Sami Zayn Shuts Down Claims He Turned Heel After Attacking the Gingerbread Man

TLDR

Sami Zayn has denied claims that he has turned heel following his attack on the Gingerbread Man mascot on the May 1 edition of SmackDown. Speaking to the Toronto Sun, Zayn explained that his recent character shift was designed to create a divided audience reaction rather than turn him into a traditional villain, stating "I think I'm trying to play this one a little different" and that he likes "giving fans a choice" to be on either side. Zayn noted that audience reactions have been inconsistent week to week, with fans sometimes booing him but then showing support during commercial breaks.