Sami Zayn has reflected on whether WWE made the right decision by having Roman Reigns defeat him at Elimination Chamber 2023, admitting there was a strong argument for a championship change in Montreal. The reigning Undisputed WWE Champion also revisited his memorable WrestleMania match against Johnny Knoxville and the famous “Feeling Ucey” segment involving The Bloodline.
During a recent appearance on INSIGHT with Chris Van Vliet, Zayn was asked whether he believes he should have defeated Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship in his hometown of Montreal. The match took place during the height of Zayn’s popularity following his departure from The Bloodline, with the Canadian crowd firmly behind him.
Although Reigns ultimately retained the championship, Zayn acknowledged that WWE could have justified a different outcome given the momentum surrounding his character at the time.
“At the time, I thought there was a case to be made for it, but going back to the domino effect thing, I don’t know. I really don’t know. I don’t think it’s ludicrous to say I should have. If you were watching at that time, I think anybody could have made that argument.”
Zayn also recognized that Cody Rhodes was experiencing tremendous popularity during the same period, with WWE building toward a larger championship storyline. He suggested that changing the outcome in Montreal could have affected the direction of several major stories, making it difficult to determine whether a victory over Reigns would ultimately have been the better decision.
“But it was just, again, timing, and Cody was also red hot at that time, and they were building to something. Then it leads to Cody the next year, and then it’s more gratifying. Whatever it is, just yeah, I don’t know. Could, should, would- would it have worked? I think so. But who’s to say?”
Elsewhere in the interview, Zayn discussed his Anything Goes Match against Johnny Knoxville at WrestleMania 38, which featured several elaborate stunts and unconventional weapons inspired by Knoxville’s work with Jackass. While the encounter is often remembered for its comedy, Zayn emphasized that some of the physical punishment was far more painful than fans might have realized.
“The table was crazy. That mousetrap table, that was a big one that really hurt. But that’s the one kind of sore spot because it almost gets reduced to a comedy match.”
Zayn explained that the combination of humor and genuine physical punishment was an essential part of the match’s success. He believes the more serious elements sometimes get overlooked because of the unusual presentation.
“Part of what I love about it is it had a little bit of everything. There are comedic elements, but there’s also some actual violence and some pretty serious bumps. That was one of them, but you needed them to have that fluctuation.”
The conversation also turned to Zayn’s time with The Bloodline, particularly the November 2022 SmackDown segment in which his now-famous “Feeling Ucey” remark caused Jey Uso to visibly struggle to contain his laughter.
Zayn explained that making his fellow performers break character was never necessarily his intention. However, once Jey started laughing during their interactions, it became increasingly difficult for him to maintain his composure.
“No, I don’t really remember that it was a goal. After a few times, especially Jey. Jey had a problem where it’s like when you watch blooper reels, and then once they laugh once, they can’t stop. After I got Jey, I think a couple of times, then it became, oh no, this is just gonna keep happening, and I can’t stop it.”
According to Zayn, Reigns played a significant role in turning the moment into one of The Bloodline’s most memorable segments. Rather than allowing Jey to hide his laughter, Reigns recognized the crowd’s reaction and deliberately drew more attention to what was happening.
“I think what also took it to a different level is when Jey kind of tries to hide, and Roman’s like, ‘no, no, no, no.’ Then it was over, then it was over.”
Zayn praised Reigns’ instincts and ability to recognize an unexpected opportunity, crediting his delivery with elevating the segment beyond what had already become a memorable exchange.
“Again just a pro’s pro here. Understanding the energy in that room and the delivery to compound that effect was very, very well done, and probably is what cemented it. If it had just ended at the laugh and the whatever, it’s already a very memorable moment. But then the way Roman built up to it, like again, it’s music, right? ‘Ucey?’ That cemented it.”
More than three years after their emotional championship encounter in Montreal, Zayn and Reigns are preparing to meet again under different circumstances. Zayn now holds the Undisputed WWE Championship, while Reigns is the World Heavyweight Champion.
The two are scheduled to compete in a Champion vs. Champion match at WWE Crown Jewel 2026 on November 7 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, adding another chapter to their shared history.
