Sami Zayn Details Why He Chose To Re-Sign With WWE
William Smith
Published Mar 27, 2026
Many former WWE superstars couldn't wait to make the jump to the rival AEW promotion, but Sami Zayn and close friend Kevin Owens were more than happy to sign extensions with Vince McMahon's company.
Last year, it was reported that the contracts of both Zayn and Owens would expire early in 2022. This led to speculation that the two stars could both move over to AEW, but the two superstars both decided to stay in WWE. News of Owens' extension was broken in December, with news of Zayn's deal following a month later.
In an interview with Cultaholic Wrestling, Zayn was asked if Owens' choice to re-sign with WWE played a factor in his own decision to stay. Zayn stated that he and Owens didn't work together when it came to contract negotiations and making a decision.
"Whatever decision he made, I don't know if it 100 percent was going to influence my decision or vice versa but on a subconscious level, I'm sure it helped," Zayn said.
For the former NXT Champion, re-signing with WWE was an easy call. Zayn explained that he's "very happy" with his spot in the company, and that they've made him feel like "a valued" superstar:
"I was already in a very good place with WWE and they made it very clear, not just when it was time to negotiate but in the last year, year-and-a-half, whatever it is, I've definitely gotten the impression and they have said as much that I'm a valued part of the roster and I feel valued and I get a lot of television time. So I've been very happy and stimulated creatively even, which I know is a difficult thing to get in WWE sometimes.
"With so many moving parts and so many talented people sometimes, inevitably, you kind of get left behind but I haven't felt that way in a very long time with WWE. So that was really the main factor driving my decision to stay. I was very happy to stay because I felt valued, I felt appreciated and it was reflected as such by the amount of television time I got. For me, it was a bit of a no-brainer to stay right now."
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WWE has given both Zayn and Owens notable pushes on television over the last few months. In February, the former captured the Intercontinental Championship for the third time in his career, though he lost it to Ricochet one month later. Zayn will face popular actor and stunt performer Johnny Knoxville in an Anything Goes bout on day two of WrestleMania 38.
As for Owens, he'll interview WWE Hall of Famer 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin on "The KO Show" during day one of WrestleMania. It has been reported that the Owens-Austin segment will actually turn physical, but we'll have to wait and see what happens there.
A Well-Deserved Extension For Sami Zayn
Zayn has been a valuable mid-card performer on the main WWE roster since he moved up from NXT. He's one of the best on the microphone, and only so many superstars can match or top the charisma his persona brings. Zayn has always been a team player in WWE, and keeping him had to be an easy call for Vince McMahon and company.
