Sami Zayn found a lot of success in NXT as the developmental brand's champion. When he arrived on the main roster, it was clear Vince McMahon didn't view him as world championship material; despite that, Zayn has been front and centre in many high-profile storylines.
He's also main evented WrestleMania and, this weekend, will go one-on-one with Kevin Owens in an "Unsanctioned" Match.
During a recent podcast appearance, Zayn was asked about his dynamic with WWE creative and whether he's ever turned down any ideas they've pitched to him.
"I do not think they hear 'no,' but they hear ideas, that is for sure," Zayn explained, saying he's developed a level of trust with them. "They hear a lot of them. I think I have been pretty fortunate over the years to have a pretty decent success rate, which has given me a certain amount of equity with them - so my ideas will be heard."
Acknowledging how things have changed under Triple H's watch, he pointed to being given more of a voice backstage since McMahon was ousted from the company.
"I will also give a little bit of credit to the sort of change in creative and the creative shift over the years. The last couple of years under Triple H, but even a little bit prior to that, just with my relationship with the creative team, my voice feels heard," Zayn said. "They are not going to do everything I suggest, but they do not dismiss it as just another wrestler throwing out ideas."
"So I will throw a lot out there, and I really appreciate having a voice that is heard," he continued. "And if an idea does not work, they explain why. It might be, 'Hey, we want to do this idea instead,' or whatever, and you just go with it. But even that, that is sort of like a privilege that is earned over time."
"They do not write everybody into stories all the time," Zayn added. "I feel like over the last four to five years, I have been consistently written into a story at all times. Then it is incumbent on me to just make it work. That is not lost on me."
Still, even with Triple H in charge, the chances of Zayn winning the WWE Championship do appear slim (especially this late into his pro wrestling career). Fortunately, it doesn't sound like that's something he's losing too much sleep over.
"I mean, you know, I try not to live and die by these things. Of course, it would be great to win the world title," he admitted. "I’ve even said this on TV as like in character. It would be great to win it but I can’t live and die by that. It’s not like, 'Oh, I had a great career but...'"
The time to put the championship on Zayn was during his match with Roman Reigns at Elimination Chamber last year. Unfortunately, that would have derailed WWE's plan to have Cody Rhodes finish his story at WrestleMania.
You can watch the full interview with Zayn in the player below.