Sami Zayn Talks Lack of Arabic Wrestlers, Representing Arab People, How He Sees His Career Panning Out and More

WWE NXT Champion Sami Zayn recently spoke with TimeOut Dubai, to promote WWE’s upcoming tour of Abu Dhabi, and the following are some interview highlights:

On why there aren’t more Arab wrestlers in WWE:

“I don’t know why there aren’t many. In NXT, the Performance Center, there are some people with some Arab roots, and also WWE is going overseas to look for this. I don’t feel pressure to represent, but I do feel a great sense of pride, because there really hasn’t been this kind of representation for the Arab people before. And, let’s be honest, Arabs aren’t always depicted in the most accurate way. If I can help contribute to a different perspective of how Arabs are viewed then that’s great. I’m not like Captain Arabia or anything like that, I’m just a guy with red hair who happens to be Arabic. I’m in a position to change people’s perspective, even if it’s a few, then that’s bigger than wrestling to me.”

On being 30, and how he sees his WWE career panning out:

“There used to be an expression that nobody makes money until after 30, but that changed in the last 15 years with guys like The Rock, and Randy Orton who were 25 when they won the world champs, and that was unheard off before. It takes about 10 years to start really getting it. So I’m 30, and I’m around that point when I’m getting it. I don’t know how long I have in me, but I’m hoping for at least another ten good years.”