Most Likely Heel, Face Turns at WWE Saturday Night's Main Event XL and Evolution 2025
WWE is putting on a loaded weekend of action between NXT Great American Bash, Saturday Night's Main Event XL and Evolution 2025 in Atlanta.
While NXT's show will go head-to-head with AEW All In, which is more likely to be the focus of wrestling fans on Saturday afternoon, WWE will take over the spotlight afterward with SNME.
Saturday night will see the final match of Goldberg's career, battling Gunther for the World Heavyweight Championship, while Randy Orton faces Drew McIntyre, and Seth Rollins continues his growing rivalry with LA Knight.
On Sunday, the focus will turn to the women's division with Evolution. Iyo Sky will defend the Women's World Championship against Rhea Ripley, while Tiffany Stratton faces one of her idols, Trish Stratus, for the WWE women's title.
Bayley and Lyra Valkyria both hope to take down women's intercontinental champ Becky Lynch, and Jordynne Grace is eying Jacy Jayne's NXT women's belt.
These matches and more will highlight a weekend that needs to deliver major talking points on the road to SummerSlam.
The following are the most likely heel and face turns to come out of the WWE weekend that will get fans talking.
Heel: Randy Orton
1 of 5
Randy Orton has always worked better as a heel, and his latest babyface run has gone longer than expected in WWE.
After losing to Cody Rhodes in the final of the King of the Ring tournament, he looks lost, and Drew McIntyre has stepped up to aggravate him while he is down.
Orton vs. McIntyre is a feud that has played out before, notably when The Scottish Warrior was WWE champion.
Much has changed since then, but this is not a rivalry that needs to extend for a long time. It is more likely this could be a one-off that continues The Viper's descent into frustration.
McIntyre knows how to get under the skin of anyone he is fighting with, and Orton is already vulnerable. If the Scot wins, it could be too much for The Viper, who will lash out at anyone in his way.
This feels like a perfect chance to push Orton back into a more comfortable spot for him and set up a lengthier rivalry with Cody Rhodes.
Heel: Bayley
2 of 5
Bayley was supposed to have Lyra Valkyria's back in the fight with Becky Lynch, but it seems these two former friends are already on opposite sides.
The Role Model will look to win the Women's Intercontinental Championship from The Man and The Valkyrie at Evolution, but what happens afterward could define the Raw women's division.
If Bayley wins or loses in frustrating fashion, either could lead to her turning fully on Valkyria to set up a new rivalry.
It seems more likely Lynch will walk out still champion, which sets the stage for The Role Model to blame The Valkyrie for taking everything from her.
It could even work to put Bayley and Lynch together as longtime friends turned rivals with a similar hatred for the rising young stars "disrespecting" them.
If Bayley does win the gold, Valkyria still seems the best first rival for her, so the title corrupting Bayley and turning her heel to keep it from The Valkyrie would also make sense.
Face: Charlotte Flair
3 of 5
After a lengthy injury absence, Charlotte Flair returned at the Royal Rumble in February in the same role she has occupied for her entire career: She was The Queen, trying to win another world title to extend her all-time record.
However, her feud with Tiffany Stratton turned sour well before WrestleMania 41 and left her without a clear direction going forward.
Alexa Bliss has stepped up to offer Flair a new path forward that has pushed them into an unlikely tag team.
If this pairing is strong enough to win the Women's Tag Team Championships at Evolution, it seems The Goddess will fully push The Queen into a fan-favorite role.
Part of that face evolution has been predicated on Flair showing who she is beyond the character she portrays, allowing fans to see her real personality.
Following this path, The Queen can win back many fans and hopefully get her career back on track.
Heel: Blake Monroe
4 of 5
Blake Monroe is not a well-known name in wrestling yet, but she made a splash in just a year with All Elite Wrestling as Mariah May.
The Glamour caught the attention of WWE and was allowed to live out her dream by signing with the company as soon as her AEW contract expired.
The move has set the stage for the 26-year-old to reinvent herself, but she still has much to show NXT fans and likely the larger WWE audience down the line.
Monroe is teaming with Jordynne Grace as a babyface against Fatal Influence at the Great American Bash, but the alliance feels tenuous at best.
Grace will then go on to face Jacy Jayne for the NXT Women's Championship. It is likely The Juggernaut will dethrone the titleholder, but it's also likely Monroe wants that belt.
Whether Monroe turns on Grace before or after the match or waits for another opportunity, it seems NXT's next big angle with be the two squaring off for the gold.
Heel: Rhea Ripley
5 of 5
There is no bigger name in women's wrestling today than Rhea Ripley. She is the biggest star in the division for WWE by a solid margin.
While she stepped aside for Iyo Sky after WrestleMania, it always feels like Mami is just one step away from regaining championship gold.
The only obstacle in her way is The Genius of the Sky, who Ripley has never defeated. Sunday's match will be a major test of whether Sky truly has her number.
One way the Australian could dispel that notion is by using more underhanded tactics. Cheating might be her path back to the gold and set her on a new course.
While Ripley is popular, it's arguable she is at her best when she is the villain. It allows her to show more personality in her every action.
Taking the title from Sky would be a huge moment and create a strong talking point coming out of Evolution and heading toward SummerSlam on August 2-3.
The Genius of the Sky would then be back in the hunt against a far more dangerous Ripley.
.jpg?w=600 "WWE Raw Results & Grades 🔠")
