Sami Zayn - An opportunity to do Muhammad Hassan right?
Oct 31, 2013 5:00:31 GMT -5
Capt. Internet Darling, Abdullah, and 1 more like this
Post by 67 more on Oct 31, 2013 5:00:31 GMT -5
Mods, if this strays too close to breaking the religion/politics rule, please close and delete away.
We all know why the Hassan gimmick failed (they made him a terrorist), but with Sami Zayn they have a chance to portray a Muslim wrestler correctly (I don't know of Zayn's actual religious stance but he is of Syrian descent so it's plausible in kayfabe). The most important part, keep him babyface.
Have it start off subtle, with stuff like Zayn turning down alcoholic drinks or pork sandwiches. Have Renee come into the locker room and Zayn is praying in Arabic on a prayer mat. As the weeks go on, the NXT roster start to give him funny looks, shunning him, ostracizing him. Zayn doesn't change his character at all and tries to explain it's no big deal, it's just how he was raised, the same how you may have been raised Christian or Jewish. That's his religious identity and he's not going to apologise it, he's still the same Sami Zayn he always has been. Faces come round, apologise to him and say it shouldn't have mattered, they're sorry.
Keep going with this Zayn/JBL storyline. Have Zayn come out and ask why he still hasn't been given another shot at the NXT title. JBL comes out (since he's already an established xenophobe in kayfabe) and says it's because of what Zayn's people have done to America. Zayn can retort "what, Canadians?" and argue how there's a difference between moderate Muslims and the extremists just like how there's a difference between moderate Christians and the Westboro Baptist Church. JBL in full racist pig mode tells Zayn we worship God in NXT, to which Zayn replies he worships the same God, just in a different way and he's tried to keep his religious views as hidden away as possible, he just wanted to become a WWE Superstar. JBL brings out Zeb Colter, who orders the Real Americans to attack Zayn. The faces of NXT rush out (hell, throw some heels in there too) and save Zayn, fully accepting him as a member of the NXT roster and their friend.
Reasons to do this
1) The type of progressive storyline that will show WWE in a positive light and provide better publicity in Muslim countries.
2) It would actually go along with the Be A Star campaign.
3) It would be great exposure for Zayn.
Possible backfires
1) Racist fans, complete with USA chants, boo Zayn mercilessly (not so much a problem with the NXT crowd but if he's called up to the main roster and we get that Pittsburgh crowd again, yikes).
2) Ignorant fans who say the angle doesn't make sense because Zayn is white (yes, there's people who don't realise that there are white Muslims).
3) WWE might be accused of promoting Islam when they're actually promoting equality.
Insert serious Muslim babyface joke here.
We all know why the Hassan gimmick failed (they made him a terrorist), but with Sami Zayn they have a chance to portray a Muslim wrestler correctly (I don't know of Zayn's actual religious stance but he is of Syrian descent so it's plausible in kayfabe). The most important part, keep him babyface.
Have it start off subtle, with stuff like Zayn turning down alcoholic drinks or pork sandwiches. Have Renee come into the locker room and Zayn is praying in Arabic on a prayer mat. As the weeks go on, the NXT roster start to give him funny looks, shunning him, ostracizing him. Zayn doesn't change his character at all and tries to explain it's no big deal, it's just how he was raised, the same how you may have been raised Christian or Jewish. That's his religious identity and he's not going to apologise it, he's still the same Sami Zayn he always has been. Faces come round, apologise to him and say it shouldn't have mattered, they're sorry.
Keep going with this Zayn/JBL storyline. Have Zayn come out and ask why he still hasn't been given another shot at the NXT title. JBL comes out (since he's already an established xenophobe in kayfabe) and says it's because of what Zayn's people have done to America. Zayn can retort "what, Canadians?" and argue how there's a difference between moderate Muslims and the extremists just like how there's a difference between moderate Christians and the Westboro Baptist Church. JBL in full racist pig mode tells Zayn we worship God in NXT, to which Zayn replies he worships the same God, just in a different way and he's tried to keep his religious views as hidden away as possible, he just wanted to become a WWE Superstar. JBL brings out Zeb Colter, who orders the Real Americans to attack Zayn. The faces of NXT rush out (hell, throw some heels in there too) and save Zayn, fully accepting him as a member of the NXT roster and their friend.
Reasons to do this
1) The type of progressive storyline that will show WWE in a positive light and provide better publicity in Muslim countries.
2) It would actually go along with the Be A Star campaign.
3) It would be great exposure for Zayn.
Possible backfires
1) Racist fans, complete with USA chants, boo Zayn mercilessly (not so much a problem with the NXT crowd but if he's called up to the main roster and we get that Pittsburgh crowd again, yikes).
2) Ignorant fans who say the angle doesn't make sense because Zayn is white (yes, there's people who don't realise that there are white Muslims).
3) WWE might be accused of promoting Islam when they're actually promoting equality.
Insert serious Muslim babyface joke here.