Despite being billed from Montreal, Zayn is in fact of rather more exotic descent. His middle-eastern ancestry puts him in the very exclusive club of Syrian Canadianshence the Arabic writing that often appears on his in-ring attire. It certainly seems like a rather unconventional heritage, given the 9,000 kilometres between the two nations. According to the 2011 census, there were just over 40,000 Syrian Canadians, most of whom were based in the Toronto area and who could trace their roots back to the immigration of Syrians towards the end of the 19th century and during the post-WWII years. As well as the aforementioned Arabic on his wrestling tights, Zayn has been seen wearing a Free Syria t-shirt on NXT before, and has been vocal of his support for the war-torn nation in the past. It certainly adds an interesting layer to Zayns character, and does much to endear himself further to his ever-growing hoard of fans.
