Being a Heel Once Again, But a Different Kind
Many forget that if WWE were to pull the trigger on a Zayn heel turn, they would technically be repeating history. His initial turn took place at Hell in a Cell on October 8, 2017, when he aligned with Kevin Owens and cost Shane McMahon the match.
He also explored other heel personas, such as “The Great Liberator” from 2019 to 2020, where he managed Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro after returning from injury. One of his more intriguing heel characters was “The Conspiracy Theorist,” run from 2020 to 2022, where he claimed WWE management was actively conspiring against him, bearing a striking resemblance to the current attitude of the man he holds a 0-12 record against.
His most iconic heel persona, however, came when he joined “The Bloodline” as the “Honorary Uce”. While aligned with WWE’s biggest draw, Roman Reigns, the Usos, and the legendary Paul Heyman, he managed to become a massive fan favorite despite operating as a heel.
Zayn’s “nice guy” persona has run its course, leaving his character feeling stale. Shaking things up now might be the only way to give him the edge he needs for that elusive, serious World Title run he’s been chasing.
