Sami Zayn Gets Candid About WWE WrestleMania 40 Opponent GUNTHER

Though they may be foes heading into WrestleMania 40, Sami Zayn maintains an immense amount of respect for GUNTHER.

In a recent interview with "Sportskeeda WrestleBinge," Zayn recalled his previous encounters with GUNTHER, one of which took place under the banner of wXw in 2012, mere months before Zayn signed with WWE, respectively. While many pundits have praised GUNTHER for his notable efforts in WWE, Zayn asserts that "The Ring General" has been worthy of praise for well over a decade.

"I don't know how else to say it without being reductive here, but he's just really, really really good," Zayn said. "He's just very good, and I've known it for a very long time, but I think he's managed to continue to exceed, continue to ascend to higher and higher levels. I thought he was really good 10, 12 years ago when we got in the ring ... He was a prominent champion [in wXw] and I defeated him and I ended that reign, so I'm wondering if somehow all these years later, history does repeat itself, where he's become this dominant Intercontinental Champion and I'm the one who ends that reign as well. So even back then, he was incredible."

As Zayn alluded to, GUNTHER's year-plus reign as wXw Unified World Wrestling Champion came to a stunning end when he, as El Generico, defeated GUNTHER (who was then known as Big Van Walter) at the promotion's 2012 Dead End show. 12 years later, Zayn has the opportunity to mirror this event as he challenges GUNTHER for the WWE Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Sportskeeda WrestleBinge" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.