"He is a utility player" - WWE Legend reacts to Sami Zayn often being booked in embarrassing angles (Exclusive)
WWE has a wide variety of talent at its disposal, but very few are as versatile as Sami Zayn. The Canadian star recently received massive praise from Dutch Mantell on the latest episode of Smack Talk.
The former WWE manager was impressed by what Zayn brought to the table. Mantell was particularly appreciative of Sami's skills on the microphone and stated that the star's mannerisms are always in sync with the story being told in the ring.
"It was good. Sami Zayn is a great talker. I mean, he is direct; he is kind of funny," said Dutch Mantell. "His antics and animations match what he is saying, and he is coming out there and being a big shot. He is really, really good at that role. I like when Orton put him over a little bit, he was like, 'Oh, yeah, you know that's just me and whatever.' But, it was good." [25:25 - 25:55]
Being a heel in WWE isn't always the most rewarding job, as superstars like Sami Zayn are often booked in embarrassing angles. The former Intercontinental Champion has suffered a string of losses on TV, but Dutch Mantell believes they have had no impact on the superstar's career.
Mantell noted that Zayn was one of WWE's most trusted "utility players." Sami Zayn had apparently reached a level where even losses wouldn't affect his standing on the roster:
"They can [throw him in any role], and it doesn't matter if they beat him or not," continued Mantell. "A guy like that is a utility player, he is part of a bench that you can't figure in, but he is a utility player, so he can do anything with it; it doesn't hurt him. You can beat him, you can put him over, you embarrass him, cover him in all paint or whatever, and it matches his [character work], and he gets pissed off and leaves, and that's part of his deal. It doesn't hurt him; it actually helps him." [26:00 -26:46]
What did Sami Zayn do on the latest SmackDown episode?
Sami Zayn was a part of this week's opening segment as he confronted RK-Bro on behalf of The Bloodline. Zayn's war of words with the reigning RAW Tag Team Champions led to Adam Pearce announcing a singles match.
Riddle and Zayn put on a decent bout to kick off the in-ring proceedings of SmackDown, and it was the RAW star who eventually picked up the win with the Bro-Derek finisher.
Despite not tasting any in-ring wins, Sami Zayn has regularly featured in top storylines, and his role is not expected to change anytime soon. What are your honest opinions on the 37-year-old star's recent work? Sound off in the comments section below.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit Sportskeeda Wrestling and embed the YouTube video.