Zak Zodiac Opens Up About Struggles After Failed WWE Tryouts

Independent wrestler Zak Zodiac is the brother to AEW star Saraya, but Zodiac has nearly had his own shot on a big stage numerous times. Appearing on "Talk is Jericho," Zodiac revealed how many times he's tried out for WWE, and detailed his struggles after being rejected.

"To be honest, Chris, I've had six WWE tryouts in total," Zodiac said. "The last one being in March 2020. I flew out there, [did] my physical, [did] my blood, done everything. I was pretty much told that this was my time. Then the global pandemic happened. I've not heard [anything] since." Zodiac revealed that he would receive heavy praise and equally heavy criticism during these tryouts.

"During these times, you know, there was always something," Zodiac continued. "'You need to cut up. You need to put weight on. You need to get a persona. You need to do this. You need to do that.' I would smash the trial. People like Finlay, and Arn Anderson, and Golddust — they're like, 'You're great, lad. You're a good worker. You're solid. You know your stuff.' The compliments I used to get [were] enough to give me the biggest head in the world." Despite the praise from veterans, Zodiac would continually miss the cut at each tryout, oftentimes with everyone else he was trying out with being offered a contract.

Over time, the continuous rejection started to eat at the performer, and it eventually began to affect Zodiac's life in major ways.

"I started thinking, 'What's going on here?'" Zodiac said. "'Why do I keep being brought back? Why am I working so hard to do everything they're asking of me, but I always fall at that last level. I just don't get it.'"

Zodiac stated that he now believes he wasn't yet mentally ready for such a shot at success. He experienced difficulties with mental health issues in his early 20s, and attributes much of that to his heavy-drinking lifestyle on the road.

"I struggled with rejection," Zodiac stated. "I didn't know how to take it." The independent wrestler revealed that he had resorted to strict dieting and even performance-enhancing drugs in response to rejection earlier in his career.

Now, at the age of 32, Zodiac said he feels ready to move to the next level of the industry. Earlier this year, Zodiac revealed that he was set to be the subject of an upcoming documentary, titled "Fighting For My Family." As of this past April, the documentary was still in production.

Zodiac also made a brief appearance on AEW programming last year, seen in the crowd supporting his sister during her return match at Full Gear. Saraya has since expressed her desire to bring her brother into AEW as a performer, but Zodiac has yet to make his debut.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Talk is Jericho" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.