Sami Zayn has come to appreciate the Jackass franchise.
It was ahead of the 2022 Royal Rumble that Sami Zayn began his feud with Johnny Knoxville. The two men have spent the past few months taking shots at one another, with Knoxville recently playing a part in Zayn losing the Intercontinental Championship to Ricochet. They are set to face off at WrestleMania 38 in an Anything Goes Match.
Speaking with Alistair McGeorge of Metro.co.uk, Sami admitted that he was never a fan of the film series which began in 2002, but has come to realize just how popular it actually is.
”Well if I’m being honest, I was actually never a fan. I knew it was obviously very popular, and I think now that I’m working with Johnny Knoxville I’m realizing a lot more how popular it actually was. I was just so consumed by wrestling at that age, that I kinda never took to it. If I’m being honest, I think I kinda missed the point of Jackass when I was younger," he said.
Zayn continued on to explain that he never took to Jackass because he isn't a fan of watching people get hurt. That said, he realizes the irony of that statement based on the profession he chose to enter.
"I think I only, at a glance, looked at it at first and just saw guys doing crazy things and getting hurt. I’m not a fan of watching people get hurt to be honest," he laughed. "Which is strange to hear considering I was obsessed with pro wrestling and I became a wrestler. But I’m a bit squeamish, I’m not a fan of watching people get hurt."
As someone who is obsessed with wrestling and believes people miss the point of it all the time, Sami finds it funny that he did the same thing with Jackass.
"It’s about the friendships and the camaraderie. It’s funny because people miss the point of wrestling all the time, so it’s funny that someone who’s as obsessed with wrestling as I am, that I missed the point of Jackass," he said. "But I’ll freely admit that I did, and I judged it without entirely knowing what it was, or was about."
To view the full card for WrestleMania 38 Night One and Night Two, click the corresponding link.
Jackass Forever is now available to stream on Paramount Plus.