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Monday 3 January 2017 – EBWF Monday Night Warfare – TD Garden – Boston; Massachusetts
Another pay-per-view, another title match, another opportunity wasted. But, the story remained the same as Sami Zayn was within an inch of becoming a three-time Intercontinental Champion, only for it to be cruelly taken away from him at the last second, when Alex Riley capitalised and took the victory, and the title belt. Sami was hoping 2017 would be a little better for him, after an up-and-down 2016, the last six months didn’t end great for him after a promising start. This week, he was kicking off his year against the new champion, and knew a victory would be better than the start he could have hoped for.
The scene opened up with Renee Young standing backstage, outside of the locker room and knocking on the door multiple times. Eventually, Sami opened it up and fans cheered as he invited her in, and the cameras saw what Sami was doing. He was sat up close to the television set, and was re-watching his Intercontinental Championship match, over and over again, clearly hung up about his loss.
Renee Young: Sami, I just wanted to talk to you about Christmas Eve of Destruction. Obviously, it’s still fresh in your mind as you watch it again, what’s going through your mind right now about everything that happened?
Sami paused and looked down, with his head in his hand, clearly still distraught. Eventually, though, he lifted his head up and spoke quietly.
Sami Zayn: That’s just the story of my career, isn’t it Renee? Yet again, I prove that people are right. I’m the nearly man who is definitely talented enough to sit at the top, be on top of the world as one of the best wrestlers on the planet. But even when I jump over that last hurdle, I still somehow manage to trip and fall at the finish line, when it matters the most. When I’m at the top, I never do myself justice and stay there. I get complacent, and people take advantage of that and I’m the one picking up the pieces, and it’s my own fault. It happened again, I had it, it was mine, I should be sat here as the Intercontinental Champion and being pleased that I get to go out there as champion, but it’s not what I get. Instead, I have to go out into that ring and fight for my life, for my career, for my reputation and prove that I’m still at the level I know I belong at.
Renee Young: Well tonight, you’re in the main event against the new champion, Alex Riley. What are your thoughts heading into the match?
Sami Zayn: I guess it’s the same. I’m ready for what he has to bring, I’m ready for The Miz, I know they’ll be confident and I know that a loss probably takes me out of the title picture. I can’t afford that to happen, not against Alex especially. I mean, no disrespect to Alex, but I’ve had to deal with a lot of adversity here, I’ve been held down by the best and I’ve had to fight through to remain in title pictures. While I was in this ricking picking up then wins and the titles and contender matches, Alex was wiping the sweat from The Miz’ forehead. How will I feel if somebody like Alex Riley takes me out of the title picture? Put it this way, if I took on Chris Jericho and lost tonight, I’d know I deserve it because he’s somebody who is here all the time, who has been here, and who has proven himself. But I don’t want to lose against the glorified water boy, the mascot, the cheerleader, I don’t want that hanging above my head for the rest of the year that Alex Riley took me out of the title picture. Hell, if The Miz was to beat me I’d accept it and move on, but not Alex. I guess I can’t sit here and feel sorry about myself, what you saw now wasn’t me reliving the moment, that was me looking at Alex, finding the weaknesses and knowing how to capitalise on them in the main event tonight. He may have stolen a victory from me at CEOD, but he’s not doing it tonight.
Sami looked back at the screen as he continued to scout Alex Riley ahead of their match.