Sami Zayn Reveals Backstage Reaction To Him Mentioning AEW On WWE Raw

Sami Zayn is certainly no stranger to controversy, as he’s proved time and time again that he knows how to get people talking.

Back in 2019 Sami Zayn introduced a new segment to the world on Monday Night Raw called Electric Chair which saw him answer questions from fans. At one point during the segment a fan asked Sami why he hasn’t been Universal Champion yet, and Sami berated the fans for asking “dumb questions.”

He then went on to tell the fan that he could have asked about anything, including AEW.

The AEW reference got a big reaction out of the fans in attendance, but during an interview with Sportskeeda Sami Zayn revealed that it didn’t receive the warmest reaction backstage.

“So it wasn’t entirely, entirely off the cuff but it was off the cuff to a certain degree, and the reaction was, uh, let’s say unfavorable (laughs) since the electric chair met its demise that very same week.”

The former Intercontinental Champion went on to say that at the time AEW was the talk of the wrestling world because it was still “super, super fresh” and there was an expectation that a fan could ask about AEW during Electric Chair.

In regards to why Sami Zayn decided to mention AEW himself, he noted that he wanted to make Electric Chair controversial.

“What they were going for was that it had a very risky, unpredictable feel to it… As I was out there, I was like, this doesn’t have these vibes, these questions are too sterile. So I felt like it was upon me, it was incumbent upon me, to sort of make it controversial. And the fact that we’re talking about it now, all this time later, you know I hate to say I was right, but I kind of think I was right to do it.”