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Monday January 16 2017 – EBWF Monday Night Warfare – Philips Arena – Atlanta; Georgia
Michael Cole: Ladies and gentlemen, my guest at this time…Sami Zayn.
The camera focused on Michael Cole as he hosted another sit-down interview, before quickly showing Sami Zayn who sat opposite him with a smile on his face, wearing the usual Harrington Lonsdale jacket over a Sami Zayn shirt, topped off with the flat cap. 2017 didn’t start off quite how Sami wanted it to, perhaps the opposite of what we saw in 2016. Last year, the first half of the year couldn’t have gone any better, probably the best six months or so in Sami’s career – ever. The final six, though, he chose to forget them, although it didn’t help that he entered 2017 with a whimper as well. Despite losing to new Intercontinental Champion, Alex Riley, January had the opportunity that could change somebody’s life around in an instant, the Royal Rumble. Dwelling on the last six months would do him no good, he needed a good Rumble performance, and the best way to do that was to build momentum, and he was hoping his match later in the evening against Finn Balor would be the first giant leap.
Michael Cole: Sami, 2017 is here and what started off as a great year last year…well…let’s just say it probably didn’t end the way you wanted it to. What are your thoughts on how another year in the EBWF played out for you?
Sami exhaled, looking back at a mixed year, scratching his head in confusion.
Sami Zayn: I wish I had the answer to that. I was happy, then upset, furious, frustrated, just a whole bag of emotions for every day of the week. At one stage I lost count on how many weeks it had been since my shoulders were pinned on the mat, and now I’m hoping to pick up a win to hopefully kick start a winning run, but I just can’t catch a break. But hey, I’m still here.
Michael Cole: So, obviously, you’re looking to turn it around this year?
Sami Zayn: I tried, didn’t I? Didn’t start off so well against Alex, but it was a good match so there’s at least one positive. But, the Royal Rumble is around the corner, always an exciting time and even though I’ve had two here, I haven’t won but I’ve always thought my performances have been quite good. Hopefully this year, the Rumble can be the night where I change things around, make it the year of Sami Zayn and be back at the top where everybody knows I belong, and the only way to do that is to pick up a win against Finn tonight.
Michael Cole: Yeah, let’s move on to Finn Balor, you’re opponent later tonight as you said. He’s back, and he’s not alone, how does this match play out tonight?
Sami Zayn: In my head, in a constant loop, there’s just no scenario where Finn walks out the winner, for my sake, for my career, I don’t think I can allow it to happen. Look, I know, he’s one of the best in the world, he just beat Roman freaking Reigns last week, and now he’s in a match against me. It’s going to be far from easy but yeah, do you expect me to sit here and say I’m going to lose? I think Finn will learn that even though I’m not in a great run of form, I’m still the man you have to beat around here, for all I know he’ll be gone in a week and I don’t plan on letting somebody who is effectively behind me in the queue to get to the top, leapfrog me so easily.
Michael Cole: Is that something that frustrates you? Your position on the card, who you’re up against, the lack of incentives on offer, probably the complete opposite of last year?
Sami Zayn: No, not at all. Although things haven’t been going my way, I’m just as excited to be in the ring with somebody like Matt Sydal than AJ Styles, and I’m just as excited to share the ring with Finn tonight. The only thing on a personal note is that I don’t like feeling like I’m an ordinary member of the roster. Like I’m dispensable, replaceable, or just throw me into any random match and I’ll go out there with a smile on my face and then bust my ass all week at the live events and then Warfare comes back and I’m in another meaningless match. In my head, I’m the guy the company needs when it matters the most, that the fans want to see and know that when I’m advertised for an event, that they know I’ll be giving it my all. You know? So, when they saw the card for tonight, I work my ass off to make sure than when they see Sami Zayn vs. Finn Balor being advertised, they think it’s worth watching because of me, or they tune in because they know I’m involved.
Sami exhaled, and sat back.
Sami Zayn: But I get it. I get it. I know how it works, I haven’t been at my best lately, I don’t know where my head has been and I probably don’t deserve those chances I’m craving, mainly because when those chances have come recently, I’ve not been able to capitalise on them. But there is one thing that separates me from everybody else here, I don’t give up and I don’t walk away when the going gets tough. I’ve sat in that locker room, Michael, or just past gorilla, and I’ve watched SO many guys walk through those curtains thinking it’s going to be an easy ride, and when they realise it’s a dog eat dog world and nothing is going to fall on their lap, they’re out the curtains that much quicker. I’m not the guy that quits and comes back when it suits me, I’m not the guy that will lose a few matches and will want to go and reinvent myself and come back when it suits me, or go back and recruit my friends because I know it’s the only way I can make a name for myself here by making gun gestures thinking I’m down with the kids. That’s not me. I bleed EBWF whether I’m main eventing for the World Championship or I’m on during the bathroom break, I’ll still be here. I just hope for his own sake, again, Finn doesn’t do the same because he’s been here once, he stayed in The Miz’s shadow and that bit him in the ass and he bailed. The Finn Balor I knew, he would’ve stuck around, but the Finn Balor of today, I don’t know. I don’t know if he’ll think it’s worth sticking around and will move to the next promotion, or he’ll do what I’m doing and have done, and stick around.
Michael Cole: So would you say there are some similarities between you, or were there, as you said?
Sami Zayn: You know, a lot of people seem to think Finn and I are similar. Sure, we’ve worked together and against each other in the past and we have a passion for wrestling that can’t be matched, but I don’t think we’re similar at all. Finn has proven time and time again, like he is doing here in the EBWF, that there’s no self-belief. Look, all I know is that The Club are here, and with The Club I’m sure he’ll find himself at the top in no time. The difference is, I don’t need a club, I never did and I never will and tonight, The Club won’t even be a factor in the outcome. Just look at how many groups, factions, stables, teams I've had to overcome, and I have overcome successfully. What makes you think tonight will be any different when the stakes are so high for myself?
Michael Cole: Would it matter it if wasn’t Finn Balor tonight? You’ve talked about wanting to stop him in his tracks, wanting to win the Royal Rumble, wanting to get to the top where you feel belong. But, would it be the same story if it was anybody else?
Sami Zayn: No…I think it has to be Finn in all honesty. He’s the man people are talking about. Looking and hearing everybody talk about somebody else…it just…the excitement with Bobby Roode, the rise of Jimmy Havoc, the return of AJ Styles, the shocking debut of Samoa Joe…the arrival of the Bullet Club led by Finn. I miss that feeling. I miss the challenge. I miss being the underdog. I miss being the guy that everybody rules out and rejoices when I somehow overcome everything, I feel tonight is that situation with The Bullet Club and Finn. I feel I’m not supposed to win, that I can’t, but it has to be Finn. It won’t feel the same if it’s anybody else. I couldn’t give a damn about where his name originates from or what the Demon King had for breakfast this morning, by tomorrow the only thing anybody will be talking about is how Sami Zayn is back, and how The Cleaner was left to clean up the mess that is Finn Balor.
The segment ended with a fired-up Sami looking at Michael determined to leave Raw the victor, and use the momentum heading into the Royal Rumble at the end of the month.