The Undisputed WWE Champion Sami Zayn recently said that he would have considered his career a success even if he had never won the coveted title.
The new champion offered that perspective days after his title win, with a first defense already looming on Raw.
Zayn captured the title by defeating Cody Rhodes and Gunther in a Triple Threat Match at Night of Champions in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It’s his first World Title, and he Zayn pinned Rhodes to win the title.
Speaking with ESPN New York (Peter Rosenberg & Don Hahn), Zayn was asked whether a short reign would feel like a disappointment or whether he is simply happy to have reached this point.
Both things are true at the same time. If you did an interview with me two weeks ago, before I won the championship, and you asked me, ‘Would you feel good about your career if you never won a championship?’
The answer would be ‘Yes’. Because I’ve had what I’ve considered to be a brilliant career, and there are people that I think have won the world championship and the WWE championship many times over that never got to tell the type of stories that I’ve gotten to tell or maybe evoke some of the emotions that I’ve got to evoke or have the type of matches that I’ve had. So, I consider my career a success unto itself, whether it ended tomorrow or if it ended two weeks ago before I ever won this championship,” Zayn said.
He added that contentment and ambition can coexist.
“You’re allowed to look at your career and enjoy it and still want a little bit more,” Zayn said, noting he would always wish for more time no matter how long the reign runs.
Zayn also framed the win as beyond anything he thought possible early in his life. “I did something that I wouldn’t even call a dream, I would have called it a fantasy if you asked me when I was thirteen or fourteen years old,” he said.
His earlier comments make that outlook notable. Zayn had previously admitted he feared his WWE title window had closed and had started losing faith in winning the title after a Royal Rumble loss.
Zayn’s First Title Defense Is Already Being Set
A number one contender’s match between Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso was taped for tonight’s Friday Night SmackDown. The winner is positioned to challenge Zayn for the Undisputed WWE Championship this Monday on Raw from the Allstate Arena.
For more background on the title change, see the full breakdown of facts, records and notes from Zayn’s win.
