Video: WWE's Sami Zayn Looks Back On 2012 EVOLVE Match As El Generico

Once upon a time, before Sami Zayn came into existence as a WWE star, there was El Generico — the mysterious masked persona that bears a striking resemblance to the current WWE Intercontinental Champion. To celebrate Zayn's 40th birthday, WWE posted a video in which Zayn introduces a 2014 match between Generico and Samuray Del Sol (later known as Kalisto in WWE) from EVOLVE.

"It's a match featuring a competitor I've studied extensively in my career," Zayn said. "I've been honored to have been compared to him many, many times over the years. There are definitely some stylistic similarities. A man called El Generico."

The match, which was the main event at EVOLVE 17 and the third singles match in a series between the two, lasted a little under 15 minutes before Zayn emerged victorious. Along the way, the two wrestlers told the story of Del Sol winning Generico's respect over the course of their trilogy.

As of today, Generico's last match took place in January 2013, with the wrestler actually teaming up with Del Sol against three other tag teams, including current AEW stars Trent Beretta and Brian Cage. Shortly thereafter, Zayn signed with WWE and moved away from the El Generico character.

Last year, Zayn reflected on his time as Generico, emphasizing the level of commitment he had to the character, including the luchador tradition of keeping his face secret from fans. The WWE star stated that many were happy to play along, as knowing what he looked like under the mask would have killed some of the fun.