During a recent appearance on the Cheap Heat podcast, Sami Zayn expressed his desire to work with John Cena during his farewell tour in 2025. He said:
“I would never turn down an opportunity to get in the ring with John Cena. He’s the one you want to get in the ring with. He’s the one you aspire to get in the ring with. You work your whole career hoping to share the ring with John Cena. You just want to perform at the highest level with the best people. When you look at the situation… 15 years ago, sharing the ring with John Cena just didn’t seem possible.”
As we reported here on eWn on Friday, former WCW wrestler and booker “The Taskmaster” Kevin Sullivan has passed away at the age of 74.
Gabe Sapolsky paid tribute to Sullivan on Instagram on Saturday. He wrote:
“I’ve only had contact with Kevin Sullivan a few times since 1994, but he’s been one of the biggest influences on my career. In a way, on my life too.
When we got cable TV in the early ’80s, one of the first things I found was wrestling from Florida and a small promotion in New England. Both prominently featured this crazy guy Kevin Sullivan and his tribe of misfits. It was an instant connection and opened up a new world of pro wrestling.
When this skinny little kid started in ECW in 1993, Kevin Sullivan and his then-wife Nancy were two of the first people to talk to me. I was so intimidated. There were these larger than life figures from my formative years standing right in front of me.
Kevin read my newsletter, The ECW Action Wire, and said, “One day you’re going to run this place.” I was stunned. I laughed in disbelief. Every time he passed me he said the same thing, and Nancy smiled and gave words of encouragement.
Maybe they told every kid that, maybe they didn’t, but it was important to make me feel like I belonged. It made me feel supported as I entered the strange world of pro wrestling. It meant even more to me because it was coming from one of my favorite childhood stars. It gave me the confidence to face reality.
There’s a young man who comes into our X-room. When I encourage him, I hear in my head the voice of Kevin Sullivan from 1993 in the lobby of the airport hotel. That will stay with me forever.
I was lucky enough to do a kayfabe guest commentary video with Kevin. Check it out if you can. It was a learning experience for me almost 20 years later.
This picture was taken the last time I saw Kevin a few years ago. I was lucky that we ended up at the same Red Sox game. Taking this picture at Fenway Park is a fusion of my childhood love of the Red Sox and Kevin. A full-circle moment. It’s one of my favorite photos.
Thank you for everything, sir. My deepest condolences to Kevin’s family and friends.”
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