Sami Zayn Explains Why His Awareness Is a Blessing and a Curse

WWE Undisputed Champion Sami Zayn spoke with Cathy Kelley in a candid interview ahead of WWE Crown Jewel. He explained why his awareness, intellect, and sensitivity are both a blessing and a curse, and whether he projects a comparable level of dominance and confidence to his rival, Roman Reigns. Below are some highlights:

Sami Zayn on His Self-Awareness Being a Blessing and a Curse

“I myself have been blessed or cursed, depending on how you look at it, with a high intellect, a high emotional sensitivity, and a very strong sense of morality. And that is a recipe for disaster. It is very hard to get through the day sometimes when you are a little bit too smart for your own good, and you feel a little too strong, and you’re too aware of your surroundings. And I sometimes envy some of these other WWE superstars, other people, actually, that can just limp through life so blissfully unaware. I’m almost jealous that they don’t have to carry that same load. But I carry it because it is what it is.

“And again, it’s a curse in some ways, but I also think it’s a gift because it’s one of the only explanations for how a guy who looks like me, who talks like me, who acts like me, who thinks like me, who believes in what he believes in the way I do, ends up with this championship because it doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t make sense. But those are the intangibles that have led me to this. Those are part of the qualities that I possess that no one else in that locker room possesses, and that’s why I’m the champion. So again, gift and a curse, gift and a curse.”

On Whether He Believes He Will Win Based on His Awareness

“Yeah. Yeah, I do. Because I’ve always carried a lot of self-doubt, a healthy amount, a crazy amount of self-confidence, a crazy amount of self-belief, but I was never shy about my self-doubt. And that’s a difference between someone like me and Roman. And Roman carries himself like this; that’s a burden in its own right. Having to be cool, that’s a burden in its own right. You think he tries to be cool? I don’t think he tries to. I think he tries to carry himself a certain way. I think he tries to project a certain dominance, which has worked very well for himself.”

On Whether He Projects the Same Dominance as Roman Reigns

“I don’t know. I’m in the same position, and I have that confidence. I have a crazy amount of self-confidence, and all these people trying to step to me. I tell them right in their face, all these people that have come and talked this big game about how I might not even make it to Crown Jewel. Who’s standing here right now going into Crown Jewel? I will chew these people up. I will spit them out because that’s what I’ve done for 20 years. All the haters, all the doubt, everything that’s been thrown my way, I’ve overcome it all. I’ve chewed it up and spit it out time and time again.

“The darkness that I have faced, any other man would’ve succumbed to it. Part of the reason why I am one of one is because anyone else would’ve succumbed to it. I chewed it up, spit it out, and I walked out with this on the other side. No one, no one in the history of this business has done more with less than I have. No one. And it’s not even close, okay? It’s not even close. So there’s no lack of self-doubt, but I am just honest. There’s no lack of self-confidence, but I’m saying I’m honest in my self-doubt, and I always have been. I’m a heart on my sleeve kind of guy. And Roman’s just not like that. We’re opposite.”

Sami Zayn will be in action this weekend at WWE Crown Jewel. He faces World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns for the annual Crown Jewel Championship. The premium live event is being held at the ANB Arena in Riyadh on Saturday, November 7. WWE Crown Jewel will air live on the ESPN App in the U.S. and on Netflix internationally.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit WWE with a h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.