was made aware of some of the comments Matt made about me, a little surprising if I do say so myself. If you haven’t seen or heard it, roll the tape.
Sami looked up to the screen as he rolled his sleeves up a little, with a little bit of a smirk on his face, and also a look of disbelief as Matt’s promo from earlier in the evening began to play, followed by boos when it ended with the camera focusing back on Sami in the ring, who didn’t look too pleased.
Sami Zayn: I’ve been in this business long enough to know that I’m going to have critics coming at me from every angle. It happens every week, I deal with it, I move forward and I move past them. I have people poking fun at my hair, and how I’m smaller and how I get injured, and how I’m not good enough. You get the idea. But never, as far as I can remember, have I had somebody question my work ethic, never has somebody put my love for this business in question, not even scumbags like Jimmy or The Miz or any of the other guys I’ve faced off against. I listened to what you had to say, I didn’t know whether to sit back and laugh or call you and ask you if you were sure who you were talking about. But instead, I’m just angry.
Fans cheered as Sami circled the ring, with his smile now disappeared.
Sami Zayn: I know why people have to say these things, the names I mentioned, plenty more names I’m missing out. That’s okay with me, though, because they have a right to say these things because they’ve actually achieved something here in shorter amounts of time than you have, you’re STILL floating around flying from pillar to post being happy with your mediocre career continuing how it is. You think two or three wins in the best part of a year is something that’s going to make me question my chances with you in this ring? You’ve beaten Sheamus and Alex Shelley and you think it’s enough to warrant matches with guys like Chris? I don’t know what you’ve been smoking, but it’s definitely working because only somebody as stupid as you wouldn’t realise the whole world and this entire roster is passing him by, and you’re still here being used as a puppet for others.
Fans continued to cheer as Sami continued to speak in an unhappy mood.
Sami Zayn: You haven’t seen me around this week? When do you ever see me around? Tell me that, I’ve sat at the back listening for long enough that you think we’re some sort of buddies that travel together or hang out together, when that’s not even the case. You don’t see me around because while you’re too busy getting high with other below par guys like you at home, I’m the one that’s at the live events putting on a show for these people, I don’t show up one night a week. I do this every single day, so don’t YOU dare go around accusing me of losing the passion, when you don’t even know what passion is! If anybody does, in fact, deserve ONE night off, then you’re looking at him, but I’m still here doing what I do because even you know this company can’t rely on you when they need somebody, and I’m there to pick up the slack. Maybe if you stepped up and did something to open our eyes, rather than send these fans to the bathroom, then maybe you’d have a right in ridiculing me, but while you’re at the bottom of the pile looking up, Matt, you don’t get to say any of this because it makes you look like a bigger jackass than you already are, and that’s not arrogance, that’s a fact.
Sami tried to calm himself down, leaning over the ropes and shaking his head in disappointment.
Sami Zayn: There’s no arrogance on my part, dude. I’m as real as they come because I’ll say it how it is, most of these guys might expect me to come down here and talk you up as this incredible high-flier, ask them to give you a chance. But I can’t, because you’ve done absolutely nothing to make me sit an invest my time and energy into you, so why should they do it? I am the underdog, because whether I’m liked or not, I’m a small guy just like you that was never supposed to make it. I bust my ass of every single night to get rid of the notion that guys my size can’t sit at the top, and I proved it when I was World Champion. YOU, you’re hindering all of my hard work by being a slouch, and my reputation suffers because I’ve started to lead a pack of assholes like you, and I’ve paved the way for others to follow and on paper, you were supposed to do it. But you haven’t, you’ve failed on a consistent basis, so I’m an underdog that succeeded, you’re an underdog who’s damaging the hard work I’ve put in, and I’m here every week to put a stop to that. It’s not my fault that I want my names associated with the legends, the guys that made a difference and you’re the last person I want my name associated with, and I’ll try my damn hardest every single night to make sure that’s not the case, regardless of how poor you continue to be, Matt. I don’t want people to talk in 20 years about the influx of talent, of guys like us, and we’re looked down upon because we’re continually let down by you.
Sami got off the ropes, and started to take off his Harrington jacket before stretching his arms, doing some last-second warm-ups before the match.
Sami Zayn: I know you love sitting in your corner of the locker room with your laptop doing extensive research on all of us, and you’re even happier with the fact that you have had one win over me and you’re holding on to something you did over a decade ago. ONE win over 10 years just goes to show me what sort of heights you want to hit, and I’m not letting you drag me down with you in that sinking ship of yours because the only way is up for me. After tonight you’ll realise that my passion is still here, and YOU’RE the one that needs to take a long, hard look in the mirror and realise that you’re in no position to doubt me, once you’re ever on the level I reached – IF – you ever reach it…then maybe I’ll offer you my hand and admit I was wrong. Until that day happens, I’ll have no problem proving to you how right I am.
Sami threw the microphone out of the ring, and continued to warm up aggressively, clearly ready to take on whatever Matt Sydal had to bring.