Why Sami Zayn’s 'Monday Night Raw' beatdown doesn’t rule out a heel turn

Okay, imagine this. It’s the year 2021, you’re sitting at home with a loved one or by your lonely lonesome. You tune into WWE programming, and some wild, big-bearded, crazy man appears on your TV screen, throwing out accusations of conspiracy theories and mistreatment. 

You fast forward a couple of years, and the same guy is competing for the Undisputed WWE Championship in his hometown. He doesn’t appear to be the same raving lunatic he was some years ago; he's a fan favorite now.

Look at him getting all teary-eyed. It’s no wonder he’s getting all emotional, given the location and all the turmoil he’s had to endure just to prove his loyalty to an ungrateful Tribal Chief named Roman Reigns.

If you couldn’t tell, the WWE Superstar being described here is Sami Zayn. The former Intercontinental Champion has done just about everything from making us laugh out loud as a crazy paranoid heel to making us root for him as the Ultimate Underdog in the toughest of situations.

Seth Rollins gave Zayn a bit of an ultimatum Monday night on Raw: either join his new faction, receive a beatdown courtesy of his new stable or leave Raw and go to SmackDown. There’s paraphrasing there, but you get the picture.

Anyway, Zayn refused to join or to leave the red brand, and he earned himself a beatdown courtesy of Rollins’ new stable.  

You wouldn’t be reaching if you said there's no chance of a Sami Zayn heel turn after what went down on Raw, but don’t count one out just yet. After all, this isn’t some hoity toity Shakespeare play, this is pro wrestling. There are plenty of examples of wrestlers reconciling with their former arch rivals after a beatdown within the previous months. 

After harsh words get traded and fists get flying, sometimes it’s decided that two or more competitors work better together as opposed to apart.

If you’re wondering whether we need a Sami Zayn heel turn soon, the answer is a resounding yes. We live in a day and age where pro wrestling's villains and protagonists aren’t cheered or jeered based off storyline alone, but instead by how much the viewers can relate and connect with the performers. 

Case in point, the WWE Universe made John Cena a face over Cody Rhodes, who was written to be the fan favorite during their recent feud. Some say Rhodes was booed because the fans don’t want to react negatively to Cena during his final year as an active wrestler. Others think that the negative reaction was due to Big Match John exposing Rhodes’ biggest flaws during a promo leading up to their showdown leading to WrestleMania 41. Then, there are those who were looking for a reason to boo The American Nightmare after growing sick and tired of what they’ve chalked up as a stale, cookie cutter gimmick with no edge.

All of those reasons could’ve made sense for the Rhodes situation, but the last could also serve as an issue for Sami Zayn. His Ultimate Underdog persona has served him well throughout the years, but you’d be hard pressed to find a fan who calls it edgy. 

Moreover, the gimmick has worked in moderation with Zayn evolving from the aforementioned conspiracy theorist to a loyal servant for the villainous Bloodline faction to his current role.  

But hey, Zayn has yet to receive a negative reaction as a face from the fans so far. If things go awry, however, maybe a transition to the dark side is what’s best.