Most Likely Heel or Face Turns at WWE Fastlane 2023

On the road to Fastlane, WWE has set the standard for what the fans can expect to see in the weeks to come, but not every wrestler is in position yet to make forthcoming shows such as Crown Jewel and Survivor Series feel special.

Rhea Ripley has found a dangerous new rival in Nia Jax, but her focus on Saturday night will be on backing up The Judgment Day against Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso. However, she is ready to engage in the new rivalry as a fan favorite.

Drew McIntyre has told the world he will fight for himself only. He has attacked anyone in his way but has not committed to a heel role just yet.

Santos Escobar looks lost backing up Rey Mysterio in the Latino World Order, but the veteran is still holding a United States Championship his stablemate wants.

Jimmy Uso must figure out where he fits in The Bloodline, and that may not be at the side of his brother, Solo Sikoa, after their match with John Cena and LA Knight this weekend.

Each of these situations present an opportunity for a change. These are the most likely heel and face turns to come out of Fastlane.

Heel: Drew McIntyre

In a way, Drew McIntyre is already heel. He is working stars like Jey Uso and Kofi Kingston, and he has not been afraid to take a shortcut in his matches.

However, the Scot still has not fully committed to the role of a villain. He is more of a tweener character, waiting for his big breakthrough moment. A perfect spot for him would be attacking Cody Rhodes at Fastlane.

McIntyre vs. Rhodes is a match that has been a long time coming. They are among Raw's top names but have not interacted since The American Nightmare's return to WWE last year.

They were once so close that they won tag team gold together. The story writes itself, especially as The Scottish Warrior continues to needle at Rhodes from a distance in his promos.

All it would take to seal McIntyre's turn is one Claymore that costs Jey Uso and Rhodes the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships.

Face: Rhea Ripley

Rhea Ripley is the most popular woman in wrestling right now, and that is while she works heel. But the WWE Universe enjoys watching her throw around her rivals in the women's division.

It would be easy for her to pivot to a babyface role, especially as she continues to feud with Nia Jax. She and Raquel Rodriguez could even join forces against the new bully of the roster.

At Fastlane, the main focus for Mami will be The Judgment Day's Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships defense. She has laid down the law with the group, promising changes if anyone fails her.

Dominik Mysterio was put on notice for losing his NXT North American title. If he had not regained the gold this week, he would have been kicked out of the faction.

If Finn Bálor and Damian Priest fail to retain their tag team belts, Ripley may leave both behind.

Heel: Santos Escobar

Santos Escobar's main roster run has left him in the background supporting Rey Mysterio rather than rising on his own. It's time for him to return to his roots.

He was never meant to be a side babyface on SmackDown. Legado del Fantasma was a highlight of NXT week after week, and Escobar fit the heel leader role well.

While the 39-year-old has committed to The Master of the 619 for now, that has only pushed him further down. He narrowly lost to Mysterio in a friendly match for the United States Championship last Friday.

While Bobby Lashley continues to push The Street Profits to get more aggressive, Escobar could learn from those lessons himself in the Fastlane six-man tag by taking out Mysterio.

Even if it doesn't happen outright at Fastlane, though, LWO needs to evolve sooner than later.

Face: Jimmy Uso

While Jey Uso has thrived after separating from The Bloodline, Jimmy Uso has struggled to find his place back in the group.

He supposedly wanted to escape the grasp of Roman Reigns, yet the moment his brother walked out on him, he seemingly crawled right back to The Head of the Table.

Solo Sikoa has not fully accepted his brother back into the fold ahead of their tag team match against John Cena and LA Knight at Fastlane.

This may be for the best as it can allow Jimmy to still choose his own path. To remain consistent with his character, he should be looking for an opening to take out Reigns himself.

If he does cost The Bloodline this match, it should bring The Tribal Chief back to SmackDown and allow Jimmy to take his shot at his cousin's titles.