Heel and Face Turns to Revitalize WWE and AEW Rosters This Year

A lot of the wrestlers at the top of WWE and AEW have been consistent in the portrayal of their characters for several years, and there comes a time with almost everyone when turning them heel or face is the best way to refresh them.

While there are plenty of people who walk the line between heel and face, the majority of characters fall into one category and can be easily defined.

You look at a guy like Cody Rhodes or Darby Allin and it's obvious they are babyfaces, and the same can be said about heels like Randy Orton and Kyle Fletcher.

Sometimes a turn is done to change things up for one person, but the more important someone is, the more their turn changes the entire product.

Let's take a look at some of the names who could help revitalize WWE and AEW by making the jump to the other side of the fence.

Cody Rhodes

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Out of everyone in WWE, Rhodes might be the closest thing to the definition of a true babyface, and that is why turning him would make the biggest impact.

Ever since the day he returned to WWE at WrestleMania 38, he has been operating as a heroic character, and it makes sense. Management wanted a new John Cena-type who served as the ultimate good guy, and The American Nightmare fit the bill.

However, his character can sometimes feel a little stale these days because he is never given anything to do beyond fighting the bad guys.

Having Rhodes turn heel would shock the WWE Universe, and having him run a stable of villains would make him even more important to the product.

WWE has plenty of people who can carry the babyface flag for a little while, so it would be a lot of fun to see how Rhodes does as a bad guy again.

Darby Allin

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When AEW launched, it had a decently sized roster that has only continued to grow since then, but one of the constants the entire time has been Darby Allin.

The risk-taker has been one of the primary babyfaces in All Elite Wrestling and has fought just about every big heel they can throw at him. It might be time to try something new.

It would take some work to get the crowd to turn on such a popular star, especially with younger fans, but there are plenty of ways to do it.

Allin being such a fan of hardcore wrestling would make him the ideal person to become the most violent member of the roster, and his willingness to hurt himself as much as his opponents just to get a win would make him unpredictable.

Charlotte Flair

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Since returning at the Royal Rumble in 2025, Charlotte Flair has been working as a babyface, mostly in a partnership with Alexa Bliss, but we all know this won't last forever.

As good as The Queen is as a face, she was born to be a heel. Being the daughter of one of the most recognizable villains in all of pro wrestling helps, but it's her own work that has made her so successful.

She has a power and experience advantage over most of the women on the main roster, so she can play a great bully without it feeling forced.

If she were to brutally attack Bliss, it would be all she would need to do to make the switch. Fans would immediately fall back into the pattern of booing her, and she would likely end up back in the world title picture shortly after their feud.

Willow Nightingale

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In AEW, there is no babyface who is purer than Willow Nightingale, and that is exactly why a heel turn is a good idea.

The women's champion has never had the chance to tap into her dark side in AEW, and it would be a lot of fun to watch what she could do if given the opportunity.

As great as she is as the hero, there is no denying that Willow is a physically dominant competitor who could overpower most of the other women on the roster.

The best part about this is AEW could take it in several different directions. She could switch to being an outright villain, or she could play a delusional heel who thinks she is still a babyface despite doing bad things.

The fans might take some time before they would be willing to boo her, but with enough work, anyone in pro wrestling can be turned into someone the crowd hates.

Roxanne Perez

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For the past few months, Roxanne Perez has felt like the odd one out of Judgment Day, and a face turn could be just the thing to help.

Liv Morgan is the world champion, and Raquel Rodriguez is the IC champ. Perez is just playing backup.

Having her get sick of Judgment Day prioritizing everyone else's goals over her own is the easiest way to create a rift that would lead to a breakup.

Those who watched her in NXT know Perez is a natural babyface. Her small stature makes her an underdog in most situations, and her technical ability makes her a joy to watch.

There's no downside to having her make the turn, and she would have a feud with Morgan and Rodriguez built into her turn to get her started on the right foot.

Orange Cassidy

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If you're an AEW fan, you might think Orange Cassidy is the last person who belongs on this list, and that is exactly why he is perfect for it.

Nobody would expect a heel turn from the most laid-back and likeable guy on the roster. It would be shocking in a way few heel turns can be these days.

How OC would be portrayed as a villain would be tricky, but there is always a way to do it with the right story.

Cassidy is someone who is beloved by the AEW crowd, so this would also be a risky move for the company, but if it were done right, it would be one of the most memorable turns in All Elite Wrestling history.

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Who would you like to see turn heel or babyface in AEW?