Sami Zayn Talks Dealing With Self-Doubt During Ebbs And Flows Of WWE Stardom

Sami Zayn's role at WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia has finally been decided. After emerging victorious on the March 11 episode of "WWE Raw" in a six-man gauntlet match, Zayn finds himself as the #1 contender to GUNTHER's Intercontinental title on "The Grandest Stage of Them All."

There had been a lot of speculation about who might challenge for GUNTHER's title in the weeks leading to WrestleMania. The rumor at one time was that it might be Brock Lesnar, but those plans were scrapped after the bombshell Janel Grant allegations. Now, Zayn has emerged as the most likely candidate to finally dethrone the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion in WWE history. 

Prior to his big win on "Raw," Zayn appeared on an episode of WWE's "The Bump" to discuss the importance of maintaining positive momentum as a WWE superstar.

"It just moves so fast. The momentum one week is gone sometimes the next," Zayn said, referencing a string of losses on "Raw" and "Smackdown" from January 29 to February 12. Zayn confessed that those losses took a toll on his confidence.

"We have a tendency to put so much on our shoulders as WWE superstars," Zayn said. "And so it starts with couple of important losses, when they come at a bad time. It does a lot more than just shake your confidence. It starts really getting you to question yourself. And I'd be lying if I say I didn't question myself."

Zayn emphasized that maintaining a steadfast belief in his own abilities was instrumental in reversing this recent string of bad luck.

"You have to have this intrinsic belief in yourself that trumps [self-doubt]," Zayn said. "And I think that's what's carried me through pretty much my entire career."