10 Things We Learned From Sami Zayn On Stone Cold’s Broken Skull Sessions Podcast

5. How Cesaro Changed WWE Developmental

Steve Austin Sami Zayn Broken Skull Sessions
WWE.com

Zayn cut Austin off when the legend tried to put over NXT's free-flowing system. According to Sami, it was actually very "rigid" when he first arrived (both as FCW and then during the earliest days of NXT). He recalled getting into trouble with Terry Taylor for daring to hit a springboard crossbody during a six-man vs. The Wyatt Family.

He'd apparently done it the wrong way.

Things didn't change until WWE signed Cesaro. Despite working some shots in FCW beforehand, the Swiss star was considered "a main roster guy" by the time he worked matches on NXT. Sami said that his standing with the office meant others on the brand felt more comfortable pushing the envelope a little.

Zayn cited his stellar match with Cesaro at NXT: Arrival in February 2014 as evidence of how things quickly changed overnight. That 23-minute scorcher couldn't have happened without somebody 'dropping down' from Raw or SmackDown to lead the way.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.