Sami Zayn Opens Up About The Backlash Against WWE NXT 2.0

Sami Zayn is one of the most vocal WWE superstars. He is so infamous for his mic-on skills that he even invoked the wrath of Scary Spice from The Spice Girls. Drew McIntyre is one of the most well-liked WWE superstars, and Zayn recently said that he is the most annoying man on the planet.

Zayn’s rant-fueled performances are no news to his fans. Even WWE veteran Edge stated while ago that he wants to go against Zayn in the ring. Zayn appeared on Corey Graves’ “After The Bell” podcast, where he revealed what he feels about the NXT rebranding.

The WWE superstar said that he likes it to a great degree. He added that people associate with a gold and black aesthetic, which is why there was backlash to its rebranding. He explained that it is due to people’s adversity to change.

From the little bit I’ve seen, it’s been pretty interesting and pretty good.  I think there was an immediate backlash to the idea of NXT 2.0 because people had come to know and like NXT as this black and gold, grittier sort of product.  Anytime you tell people that we’re doing something new, I think there’s always this sort of guard that comes up and a defensiveness, an unwillingness to change or accept something new in some cases.

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Zayn continued to speak on the rebranding, and said that the change in rebranding represents a change in the brand. He argued that there are a lot of new characters and quickly developing stories. That is not something people liked about the brand 5 years ago, he added, but now the brand is shifting into a more unique direction.

On top of it,  you have a bit of a reset with new characters.  You have a wide open playing field for new characters to step up and fill certain roles.  You’re seeing that again in NXT.  Is it what you liked about NXT a year ago, five years ago?  No, it’s not, but there is a lot to like about it for sure.  If you’re the type of fan like I am that likes unpredictability, likes to watch character development, likes to see where things are going to line up, if that’s a part of what interests you about pro wrestling or about WWE, then I think it’s intriguing to watch for sure.

The rebranding does feel rather turbulent to some, however. Former WCW CEO Erich Bischoff expressed that he thinks NXT 2.0 is going through an identity crisis. While many stars were released from the brand, Tomasso Ciampa recently said that he doesn’t fit the NXT 2.0 mold.

What’s your take on this story? Sound off in the comments!