WWE: Sami Zayn on Signing New Deal, Roman Reigns on COVID Bout, Randy Orton on Career Future

Sami Zayn Comments on Signing a New Deal with WWE

A recent episode of the Les Anti-Pods de la Lutte podcast had Sami Zayn as the guest. One of the topics discussed included Zayn confirming that he recently signed a new deal with WWE and his reasons for his decision to stay in the company.

“Yes, it’s true. Honestly, I don’t know how people on the internet find this kind of information, but yes, it’s true, I just signed for a few years and I’m really happy. My contract was almost over, they were interested in me staying, I wanted to stay, so it was no more complicated than that. It’s not the first time I’ve said it, but I’m really happy with my role with the company in recent years, especially the last year, year and a half. I’m doing the best job of my career, especially in terms of my character. I don’t know why people were really surprised. They have an idea in their heads that everyone in WWE is unhappy being there, unhappy with their role, that they want more or feel oppressed, or I don’t know what. For me, I’m really happy with my role and I can’t wait to see what I’m going to be able to do in the next few years.”

Zayn also stated that he is currently really happy but also admitted that he wants to do more during his time in the company.

“Of course, every talent in the locker room, everyone, always wants more. It’s normal. Even Roman Reigns who is the number one in our company. It’s everybody. So, I’m not going to say I’m 100% happy with what I have right now. I do the best I can, but there are things I don’t control 100%. But with everything that’s happened in the last year, I’m really happy to stay here. I feel that the company has confidence in me. They often use me in talking segments. I think I do a good job and I find that the company recognizes my work. And that’s why I’m always in a storyline. Maybe that’s why some talents weren’t happy because they think they never had an opportunity. I really can’t say that. I get lots of them and that’s why I’m really happy.”

Transcript h/t: Fightful.com

---

Roman Reigns Comments on His Recent Bout with COVID-19

As noted before, Roman Reigns was pulled from WWE’s Day 1 event earlier this month due to him testing positive for COVID-19.

Sports Illustrated held a recent interview with Reigns and one of the topics discussed included Reigns’ thoughts on his recent bout with COVID-19 earlier this month.

“For me, obviously in comparison to some of the worst scenarios that are out there and that we’ve seen through the pandemic, it wasn’t bad. For me, it was mainly a pretty good sinus infection, a bronchitis cough, a lot of chest tightness. I still feel that actually. When I’m doing my conditioning because we don’t wrestle quite as much and we’re doing a lot of six-man [tag team matches], I don’t have singles matches as much as I used to, so I have to continue to really push the conditioning on my own and I’ve noticed in the past couple of weeks that when I really blow myself up on the bike or running, or whatever I’m doing, I can feel that tightness and a little bit of wheezing. So it’s definitely something serious. As someone who is vaccinated and boosted, it still got to me and I still felt the effects. While they weren’t as severe as they can be for some, it did hang around and linger for a while.”

---

Randy Orton Comments on Future of His Wrestling Career & Retirement Plans

A recent episode of the The Ringer Wrestling Show podcast had Randy Orton as the guest. One of the topics discussed included Orton’s thoughts on the future of his wrestling career.

“I’m 41, by the time I’m 50, I think I’m done. I’ll do auditions every once in awhile, but I almost only do them because my wife says, ‘do them because what if you don’t and then you’ll wonder what if you did.’ I do auditions here and there, crossing my fingers that I don’t get a callback because I love what I do. I don’t want to stop and I don’t want to have to stop because of my body. I’ve taken it upon myself to make sure I do everything I can upon the daily to where physically I’m able to continue. If it’s up to me, and I knew physically it wouldn’t be a problem, I’d say I’d wrestle until I’m 50 and I would go out and have that last match when I’m 50 and be able to say I did it on my own terms. That’s nine years from now. I don’t see an end to my career anytime soon, I’d like to continue to go.”

Orton also stated that he is currently on a more limited work schedule with breaks included whenever he needs them for health reasons.

“That sought after ‘WrestleMania, get the summer off, come back for SummerSlam, disappear until Survivor Series,’ I think Shawn Michaels was doing that, Undertaker was doing that for a while. I don’t want to do that. I think that burns you out. Wrestling once a week for me would be ideal. That’s kind of where I’m at right now, schedule-wise, I don’t think anyone knows this and I don’t care if they do, I’m maybe one of the only guys who has an amount of dates that I’m contractually obligated to do and that’s 80, 80 shows a year. Sounds like a lot, but after you do one TV a week, one pay-per-view a month, you’re left with 15 to 20 live events. Those are the Saudi Arabias, European tours, Madison Square Garden live events.

With me wrestling once a week, I’m able to kind of keep the joints lubed and feel like I’m in shape enough to continue to do it. If I take a bad bump and hurt my neck, I’ll take a week off. That’s what’s going to make me be able to wrestle until I’m 50. I’ll take the week off. You have a lot of guys who will wrestle through these injuries. That’s how it used to have to be. You weren’t paid if you weren’t working. If you didn’t show up to that Garden show, you weren’t getting paid. The pay structure has changed to where, I’m getting paid no matter what. I’m going to do whatever shows they want me to do and I’m going to do them to the best of my ability, but there are 80 of them. If I keep that number 80 or less and if that number goes down maybe a few every year, I’m good. I don’t want to have two shows a year because that’s when you do a moonsault off the top rope to the floor and two 30-year veterans don’t catch you and you almost break your neck. wink wink.”

Transcript h/t: Fightful.com