John Cena’s legacy looms large in the annals of WWE history, setting a high bar for all who follow. His achievements have become the gold standard, the pinnacle of success that every wrestler is expected to strive for.
Sami Zayn, currently enjoying a successful stint with WWE, was only sometimes in such a favorable position. He recalls being told, “If you don’t aspire to be the next John Cena, then you shouldn’t be here.”
In a candid conversation with Corey Graves on WWE After The Bell, Zayn delved into the “mentality” ingrained in him during his NXT days, shedding light on the company’s lofty expectations and rigorous standards.
“I remember when I got to WWE, it was NXT or something like that, it was very much the mentality of, ‘you should be furious that you’re here. You should want to get out of here.”
“You should want to get on the road. Everyone around you is your enemy, they are all vying for your spot. This is a competition. You have to be the best to get out of here.”
“If you don’t want to be the best, you shouldn’t even work here.’ I remember a line something to the extent of, ‘If you don’t want to be the next John Cena, you shouldn’t even be here.’ I remember hearing that and being completely [mouth agape]. ‘What? This is insanity.’”
“Let’s just say we’re in a room with 100 people, let’s just say the next John Cena is in this room. There’s only one, so the other 99 people in this room should be miserable at all times trying to aspire to be that person? What kind of insanity is that?”
2023 has been a banner year for Zayn, marked by a heated feud with The Bloodline and headlining three major WWE events as a crowd favorite. He currently holds one-half of the WWE Undisputed Tag Team Championships alongside Kevin Owens.
At WrestleMania 39 Night 1, Zayn, his long-time friend and rival Kevin Owens, triumphed over The Usos to clinch the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships in the main event. Their reign continues to be impressive, most notably with a victory over Roman Reigns and Solo at Night of Champions.
As we look to the future, it remains to be seen how Zayn’s legacy will shape up. He may well reach the heights of John Cena, but for now, the focus is on his ongoing journey as a full-time WWE Superstar.
