For years people have deliberated over who will be the man to replace John Cena at the top of the WWE food chain. The obvious answer seems to be Roman Reigns if you're asking Vince McMahon, but for a long time, the WWE Universe were hoping and praying that Daniel Bryan would be their next hero.
Unfortunately, as we all know, things didn't quite work out that way.
But never fear because there's a Superstar out there who is ready and willing to take the spotlight - Sami Zayn. The underdog from the underground is one of the hottest stars in professional wrestling right now, and it would be a sin if WWE didn't capitalise on his immense momentum.
After all, this is pretty much a Daniel Bryan version two that we've got on our hands.
The stories are similar but their paths will not be because Zayn looks set to shoot straight up to the top of the main event scene. It may take a bit of time in order for him to get there, but once he does it's going to feel so satisfying for his legions of fans. Buckle up Zayniacs, because it's time to begin our journey to either the WWE or Universal Championship.
With that in mind, let's take a look at five reasons why Sami Zayn is the WWE's next top babyface.
#1 Popularity
In terms of popular Superstars who get strong reactions, Sami Zayn is right up there with the best of them. Throughout his entire tenure on the main roster, there haven't been too many big names that have received ovations like Sami, which is a testament to both his work ethic and his character development in general. In short, the fans love him.
As we all know that doesn't necessarily equal success in the WWE, but Vince has shown in the past that he does listen to fans if they make their voices heard loud enough. Zayn has a passionate following as so long as he stays fit and healthy, that trajectory looks set to continue upwards. Isn't it nice to have a natural babyface for a change?
Onto something that will prove to be quite vital in big matches.
#2 Moveset
In terms of an entertaining move set, Zayn has it all. From his Helluva Kick finisher to his Blue Thunder Bomb, he's got a string of moves that are able to get the crowd excited. He's able to adapt to any opponent or situation he's put in, as exampled by his phenomenal matches with incredibly different Superstars like Braun Strowman and Seth Rollins.
Everything Sami does feels important and feels like he's giving 110% because that's exactly what's happening. Zayn’s matches have a realistic aspect that you just don't really get anywhere else, which is extremely refreshing.
If you combine his style with the moves he brings out on a weekly basis, you've got yourself a Superstar that people will want to get behind. From the move set to character development that you just can't manufacture.
#3 Versatility
To succeed and thrive in this business you have to be extremely versatile, and Sami Zayn has that down to a tee.
He can transition between a happy-go-lucky babyface and a serious badass within seconds. If you need proof, just go back and look at his match against Shinsuke Nakamura at NXT Takeover: Dallas - because you'll see an entirely different side of the former NXT Champion.
But that also covers microphone work, too. Sami has never been overly praised for his work on the mic but that doesn't matter to him, because anytime he's given the opportunity to shine he does just that. He's funny, he's passionate and most importantly he gets people invested.
With all of those traits, he draws a few comparisons to another former underdog - a bearded gentleman, perhaps? Onto one of those aforementioned traits that you just can't buy.
#4 Charisma
By sheer definition alone, charisma is a compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion to others. If that isn't a perfect sentence with which to describe Sami Zayn, then nothing is. Whenever Sami appears on screen everything he does just feels so natural and genuine as if he isn't playing a character at all.
Everything about his persona screams 'personality' and that's so hard to find in the modern day landscape.
Fans get behind Sami because they believe every single word that he's saying and are able to put themselves into his shoes. It isn't easy to deliver performances like that and usually, you can tell when a Superstar is fatigued, but that never seems to happen with Zayn.
It's as if someone is injecting him with a dose of charisma every week in order to keep going because the guy is a machine. For our final point, we take a trip into the archives.
#5 His story
Sami Zayn used to wrestle under a mask as El Generico on the independent scene, where he spent 11 years trying to break into the big time of the business. After over a decade of scratching and clawing, he made it to NXT, where he once again had to prove to the world that he belonged.
He pulled it off by capturing the NXT Championship, but a horrendously timed injury sidelined the ultimate underdog for months on end.
People continuously undervalued and underrated Zayn, but he's continued to fight back against the odds and put everything he has into professional wrestling. It's a truly inspirational story that can resonate throughout fans all over the world, which is why he's such an appealing character and man in general.
Sami Zayn started off like every single one of us, but now he's a hero for future generations to come.
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