Sami Zayn only just defeated Gunther at WrestleMania 40 for the Intercontinental Championship, and he already has past rivals lining up for a chance to make him defend that title. That queue includes one totally unexpected name, as even Johnny Knoxville recently talked about being up for a return to the ring for a rematch with the champ at a future WrestleMania. I couldn't be more on board with this idea.
For those who are not in the loop, Johnny Knoxville became one of the many celebrities to appear at WrestleMania as part of a WM38 feud he had with wrestler Sami Zayn. His match was predicated by a Royal Rumble appearance that set the stage for a performance that could likely only be pulled off by the Jackass star. Fans enjoyed it, so I think it's great that Knoxville immediately got into character when ComicBook.com asked him about Zayn, indicating he'd be up for another match:
I don't really care to talk about that lowdown and dirty Sami Zayn too much. I did love smashing him in his big, stupid face at WrestleMania, and I hope, sincerely, from the bottom of my heart, I get to one day do that again. I know he's a good guy now, but I don't think he's a great guy.
Johnny Knoxville keeping it kayfabe regarding his feelings about Sami Zayn just points to how much he enjoyed that match at WrestleMania 38, which is available to stream with a Peacock Premium subscription. All I can think about is when Zayn was trapped in the giant mouse trap, and how it was a moment that only works as a WWE stunt with the Jackass guys involved. If anyone else tried something chaotic like that in the ring, it likely wouldn't go over as well with wrestling fans.
Fortunately, Knoxville has made a career out of doing wild and outlandish stunts, which is largely the reason Jackass 5 won't happen. The risk of head injuries has made the actor less willing to hurt himself for the entertainment of others, though it does still seem like he's willing to take some risk if it means stepping into a WWE ring once again.
The real question is whether that would happen against Sami Zayn anytime soon. Zayn defeating Gunther for the Intercontinental Championship was a huge deal for the WWE, ending the latter's historic 666-day reign. Back when Zayn feuded with Knoxville, he held more of a jokey status as a mid-carder in the WWE, which made it easier to pull off.
Two years later, in a new era of the WWE, I'd question if the brand is willing to have one of its biggest champions take nutshots and pranks from Johnny Knoxville at upcoming WWE events. Doing so could diminish all the work Gunther put in to elevate the Intercontinental Championship, which will hopefully continue to exist as a relevant title with big names circling it going forward.
One scenario I could see is if Johnny Knoxville returned is a feud with someone like The Miz, who just won the tag-team titles with R-Truth. With the pairing of those three, and maybe another supporting Jackass star, that would be a really fun feud. Wee Man body slammed Sami Zayn way back when, so maybe he'd be a good tag-team partner for Knoxville?
I'll continue brainstorming possibilities and tune in for SmackDown on Fox on Fridays at 8:00 p.m. ET. I don't expect to see Johnny Knoxville appear there anytime soon, but with the new era of WWE as good as it has been, I don't want to miss a single episode!
