Sami Zayn’s recent rise in WWE booking has become one of the most debated topics among fans, and now it’s being openly questioned by two veterans who have lived inside the creative bubble.
During a discussion on The Coach and Bro Show, Vince Russo and Jonathan Coachman spent several minutes breaking down Zayn’s positioning, his recent wins, and why they believe the push simply does not line up with believable storytelling.
The conversation began after Coachman laid out the current situation on television. Zayn won a Fatal Four-Way in Montreal and is now positioned for a major Royal Rumble match against Drew McIntyre, with WWE clearly leaning into regional and cultural connections to amplify crowd reactions. Coachman questioned whether WWE was booking for reaction rather than logic.
“Give it up. Put him over. Let’s put him over. Because up in Montreal, Quebec, Canada… he wins the Fatal Four-Way. So now we only have four matches at the Royal Rumble. Sami Zayn is one of the biggest ones against Drew McIntyre.”
“Are they going to book for the pop and country or book correctly and let Drew walk through him?”
Russo didn’t hesitate and made it clear this has been a long-running issue for him. Russo specifically pointed to Zayn’s previous wins and how they impact credibility with casual viewers.
“We’ve been talking about this for months and nobody believed us. As a matter of fact, I think some people scoffed.”
“Guys. I gotta tell you, this is such a big pet peeve of mine. Because I was in that spot and I never ever ever played favorites. He’s a favorite, man. It’s Triple H’s boy for whatever reason. Clearly, Triple H’s boy. And that’s what makes wrestling unbelievable.”
“Remember, this is the guy that beat Gunther. Is this the guy that’s gonna go in there now and beat Drew McIntyre? And then you got the casual fan sitting at home saying, ‘Man, if this were real, he would never beat that guy.’ Thus your problem.”
Coachman backed up Russo’s philosophy and connected it to how wrestling psychology used to be taught. He also acknowledged the emotional crowd reaction while still questioning the logic behind the booking.
“I brought you up today on Off The Ropes, my SiriusXM show. And I said, Vince Russo always teaches all of us this — that it’s gotta be based in reality. It’s gotta be realistic. If you’re out on the school yard and there’s a big dude who’s shredded like Drew McIntyre, there’s no way somebody who looks like Sami Zayn’s gonna beat him. It’s just not gonna happen.”
“Obviously, the Montreal crowd was very appreciative of him winning. But now he goes from Montreal to Saudi… and I’m like, is he French Canadian or is he Middle Eastern? How can you be both?”
Russo responded bluntly and Later in the show, Russo returned to the topic and made it clear his criticism had nothing to do with Zayn personally.
“Hey man, when you’re Triple H’s boy, you could be everything and anything. Man, it’s really that simple.”
“Can I issue a serious question? I’m asking you a serious question. Guys, I am being dead serious. Please understand this is not personal. I don’t know the dude. I know he’s got a wife. I know he’s got a kid. He’s probably a great husband and father — that has nothing to do with what I’m saying.”
Then he asked the question at the heart of the controversy.
“What could Triple H’s appeal be with Sami Zayn? What am I missing? I am open for somebody to tell me what I’m missing.”
Coachman admitted he couldn’t even force himself into disagreement. He then explained what he believes WWE used to value in presentation.
“The problem is — is that we see it the same way. I wish I could manufacture a take so I could disagree with you. But we lived in this world for so long.”
“To me — and this maybe this is what Vince used to teach us — it’s all about appearance. It’s all about what… you know, Andre the Giant, Big John Studd… those can be world heavyweight champions.”
Coachman even shared a conversation he had earlier in the day. He continued by questioning Zayn’s presentation.
“I asked this question to Nick Nemeth today. And I said, ‘Do you ever think… let’s flip it to Sami Zayn… he has to hear the noise?’”
“After all these years, do you think he ever gets up in the morning, puts on the old tracksuit and doesn’t change before TV that night and he goes, ‘Yeah. This is what a WWE Superstar is all about.’”
“Do you think he ever says that to himself? Because everybody talks about this, but yet they don’t say anything to him.”
“Why isn’t Triple H talking to him about that? I think it’s the underdog story that they believe in their mind is still out there. But it’s not.”
“It’s not. It’s not. It’s— it’s— it’s legitimately driving me insane.”
Russo added his own blunt assessment.
“It’s, you know, Dutch Mantell… good little hand. Yeah, man. He’s a good little hand. That’s it. A good little man.”
Coachman then gave a visual example that summed up his issue with Zayn’s positioning next to newer stars.
“Vince, would you ever have put Trick Williams in a white fur coat in the ring with Sami Zayn in a red, probably sweat jacket he’s worn a thousand times?”
Russo’s answer was simple.
“I get so much heat, but I am saying with all honesty — I don’t understand it. I just don’t.”
Coachman closed the exchange in agreement.
“I’m with you. I’m with you.”
The discussion wasn’t framed as personal attacks, but as a creative debate from two people who have spent years behind the scenes. Still, the comments are bound to strike a nerve with fans who are divided over Zayn’s current positioning near the top of the card. Sami Zayn continues to get strong crowd reactions, but questions about realism, presentation, and long-term credibility aren’t going away any time soon. Whether WWE adjusts course or doubles down remains to be seen.
Do you agree with Russo and Coachman’s criticism of Sami Zayn’s push, or do you think WWE has it right and fans should just embrace the underdog story? Share your thoughts and let your voice be heard.
Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.
