Sami Zayn On How Feud With Johnny Knoxville Came About, Favorite Celebrity Moments in WWE

Sami Zayn is set to battle Johnny Knoxville at WrestleMania 38, and he recently discussed how the feud came to be as well as his favorite WWE celebrity moments. Zayn talked about the feud with Knoxville and more during his conversation with Dallas Morning News promoting WrestleMania 38, and you can see some highlights below:

On his favorite celebrity interactions in WWE history: “Well, I think a lot of people would have to say – if they’re a longtime fan – Lawrence Taylor is a pretty big deal. And you know what’s so funny? I was actually thinking about this the other day. In the era of Twitter, I’m seeing all these reactions ranging from ecstatic to miserable about the act that I’m going to wrestle Johnny Knoxville at WrestleMania, and I just think what would it have been like if Lawrence Taylor had been wrestling when Twitter had been around? Because guess what – that was the main event of WrestleMania. He came in as a celebrity and main evented WrestleMania. That’s so surreal to think about in this day and age. And I’m sure if Twitter were around then – the field day the fans would have had, the nonsense he would have had to listen to.

“But anyways, that’s the one that jumps to mind. And, of course, Bad Bunny had a great performance last year – which I think was pretty cool just because Bad Bunny is this really, really huge music star, but it was so apparent his intense love for WWE and his love for this industry. And I think fans kind of almost forgot about his celebrity status, and were just pulling for him in a way of a kid just living his dream. I think they kind of got the sense of him, which is why I think they hold his appearance in such high regard because he was such an unabashed fan of what we do. So, I think that’s going to be memorable and that’s one for the ages, too.”

On his feud with Johnny Knoxville: “I don’t think this was ever the plan for WrestleMania. 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. 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.

“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.”