10 Massive WWE Babyface Pushes That Were Doomed To Failure

Vince McMahon can and will continue to pretend that Toronto is the 'Bizarro World' of the 'WWE Universe', but in all the years the commentary team have been fed the line to justify caustic responses to common heroes, the organisation has flatly rejected the notion that perhaps fans in the Ontario capital are actually just that little bit more discerning than their neighbours to the south.

For the uninitiated, 'Bizraro World' relates to a fictional universe originally explored in DC Comics that has since been appropriated by numerous pop culture vehicles as shorthand for direct inversion of the norm. Heroes are villains, up is down, Shane McMahon's entrance jig is actually endearing, and so on.

The origins of the term being used for Toronto by WWE (and occasionally Canada in general by Jerry Lawler) seem to fall somewhere between the white hot script-flipping in the WrestleMania 18 dream match between The Rock and Hulk Hogan, and the SummerSlam 2004 crowd's profound rejection of hometown star Edge.

As is often the case, WWE have made it stick, but the reactions remain as much a reflection on their failure to create universally beloved superstars as it does one city's attempt to offer differing reactions.

Steve Austin was despised by Canadians during his Hart Family conflicts in 1997, but was adored on future returns North just as he was everywhere else in the world. 'The Rattlesnake' was a special case. No matter how huge the push, some nice guys are always destined to finish last

A babyface turn so badly mishandled that it still now looks like an intentional hijack, Randy Orton's 2004 exit from Evolution removed every bit of cool 'The Legend Killer' had worked hard to establish as the cynical heel wunderkind of the group headed up by Triple H and Ric Flair.

Dethroning World Heavyweight Champion Chris Benoit at SummerSlam 2004 seemed a little ahead of schedule at the time, but it was wholly unacceptable for Triple H to declare pretty much the same thing on camera the very next night as he orchestrated a turn on the new titleholder by stablemates Flair and Dave Batista.

Rather than leaving of his own free will, Randy was forcibly ostracised, which marked the first misstep. The following week, 'The Game' demanded contrition, which Orton teased before spitting in his former boss' face, sneak attacking him then bailing into the crowd. Thus, his latest 'heroic' trait was cowardice.

Finally, after just three weeks on top, Randy dropped the title to Hunter in their first pay-per-view meeting. WWE's next great hope for babyface supremacy had been portrayed as an extradited cowardly loser. How could it fail?

To top it off, Randy was a naturally arrogant blowhard, and didn't suit the persona. And his obvious failings to resonate with the crowd opened up a door for Batista to storm through, taking all of his heat and his WrestleMania 21 Title match with Triple H in the process. Orton was already a heel again by the time the show came around.