Why Sami Zayn Thought He’d Get Heat With WWE Locker Room
Sami Zayn once voiced his concerns about how he might get heat backstage, but soon had his nerves calmed.
Whilst becoming an ever more popular figure on screen, the efforts of Sami Zayn to support Syria have also earned him plaudits beyond his in-ring actions. However, it would seem he was initially concerned how the WWE locker room may react to him standing up for such a cause.
In a discussion on Busted Open Radio, Titus O’Neil has revealed that Sami Zayn called him to discuss his concerns, but O’Neil made it clear it’s the sort of cause the company will support.
I’m so glad now that this generation of WWE superstars are taking the mantle of being able to control their own narrative outside of the company and really want to make an inspirational and inspiring change on their own, using their own platform, motivating people to do XYZ, taking chances to do things. Sami Zayn is one of the hottest things in pro wrestling and has been for several months. I remember Sami calling me and going, ‘Hey man, I want to run something by you.’ This is when he wanted to do his project in Syria. ‘Do you think I would get any heat?’
He ran it by me, explained everything, and asked, ‘Do you think I would get any heat for doing so?’ I said, ‘if anybody gives you heat for trying to do something that makes a significant and positive change for something you believe in, then you don’t need to be working at this company.’ I’ve always felt that way. If you don’t believe what I’m doing to help other people, not only in conjunction with our WWE community team, but separately from that, then this isn’t going to be the place to work for me.
Titus O’Neil continued, commending a number of WWE’s younger stars for understanding the power of the community work they are able to do.
We see all of our younger superstars; Bianca Belair, Montez Ford, Austin Theory, as big of a jerk as he is on TV, I’ve gone to hospitals with him and I see how he interacts. At 24 years old, he gets it. A lot of our guys and girls get it. We as sports entertainers, regardless of what company we’re in, we’re still human beings and we have this platform for a reason, and we need to continue to utilize them to the best of our ability for society, not just pro wrestling, but for society in general.
Sami Zayn may have been unsuccessful in his title challenge against Roman Reigns at Elimination Chamber, but will now get another match with ‘The Head Of The Table’ at an upcoming live event.
With thanks to Fightful for the transcription.