Sami Zayn Admits To "Strange" Vibe Around WrestleMania 42
Sami Zayn felt like WrestleMania 42 was different to previous events.
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May 9, 2026
WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas, Nevada was among the weirdest and strangest to date, and this was felt by the talent too. With a huge burst of commercials, sponsorships, celebrity cameos, and more, WrestleMania had less in-ring time than ever before, not to mention the fact that the show emanated from the same venue as last year.
One name who felt a strange atmosphere at WrestleMania 42 was Sami Zayn, who revealed his feelings during an interview with Witty Whittier.
“The vibe was just different this year for so many different reasons. Sometimes it comes down to just the hotel you stay in or the match you have — everything shifts your mood slightly. This year, my character at the time of WrestleMania is a bit more undefined than it’s been in many many years. Usually, I walk into Mania and I know exactly where I’m at and what I’m doing. This year, this character shift and this sea change has been going on at the same time with Trick rising and me getting these — I would say polarizing reactions but it’s kind of started to swing all the way in the other direction now to where I’m unliked and I’m kind of, as a character, saying like, ‘What did I even do here?’ It’s still in this week-to-week [thing], audience to audience is all different so it felt a little less like surefooted, you know what I mean? The vibe around WrestleMania was a little strange this year with the Pat McAfee thing being added at the last minute. I don’t know, there was just so many things that felt a little strange about this year’s WrestleMania. Ultimately, like you said I didn’t get to do Mania last year in Vegas. I missed out on it so I kind of felt like, ‘Oh, alright, here we go.’ When you’re actually in the ring and you’re actually in the city doing meet and greets and stuff like that, I really like it. It can be a tad overwhelming sometimes but again, what a privilege to have. If I go to WrestleMania 15 to 20 years from now and I’m not at the center of it, then you’re not overwhelmed by it. So, it’s actually kind of a gift in the midst of that madness.”
Many talents had reportedly grown frustrated with the number of ads and the way WrestleMania 42 was presented.
H/T Fightful