WWE Creative Members Called the Gingerbread Man Storyline “Hokey and Archaic”

The Gingerbread Man storyline on WWE SmackDown was not a universally popular creative decision within the company — and WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select has revealed that there was notable internal pushback against the gimmick. A source close to the creative team described the angle as “hokey and archaic,” with several creative members pushing against the heavy use of the Gingerbread Man character on SmackDown throughout the Trick Williams and Sami Zayn feud build.

The Gingerbread Man was introduced on SmackDown alongside Williams and Lil Yachty and became a recurring presence before Zayn killed the mannequin character in a segment designed to signal his heel turn. The storyline concluded with a funeral for the Gingerbread Man announced for tonight’s SmackDown go-home show before Backlash — an event that itself reflects how much creative real estate the gimmick ultimately consumed heading into the pay-per-view.

Sami Zayn Says the Gingerbread Man Storyline May Have Made His Heel Turn Harder to Execute

Zayn himself acknowledged in a recent interview with the Toronto Sun that his heel turn has not landed as cleanly as intended, noting that fan reactions have been more mixed than expected. “To be fair, if you kick a mannequin ginger-beard man below the belt, that might upset people because people want to have fun,” Zayn said. The internal creative pushback and Zayn’s own candid assessment together paint a consistent picture of a storyline that did not serve the character transition the way those involved had hoped. Zayn challenges Trick Williams for the WWE United States Championship at Backlash this Saturday in Tampa.