Sami Zayn at Hell in a Cell and the Most Shocking Heel Turns in WWE History

Sami Zayn helping Kevin Owens defeat Shane McMahon at Hell in a Cell was one of those rare times when WWE managed to surprise the majority of its audience.

For the most part, pro wrestling follows predictable storylines. It's a lot of cut-and-paste with different Superstars having the same issues over and over.

One of the more reliable angles WWE can run is a good old-fashioned heel turn. It gets people talking, gives a wrestler a fresh start and creates a new set of potential rivalries.

Most heel turns can be seen coming from a mile away. Big Cass turning on Enzo Amore is a recent example of the slow turn, and it appears we are seeing The Hype Bros heading for a similar outcome.

It's not always a bad thing to see a heel turn coming, but having a Superstar surprise everyone by becoming a villain is always going to get a bigger reaction.

This article will look at some of the most shocking heel turns in WWE history.

Sami Zayn Turns on Shane McMahon

The main reason for this entire article is Zayn turning on McMahon at Hell in a Cell so he could help Owens secure the win.

The Underdog From the Underground has been wasted for a long time, but he didn't show any signs of being unhappy with his spot on the roster.

In fact, he mentioned how he would rather be able to sleep at night than cheat to get ahead during a recent exchange with KO.

Zayn has been a popular hero since he first debuted in NXT, but everyone ends up having to work as a good guy and a bad guy eventually. 

This turn wasn't just shocking because it came out of nowhere. It caught everyone off guard because he joined forces with a man who has injured him on multiple occasions.

Seth Rollins Breaks Up The Shield

The Shield never really died because WWE has had every combination of the three members of the group team up multiple times following their breakup.

That being said, Seth Rollins turning on his brothers and joining The Authority still makes the list because it was completely out of left field.

The Shield had just defeated Evolution at Payback 2014, so it seemed like the group was going to be running strong for a long time.

Rollins smashing a chair into Roman Reigns' back sent a shockwave throughout the WWE Universe. The look on Dean Ambrose's face was the same one on the faces of millions of fans watching in the arena and at home.

All three men went on to become world champions on multiple occasions, but many fans still yearned to see the group reunite. We are getting our wish at this year's Tables, Ladders & Chairs pay-per-view, but don't be surprised if the match ends with one of the three turning on the other two.

Paul Bearer Betrays The Undertaker

Paul Bearer was linked to The Undertaker in a way few managers have been connected to their clients in pro wrestling. Their gimmicks complemented each other, and Bearer helped cover Taker's lack of mic skills in his early days.

This seemed like the most unbreakable alliance in WWE history, so it surprised everyone when Bearer turned on The Undertaker to join forces with Mankind.

The Deadman and Mick Foley have had some brutal matches over the years, but their feud was never more personal than during this storyline.

Bearer and Taker eventually became allies again, but this will always be remembered as one of the defining moments in the careers of all three men.

Mark Henry Fakes His Retirement

Mark Henry has been used to put other people over for years. He is a veteran who understands the value of building new talent, but even The World's Strongest Man needs a big moment every so often.

Henry gave one of the best performances in his life during a segment with John Cena. It looked like the powerlifting legend was announcing his retirement, but he had more sinister intentions.

WWE sold the moment well by having Henry wear a suit instead of his ring gear. He looked emotional, and everything he said sounded genuine.

When he scooped up Cena and delivered a World's Strongest Slam, the arena exploded. This was during the height of Cena being booed by the crowd, so this heel turn almost had the opposite outcome from what management intended.

Kevin Owens Turns Heel After His Debut Match

When Owens debuted in NXT, he did so as a babyface. His first match at NXT TakeOver: R Evolution was against CJ Parker, who had been working as a heel with a hippie gimmick.

That same night, Zayn won the NXT Championship in an incredible match with Neville. The whole roster came to the ring to congratulate the new champion, including Owens.

The two hugged, and KO held Zayn's hand up in victory in what appeared to be a touching moment between two real-life friends.

When Owens attacked Zayn and powerbombed him into the apron, he made a bigger impact than anyone could have predicted. Those actions have informed his entire character since that night.

With the two finally back on the same side, it will be interesting to see if WWE has them work as a tag team or if they continue to work as individuals who no longer have a blood feud.

Vince McMahon Becomes Mr. McMahon

One of the greatest heel turns of all time was never intended to be part of a story. Vince McMahon never set out to make himself into a villainous authority figure, but that's exactly what he turned into after Survivor Series 1997.

The Montreal Screwjob has been talked about to death at this point, but most of the focus has been on what happened between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels.

McMahon's career was just as affected as either of theirs. People legitimately hated him for what he did to Hart, so he seized the opportunity to become the ultimate bad guy and turned into something great.

The Mr. McMahon character has been part of some of the wackiest moments for the past two decades, many of which involved him bleeding or taking a Stunner from Steve Austin.

Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty

The "Barber Shop" segment with Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty helped propel The Heartbreak Kid from tag team specialist to singles star in an instant.

The Rockers were a hugely popular tag team due to their flashy style, but WWE had other plans in mind for one half of the team.

When HBK delivered a Superkick to Jannetty and threw him through the glass window on the set, the crowd couldn't believe what it was seeing.

Even with a lack of blood, this was more violent than most of what we saw in WWE at the time. The product was even more PG than it is today, so seeing someone commit such a vicious act was jarring. 

Andre the Giant Turns on Hulk Hogan

Andre the Giant was one of the most beloved figures in all of pro wrestling, but his biggest match was a result of him turning heel and aligning himself with Bobby Heenan.

The Brain was the ultimate antagonist, which meant anyone he associated with carried the same reputation. Only he could make the crowd hate someone as lovable as Andre.

The epic WrestleMania 3 match between Hogan and Andre is still talked about to this day, but the real story took place during the weeks leading up to the event.

Andre and Heenan's alliance was revealed on an episode of "Piper's Pit." Like most of the fans watching at home, Hogan was unhappy to see the gentle giant join forces with a weasel like Heenan.

Thanks to The Princess Bride, Andre won back the love of his fans with his portrayal of Fezzik.

Hulk Hogan Joins the NWO

Few moments in pro wrestling history stand out like the night when Hulk Hogan turned his back on the millions of Hulkamaniacs around the world and joined the New World Order.

The Hulkster had been the face of the company for a few years, and the majority of his career was spent working as a babyface.

After all, this was the guy who made family-friendly action flicks like Santa With Muscles and Mr. Nanny. Nobody expected him to join up with a couple of bad guys like Scott Hall and Kevin Nash.

The decision to turn Hogan likely led to the success of the nWo angle and WCW defeating WWE in the ratings for almost two years.

All the moments on this list had lasting impacts and seemingly came out of nowhere, but there are so many more shocking heel turns throughout pro wrestling history. Which one is your favorite?