Sami Zayn understands WWE not bringing politics into their show in the way they used to in the past.
Speaking in a media call leading up to Elimination Chamber, the Canadian star spoke about the lack of politics in the WWE today. He admitted that the company is different than in the past, when political events like the Iraq war or the Persian Gulf War would be referenced through on-screen characters.
Sami Zayn said that the WWE is now a form of escapism. He also feels like politics has become entertainment itself, and people want to avoid it when they watch wrestling.
“I like to talk about, you know, wrestling as sort of a reflective art form in the world. In regards to history and sociology, and how it’s kind of mirrored societies at the time. Having said that, wrestling’s always had sort of a political representation of the Zeitgeist of the time, right? So, you know, in the ’90s, during the Persian Gulf War, we had Sergeant Slaughter with the Iraq stuff. Even prior to that, in the ’50s, we had Nazi villains and stuff like that. Japanese, whoever the villains were in the political climate, were reflected in the world of pro wrestling.” Sami Zayn said.
“Now, I think in a strange way, we’re doing a sort of weird anti-reflection reflection. Wherein we just simply don’t touch politics anymore. As a company, nothing about the political climate is reflected in the product. I think, in some ways, that’s also a reflection of the society we currently live in and the sensitivity to these things.”
Sami Zayn: WWE Is Meant To Be Escapism
“But I also think it’s because WWE is meant to be like an escape from all that stuff. Especially the more real and the more, you know, felt on a day-to-day basis for some people. It’s not like an abstract idea. When you get into the conversation of tariffs, people are feeling that at the grocery store, or whatever gas station they’re at. They’re feeling it in day-to-day life, or they will, and the potential to feel it is certainly there,” Sami Zayn said.
“So, I think you want to go somewhere where you don’t have to think about that stuff altogether, and I think that’s what WWE provides now, where politics has become so mainstream, and it’s almost turned into an entertainment form in its own right—which I have a lot to say about, but I won’t get into that.”
“All this to say, WWE is a place to kind of take that hat off and just enjoy it for what it is. I think everybody who purchased their tickets to Elimination Chamber is there for a great show. They’re not there to think about this stuff, they’re not there to boo Americans or cheer Canadians, or whatever. They’re there for the show, and we’re going to give them a great show,” added Zayn.
At Elimination Chamber, Sami Zayn will face Kevin Owens in an unsanctioned match.
