WWE Clash of Champions 2016 Matches: Most Likely Heel and Face Turns at Event

Does the countdown to Roman Reigns' heel turn finally end at WWE Clash of Champions on Sunday?

Raw's first brand-specific pay-per-view of the New Era is the latest opportunity for WWE to set Reigns down the right path. With boos welcoming him in every arena and a fanbase continually pushing back against his rise, many have expected him to embrace his dark side for a long time.

Set to collide with Rusev for the United States Championship, Reigns is again the safest bet to undergo a turn.

A few other potential shifts in character could be on their way at Clash of Champions too. Signs point to another former member of The Shield and a Superstar battling for the Women's Championship on Sunday's PPV experiencing a metamorphosis.

Seth Rollins: Full-Fledged Babyface in the Works

Match: Seth Rollins vs. Kevin Owens (WWE Universal Championship)

Rollins is only halfway out of his chrysalis. He may be taking on heels in the ring, but he is no babyface yet.

That is bound to change during his feud with Owens—and possibly in the immediate aftermath of their universal title bout at Clash of Champions. 

Triple H will be the catalyst for that change. The Game gifted Owens with the universal title weeks ago after betraying Rollins, his former protege. Triple H is poised to strike again, following up on recent foreshadowing of his arrival.

Rollins, meanwhile, has remained his old whiny, persecuted, cackling self. He hasn't done anything to earn the audience rooting for him.

At Clash of Champions, there's a strong chance that will no longer be true. Pitted against the villainous Owens and likely upended by Triple H once more, Rollins will look more and more like a fan favorite. Should he get cheated out of a championship once again, expect him to generate some pathos en route to becoming Raw's No. 1 babyface.

Sasha Banks: A More Vicious Boss on the Way?

Match: Sasha Banks vs. Bayley vs. Charlotte (Women's Championship)

Clash of Champions may offer the drama of a change in character rather than a change in champion.

The heel-face balance of the women's division will soon be in flux. That may inspire WWE to revert Banks back to her previous vicious persona.

Charlotte's underling Dana Brooke has shown signs of resistance and flashes of her desire to turn against the women's champ. That could lead to the division featuring an additional female babyface.

Paige, another face, is set to return now that her suspension is over.

That makes one side of the division awfully crowded. Should WWE turn The Boss, the division would not only get a top-notch heel at its disposal, but it would also set up a future marquee matchup.

The guys at the New Age Insiders podcast tweeted, "I think Bayley defeating heel-champion Sasha Banks at Mania is an all-timer waiting to happen."

It's easy to agree. Their history at NXT begs for WWE to revisit that rivalry. The first step to telling that story is breaking up the recent lovefest between Banks and Bayley.

If Bayley inadvertently costs Banks her shot at Clash of Champions or The Boss gets frustrated with letting a chance at reclaiming the gold slip out from under her, a heel turn is a distinct possibility. 

WWE knows Banks can thrive in that role too. Her hard-hitting, ferocious style is tailor-made for heeldom. 

Roman Reigns: A Heel, Eventually

Match: Roman Reigns vs. Rusev (United States Championship)

The audience already treats The Big Dog like a heel. Making the switch with him is a no-brainer.

Even his family recognizes that. 

Appearing on the Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling show (h/t Wrestling Inc), Rikishi said that turning his cousin Reigns heel is the easy fix. He said: "If you boo me and I keep on coming day in and day out on every Monday Night Raw and you still boo I would have gone to them and say just go ahead and turn me heel and let me give these people what they want."

Every PPV is a new opportunity to finally make that change. At Clash of Champions, Reigns' turn to villainy could be the result of facing failure once more.

In the last year, Reigns has won and lost the WWE World Heavyweight Championship and has failed on a number of occasions to nab the universal title. Should Sunday's event end with Reigns going empty-handed again, it's easy to imagine him unraveling.

Maybe Lana cheats to assure her husband retains his title. Maybe Reigns simply misses his shot and drops the bout to The Bulgarian Brute.

A storm of rage should follow. A nastier, take-no-prisoners version of Reigns should emerge and tear apart everything around him.

That would be the start of the character shift he has long needed—the one many, including his own flesh and blood, have been calling for.