Sami Zayn is dealing with the good and the bad of being paired up with Johnny Knoxville.
The Dallas Morning News recently spoke with Sami Zayn to promote WrestleMania 38 where he’ll face off with Jackass star Johnny Knoxville. Zayn said he doesn’t believe that a WrestleMania match was ever planned when Knoxville first came on board at the Royal Rumble, but the partnership worked out so well that plans changed for the better.
“I don’t think this was ever the plan for WrestleMania,” said Zayn. “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.
“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.”
Sami then explained that he’s excited for the match as a performer, noting that Knoxville is a great foil for him and has been a natural fit in the WWE landscape.
“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.”
Read More: Steve Austin: WrestleMania 38 Return Is For The Fans And WWE, But I’m Doing This For Me Number One
