Sami Zayn finally reached the top of WWE, but not everyone is buying him as Undisputed WWE Champion. Ryback just jumped into the debate, and he isn’t holding back.
After Zayn captured the Undisputed WWE Championship at Night of Champions, criticism started popping up online from fans who argued he doesn’t “look like a world champion.” Ryback saw the chatter and fired off a lengthy response on X defending WWE’s new top champion. Ryback argued that fans are still judging wrestlers by standards from a completely different era.
“There seems to be a lot of criticism over Sami Zayn winning the WWE Championship because some people don’t think he ‘looks like a champion.’”
He said today’s wrestlers are competing in a much different environment, where genetics play a much bigger role than they did during wrestling’s steroid-heavy years.
“Here’s the reality: in today’s drug-tested era, genetics matter more than ever. Not everyone has the ability to carry large amounts of muscle while staying extremely lean, no matter how disciplined they are with their training, nutrition, and recovery. We should never judge an athlete solely by their physique.”
Ryback also pointed out that the larger-than-life physiques fans grew up watching often came during an era where performance-enhancing drugs were far more common throughout professional wrestling.
“For decades, fans became accustomed to physiques that were often built during an era when performance-enhancing drugs were far more prevalent in professional wrestling. That created an expectation of what a ‘world champion’ should look like, but those expectations weren’t always based on what is healthiest or even naturally attainable.”
He added that wrestling has already paid too high a price because of that mindset. Ryback wrapped things up by saying championships shouldn’t be decided by someone’s physique, but by what happens once the bell rings.
“The business has also paid a heavy price over the years, with far too many wrestlers passing away at young ages. Health should always come first.”
“A champion should ultimately be judged by their work, their ability to connect with the audience, and how they perform when the bell rings. Sami Zayn has earned that opportunity, and I think he carries himself like a world champion.”
“People are entitled to their opinions, but maybe it’s time we stop judging champions by the standards of a different era and start appreciating what they bring to the ring today.”
Whether fans agree with Ryback or not, Sami Zayn’s title win has clearly sparked plenty of debate just days into his reign. Now all eyes are on how WWE books its newest Undisputed WWE Champion moving forward.
Do you agree with Ryback’s take on Sami Zayn as WWE Champion, or do you think a world champion should have a different look? Let us know in the comments.
