Sami Zayn reacts after WWE RAW star switches brands

Sami Zayn believes Apollo Crews has been plagued by inconsistency throughout his WWE career.

Crews returned to NXT this week after six years on WWE’s main roster. The 34-year-old’s biggest accomplishments include winning the Intercontinental and United States Championships, but he has often struggled to receive regular television time.

Speaking on Corey Graves’ After The Bell podcast, Zayn predicted that Crews’ NXT return could revive his career.

“It’s a great opportunity for him,” Zayn said. “I do think he’s great. I guess you go back to consistency, that’s one of the things that’s plagued Apollo Crews. Any time he’s gotten any kind of traction, for one reason or the other, momentum isn’t on his side. So hopefully in NXT it provides him with the platform."

Mandy Rose won the NXT Women’s Championship and formed the Toxic Attraction faction after returning to NXT in 2021. Zayn used her success as evidence that WWE stars can thrive on the third brand.

“Look at what Mandy Rose is doing,” Zayn continued. “I think she’s having a major career… I don’t even wanna call it a resurgence, because I think she’s actually better than she’s ever been. Who knows? I think it could be a great thing and a great opportunity.”

WWE has booked several main roster superstars against NXT prospects over the last decade. Sami Zayn, for example, feuded with then-main roster superstar Cesaro in NXT in 2013 and 2014.

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When Sami Zayn became an Apollo Crews fan

While some superstars spent many years in NXT before joining the main roster, that was not the case for Apollo Crews. He debuted on RAW in April 2016, just eight months after making his first NXT appearance.

Looking back at Crews’ early WWE days, Sami Zayn remembered the exact moment when he became a fan of the athletic superstar.

“The best thing that he did in that first NXT run that I remember was they did a video package on him, just about who he was, his upbringing, coming from Africa and all that stuff, his parents,” Zayn recalled. “I remember watching it and going like, ‘Oh my God, this is my guy. I love this guy. I wanna see this guy succeed now.’”

Crews joined forces with Solo Sikoa to defeat Carmelo Hayes and Grayson Waller on the latest episode of NXT. He also dropped the Nigerian accent that he used as part of his character on the main roster.

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Please credit After The Bell and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.