Wrestling JAT Wiki
Wrestling JAT Wiki
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Rami Sebei (Arabic: رامي السبيعي; born July 12, 1984) is a Canadian professional wrestler of Syrian descent, currently signed to WWE under the ring name Sami Zayn, on the Raw brand, where he is a former World Heavyweight Champion, his reign at 161 days is the longest since the championship was revived in 2016. He is a former NXT Champion. Prior to signing with WWE, Sebei wrestled on the independent circuit under the ring name El Generico, using the character of a luchador from Mexico with a catchphrase of "Olé!". Generico wrestled while masked from his debut in 2002 until 2013. Upon signing with WWE, Sebei began wrestling without a mask.

Generico achieved much success in Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG) as a two-time PWG World Champion and five-time World Tag Team Champion. He is the only person to have won both of PWG's annual tournaments, the Dynamite Duumvirate Tag Team Title Tournament in 2010 and the Battle of Los Angeles in 2011. Generico has also held the ROH World Television Championship and World Tag Team Championship with Kevin Steen, with whom he later earned the 2010 "Feud of the Year" award from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter'. Generico is also a two-time IWS World Heavyweight Champion for the Montreal-based International Wrestling Syndicate (IWS). Having wrestled internationally, Generico won the wXw Unified World Wrestling Championship in Germany and DDT Pro-Wrestling's KO-D Openweight Championship in Japan.

Professional wrestling career[]

International Wrestling Syndicate (2002–2009)[]

Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (2004–2013)[]

Chikara (2005–2012)[]

Ring of Honor (2005–2012)[]

Japan (2007–2009, 2011–2012)[]

Dragon Gate USA and Evolve (2012)[]

Other promotions[]

WWE[]

NXT (2013–2016)[]

Main roster (2016–present)[]

In Wrestling[]

  • Finishing moves
    • Brainbustaaaaahhhhh!!!!! (Super brainbuster onto the top rope) – 2002–2013, 2017–present; rarely used
    • Spike brainbuster – 2002–2013
    • Olé/Yakuza/Helluva Kick (Running big boot to a cornered opponent) – 2013–present; used as a signature 2002–2013
    • Reverse STO followed by a koji clutch – 2015–present
  • Signature moves
    • Blue Thunder Bomb (Spin-out sitout powerbomb, with theatrics)
    • Diving crossbody
    • Dropkick,sometimes as a flapjack counter
    • Exploder suplex into the turnbuckles
    • Half and half suplex
    • Leg lariat
    • Multiple arm drag variations
    • Sitout scoop slam piledriver
    • Suicide dive transitioned into a tornado DDT
    • Sunset flip powerbomb, sometimes while running
    • Topé con Hilo
    • Wrist-lock transitioned into a springboard tornado DDT
  • Nicknames
    • "The Heart and Soul of NXT"
    • "The Underdog from the Underground"
    • "Battery Man"
  • Entrance themes
    • "¡Olé!" by The Bouncing Souls (Independent circuit)
    • "3 Minute Record" by The Berettas (NXT; 2013)
    • "Lower the Boom" by Fifth Floor (NXT; 2013–2014)
    • "Worlds Apart" by CFO$ (NXT/WWE; May 29, 2014–present)

Championships and Accomplishments[]

  • Association de Lutte Féminine
    • Sensational Sherri Memorial Cup Tournament (2007) – with LuFisto
  • Britannia Wrestling Promotions
    • PWI:BWP World Catchweight Championship (1 time)
  • Chikara
    • Rey de Voladores (2011)
  • DDT Pro-Wrestling / Union Pro Wrestling
    • DDT Extreme Division Championship (1 time)
    • KO-D Openweight Championship (1 time)
    • Best Foreigner Award (2012)
  • Elite Wrestling Revolution
    • Elite 8 Tournament (2004)
  • GBG Wrestling
    • GBG Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
  • International Wrestling Syndicate
    • IWS World Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
    • IWS World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Twiggy
  • North Shore Pro Wrestling
    • NSPW Championship (1 time)
  • Pro Wrestling Guerrilla
    • PWG World Championship (2 times)
    • PWG World Tag Team Championship (5 times) – with Human Tornado (1), Quicksilver (1), Kevin Steen (2), and Paul London (1)
    • Battle of Los Angeles (2011)
    • Dynamite Duumvirate Tag Team Title Tournament (2010) – with Paul London
  • Pro Wrestling Illustrated
    • PWI ranked him No. 3 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2017.
    • Most Popular Wrestler of the Year (2017)
  • Pro Wrestling Prestige
    • PWP Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
  • Puerto Rico Wrestling Association
    • PRWA Caribbean Championship (1 time)
  • Ring of Honor
  • SoCal Uncensored
    • Match of the Year (2006) vs. PAC, November 18, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla
    • Match of the Year (2007) vs. Bryan Danielson, July 29, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla
    • Most Outstanding Wrestler (2006, 2007)
    • Tag Team of the Year (2006) with Quicksilver
    • Wrestler of the Year (2007)
  • STHLM Wrestling
    • STHLM Wrestling Championship (1 time)
  • Westside Xtreme Wrestling
    • wXw Unified World Wrestling Championship (1 time)
    • 16 Carat Gold Tournament (2012)
  • Wrestling Observer Newsletter
  • WWE
  • WWE NXT
    • NXT Championship (1 time)
    • Slammy Award (1 time)
      • NXT Superstar of the Year (2014)
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