Sami Zayn Reacts To Comparison With WWE Hall Of Famer Shawn Michaels

Sami Zayn is riding high after beating GUNTHER for the WWE Intercontinental Championship earlier this month at WWE WrestleMania 40. The match was one of several show-stealing performances of the weekend and, during the post-show press conference on Saturday, Paul "Triple H" Levesque compared Zayn to Levesque's close friend Shawn Michaels. Speaking to the Toronto Sun ahead of tonight's "WWE Raw," Zayn shared his thoughts upon hearing the comparison.

"Having my name even in the same breath as Shawn Michaels, especially with regards to WrestleMania — that's an honor that is hard to even put into words," Zayn said. "[Michaels] is one of ... the best of all time and I know Triple H feels the same. ... For him to even say there's even a little bit of a comparison, I think, is a huge honor."

Zayn went on to discuss his recent success at WrestleMania, which may be what has led to the comparison with Michaels, who bears the nickname "Mr. WrestleMania" for his top-tier performances. Likewise, Zayn has had a series of impressive showings, from his 2022 match against "Jackass" star Johnny Knoxville to his tag team main event last year and culminating with his recent win over GUNTHER.

"When given [a WrestleMania] opportunity, I always want to swing for the fences," Zayn continued. "[It's] hard to get on the card, let alone to have ... a memorable match. If I'm able to create any of those on that stage, I just think that's [what] everybody aspires for."

Tonight on "Raw," Zayn is set to defend the title against Chad Gable, who helped coach Zayn to his WrestleMania victory. Additionally, despite what happened at WrestleMania, last week's "Raw" made it clear that GUNTHER and Imperium aren't yet through with Zayn and his newly won title.

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