Sami Zayn is a very popular star who is on the WWE roster. Since his debut in 2013, he quickly rose to fame with his charm and his acrobatic style. Often seen alongside Kevin Owens, he was quickly drafted to Raw and then later to SmackDown. In his decade-long run with WWE, he had been through many milestone events. The star became the NXT champion and the Intercontinental Champion.
He became the ‘Honorary Ucey’ of The Bloodline and also left it due to his conflict of interest with Roman Reigns. After leaving the Bloodline, the star could be seen at Raw. But one thing that fans don’t know about him is his origins.
Where is Sami Zayn from?
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Zayn’s original name is Rami Sebei. His parents are Syrian refugees who had moved to Canada before he was born. He was born on July 12, 1984, in Laval, Quebec, Canada. The star holds dual Syrian-Canadian citizenship. Due to his descent, the star is also proficient in many languages, including Arabic and French.
Hailing from Canada, he trained under Jerry Tuite and Savio Vega. He later debuted as Stevie McFly for the Quebec-based FLQ promotion. Later on, he became a part of the International Wrestling Syndicate and took over the persona of El Generico. The gimmick was loved by fans and he played that for almost a decade, till he made his debut at WWE in 2013. During his initial days as Generico, he happened to meet fellow Canadian wrestler Kevin Steen, now known as Kevin Owens.
The duo were inseparable and even various independent circuits wanted the two together. But their friendship went far beyond the ring. Owens once stood by him when his friend faced issues due to his descent.
Kevin Owens always has Zayn’s back
In 2018, WWE held the Greatest Royal Rumble at the King Abdullah International Stadium, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Sami Zayn had refused to be a part of the event, which could have been a career-changing moment for him. The reason behind it was the tensions between Syria and Saudi Arabia. Again, in 2019, WWE decided that the Superstar Showdown would be held again in Saudi Arabia. This time again, Zayn refused to be a part of it.
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Kevin Owens decided to stand with his friend in solitary. Owens made it clear to the promotion that this time around, he would not be participating in the event held in Saudi Arabia. Along with him, Aleister Black did not participate in the event. It wasn’t until 2023 that the political relationship between the two countries was re-established. After that, the tag team of Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn faced off against Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa at the main event of Night of the Champions.
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It was his first PLE in the Middle Eastern country after the WWE live tour back in 2014. Now he is all set to be a part of the kick-off event at the upcoming Crown Jewel, which will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
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