WWE Hall of Famer Booker T recently shared insights on Sami Zayn’s reaction following his latest triumph.
The 39-year-old wrestler emerged victorious in a grueling Gauntlet Match on Monday Night RAW, besting formidable opponents like Chad Gable, to secure a coveted shot at Gunther’s Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania XL.
However, not all fans were thrilled with the outcome, expressing disappointment on social media that Alpha Academy’s leader didn’t clinch the opportunity for a rematch against The Ring General.
On a recent episode of the Hall of Fame podcast, Booker T recounted a conversation he had with Zayn, disclosing the latter’s genuine disappointment over the negative fan reactions online.
“I talked to Sami Zayn actually on Tuesday morning. We were flying to Orlando and we were sitting next to each other on the plane. And I swear, the same thing like you just said, so many people was pulling for Chad Gable in that match and Sami, I said, ‘Man, you know, what a match, man.’ I said, ‘What a match! You’re gonna look back on this one day and say that was the one, that was the one that catapulted me to the next level, that was the one that put me in the light and let people see exactly what I can do,'”
he said.
Booker T empathized with Zayn’s disappointment, reassuring him to focus on the quality of the match and not be swayed by online criticisms.
“He was so literally upset about the online heat that he got from the fans. He’s like, ‘Man, I thought the fans love me. And then next thing you know, I see all this stuff.’ I say, ‘Man, you can’t listen to that white noise. You gotta think about how great that match was, and you’re gonna look back on it one day and say: ‘Man, that was some really, really good work that I did.’ But he still, like I said, was feeling that heat. He let someone down just because the fans didn’t think the match was as good as, you know. I thought it was.” [56:32 – 57:38]
Booker T also voiced his opinion that Zayn was the deserving winner of the Gauntlet Match on WWE RAW.
He argued that a showdown between Zayn and Gunther would offer a more compelling narrative than a rematch between Gable and Gunther.
“They could’ve done the thing all over again. But nobody really is gonna give Sami Zayn the edge over Gunther, you know, no matter what. So, that match right there is gonna have so much more of a compelling story. Of course, Chad Gable took him to the limit once. We know he’s capable of going out there and beating Gunther. But we did not think Sami Zayn was gonna perhaps, you know, beat Chad like that. Me personally, I had a feeling it was gonna go that route just because it’s just a much more compelling story with Sami Zayn.”
Zayn’s past success at WrestleMania 39, where he and Kevin Owens secured the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Title, adds anticipation to his potential championship pursuit at this year’s Show of Shows.
