WWE: 5 Heel Turns That Would Rock the Ring

The WWE creates heroes, men that fans of all ages feel good about supporting. The classic face does not cheat or take shortcuts, he intervenes in times of crisis and injustice, and he never misses an opportunity to please a young supporter with a high-five or a signature. The face’s charge is to act as we all wish we would or like to believe we do.

From time to time, a face loses his way; he begins to behave selfishly and antagonize the crowd. Called a heel turn, this change in attitude is typically accompanied by new, edgier entrance music and new ring attire.

A heel turn is a natural step in the life cycle of a professional wrestler. Randy Savage, Bret Hart, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, and the Rock—some of the most popular athletes in the industry—have all experienced dramatic changes in character to keep the drama fresh.

Five potential heel turns would unsettle the current landscape of the WWE.

Number 5: John Morrison

In the ring, John Morrison is consistently spectacular; his fast-paced acrobatics rival that of the greatest high-flyers in the history of professional wrestling, from Jimmy Snuka to Rey Mysterio.

Yet, his microphone work as a face is as unpredictable and thrilling as vanilla yogurt. He was much more compelling as an arrogant heel, when he and the Miz were a tag team.

Number 4: CM Punk

Punk is currently the WWE’s resident anti-hero. W

hile he is currently providing some of the most compelling moments on Monday Night Raw in years, he is walking down a dangerous road.

“Stone Cold” Steve Austin and Degeneration X were once in his position: they acted like heels but received the crowd support of faces.

Eventually, Austin and DX lost their sizzle, their edge, and eventually their appearances on Raw became a repetitive litany of catch phrases and t-shirt fodder. Punk needs to do something shocking and selfish to prove to the WWE Universe he is still his own man.  

Number 3: Alex Riley

Feuding with his former employer, The Miz, gained A-Ri instant fan support.

However, he is perfectly suited to play the villain. Just look at him—if this were the 1980s, Alex Riley would be cast to play the cocky bully in every John Hughes film.

Number 2: The Undertaker

The Dead Man has enjoyed a storied career, and it is no secret that his time in the ring is coming to an end.

The most interesting storyline for the twilight of the Undertaker’s days in the squared circle would be for him to lay waste to the roster as he vows to drag the WWE to hell with him.

Number 1: John Cena

WWE fans have clamored for a Cena heel turn for the last year.

Internet message boards exploded with rumors about Cena joining Nexus last summer, but he did not. The same voices called for a villainous turn for the Commander-in-Chief of CenaNation at Money in the Bank.

But alas, Cena played it straight, and CM Punk left Chicago with the gold. Rumors and whispers reached a zenith before SummerSlam, when much of the WWE Universe gambled that Cena would form an alliance with Triple H to job Punk out of the WWE Championship. Once again, Cena did not abandon his principles.

The desire for Cena to turn his back on his fans is not going anywhere because it would be the most shocking heel turn since Hulk Hogan joined Scott Hall and Kevin Nash to form the NWO. Hogan faced venomous backlash from fans he inspired for decades after he adopted the “Hollywood” persona, and Cena would face a similar reaction.

Arenas worldwide would no longer be filled with red and purple t-shirts and hats bearing Cena’s trademark credos: “Hustle Loyalty Respect” and “You Can’t C Me,” and jeers of Cena would be even more passionate than they are now.

A hero for a new generation of WWE fans would be lost.

But a John Cena heel turn certainly would shake things up.