“ I’ve never really been like that” - Sami Zayn opens up about his future on WWE SmackDown
WWE Superstar Sami Zayn recently revealed that although he does not like chasing titles, he has a "soft spot" for the Intercontinental Championship.
The SmackDown star has been involved with the prestigious championship over the years. The title has been held by greats like Bret "The Hitman" Hart and Chris Jericho, and as a former champion, Zayn is part of its prestigious lineage.
Speaking about his future in WWE during an interview with the New York Post, Zayn stated that chasing titles has never been his goal. That being said, the WWE Intercontinental Championship is an exception to this stance.
“Chasing titles, I’ve never really been like that," said Zayn. "But if there was one title I had a soft spot for it’s the Intercontinental Championship. I’m not the first to say it,” said Sami Zayn. “A lot of guys of my generation have said the same thing about the guys who kind of formed this new style. Early predecessors of the style that a lot of me and my peers kind of use now – pioneers like Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels, Mr. Perfect."
Zayn added that he has started to become a "little bit synonymous" with the Intercontinental Championship, and he's sentimental towards the title.
“Those are the guys when I became less in love with the spectacle of wrestling as a child and more in love with the actual in-ring story of wrestling, that’s when the guys in the Intercontinental Championship scene, I really started to gravitate towards them," Zayn continued. "So there’s a sentimental spot there. And I do feel that recently, I have started to become a little bit more synonymous with the championship. And that’s a really nice feather in my cap, I suppose. (H/T: Wrestling Inc.)
.@SamiZayn... greatest Intercontinental Champion in history?
He certainly thinks so.
#SmackDown #ICTitle https://t.co/3y6aZr1ut5
Sami Zayn is a three-time Intercontinental Champion in WWE
Sami Zayn has had the honor of holding the legendary Intercontinental Championship three times. The Master Strategist won the title for the first time when he, along with Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro, managed to take down Braun Strowman.
Zayn was later stripped of his title after electing to refrain from competing at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. He eventually reclaimed his title after defeating Jeff Hardy and AJ Styles in a ladder match at Clash of Champions 2020.
Newly crowned Intercontinental Champion @KingRicochet takes on @SamiZayn in a rematch for the title. #SmackDown https://t.co/rBRv6tz18Y
Zayn's latest reign as the Intercontinental Champion started last month, when he defeated Shinsuke Nakamura to win the title for the third time. He then lost the title to Ricochet on the March 4 episode of SmackDown due to interference from his WrestleMania opponent, Johnny Knoxville.
Who do you think is the greatest Intercontinental Champion of all time in WWE? Sound off in the comments and let us know!