WWE's Sami Zayn Reveals WrestleMania Johnny Knoxville Match Wasn't Original Plan
One of the bigger plotlines over the past few weeks on WWE SmackDown has been the battle between Sami Zayn and Jackass star Johnny Knoxville, and the most recent development had Zayn and Knoxville announcing a showdown at WrestleMania 38. This has been one of the more entertaining feuds over the past two months, but in a new interview with the Dallas Morning News, Zayn reveals that he doesn't think a match at WrestleMania was the plan at the beginning, and things sort of just worked out that way.
"I don't think this was ever the plan for WrestleMania," Zayn said. "I think he was here doing some stuff for 'Jackass Forever,' doing the Royal Rumble and promoting his movie – and that's all well and good. Then, he showed up here [on SmackDown], and – I'm going to say this. I don't like him. I have a problem with him, and I'm going to beat him up. So, let me just get that out of the way because I'm about to say something kind of nice about him."
"Every single time I was in the ring with him, every time he snuck in the ring or he did what he did or whenever his music hit, it was, by far, the biggest reaction on the show that night – and I know because I was in the ring for all of them," Zayn continued. "So, the fans love him, and I think what happened is there is such a gravitation toward him and the response was so good that I think it ended up pushing this story further, which has both been a good thing and a bad thing for me because, you know, now I have to deal with all his shenanigans and his ... ugh ... all the stuff that comes with dealing with Johnny Knoxville."
Zayn also appreciates Knoxville for how he contrasts with his over-the-top villain and how much entertainment value their battles bring to the fans. He also feels that Knoxville is simply a natural fit for WWE, though he is going to be more than happy to stand victorious after their match at WrestleMania too.
"But, yeah, that performer side of me for sure is excited because I know the fans are excited, and I know they are getting a kick. I know every time his music hits they are going to go crazy. And I think he is a great foil for my character, and I'm a good foil for him. He's a great prankster, and I'm the kind of villain that you want to see seething. I think it's a natural fit for that, and he's a natural fit for WWE. His fans, the world of 'Jackass' and the world of WWE, it's like peas in a pod. So, I am happy to be doing this, and I think I'm going to be even happier when I'm standing over him after the bell has rung and I've decimated him in the middle of Dallas," Zayn said.
Zayn and Knoxville are set to face each other in a one-on-one match-up, but with a few weeks to go before WrestleMania, that could always change with some sort of additional stipulation, so we'll have to wait and see.
What have you thought of the feud between Zayn and Knoxville? Let us know in the comments or as always you can talk all things wrestling with me on Twitter @MattAguilarCB!