Sami Zayn and Johnny Knoxville’s long-running back-and-forth took a dark comedic turn this week, with Zayn firing back after Knoxville used him to help promote a new movie release.
The exchange started when Zayn posted a video of Knoxville taking fresh shots at him while plugging the home release of “Jackass: Best and Last.”
In the clip, Knoxville opened by pretending to offer a genuine apology for things he’d said during their WWE rivalry, only to immediately pivot back into insults, joking about how much he’d enjoyed their physical encounters and taking a jab at Zayn’s hair color.
Sami, I know I said a lot of things in the heat of battle that I now regret. Things like how much I enjoyed smashing you in your stupid face. And sticks and stones may break my bones, but you’ll always be a ginger.
Zayn called out the bit for what it was, questioning whether repeating the same insults really counts as an apology.
Zayn asked, “Is it an apology when you just keep repeating the insults? He’s apologizing. Kind of means a lot, actually.
Knoxville briefly played along before flipping the moment entirely, saying his only real regret was not getting another shot at Zayn right then and there, and doubling down with a mock warning about what would happen if the two crossed paths again.
Knoxville then said,
I kicked your ass from here to Hackensack,” and then warned Zayn that if they ever meet again, “you better flee the ships offshore because I’m going to smoke-smash you right in the old dinkle picker.
Zayn responded by comparing Knoxville’s antics to a child’s, then delivered the sharpest line of the exchange: he said he’d be watching “Jackass: Best and Last” specifically hoping to see Knoxville’s real-life brain injury from filming “Jackass Forever” get referenced again, closing with a pointed reminder that he’s always watching.
I don’t know why I expected anything different from Johnny Knoxville. I am going to be watching ‘Jackass: Best and Last.’ I’m going to be watching it in hopes that Johnny Knoxville suffers yet another traumatic brain injury just like he did in ‘Jackass Forever.’
Dark as the joke was, it tracks with a rivalry that’s had teeth since their memorable WrestleMania 38 match, one that clearly hasn’t cooled off in the years since — even when the excuse for reigniting it is a movie plug.
