10 Shocking Heel Turns That Rocked WWE

Shawn Michaels was determined to strike out on his own in 1991...

Any effective heel raises the ire of the pro wrestling audience, forcing them to rain down boos upon the nefarious villain and wish to see them get their comeuppance. This is an age-old trope in wrestling which has changed somewhat over the years, evolving into a scenario whereby people actually enjoy when performers are effective bad guys. Some of the best heels in wrestling history have been able to receive such hatred due to turning their backs on beloved babyfaces. It's been said that great heels need the perfect good guy foil, and vice versa. That's certainly true when analysing the entries on this list, one which aims to bring together 10 different instances of heel turns that shocked grappling enthusiasts across the globe. Perhaps these turns were so effective because the soon-to-be-heel in question stepped away from a long time partner, or maybe they simply 'sold out' in the eyes of those watching. As with any heel turn that proves to be effective, each and every one of the turns featured here led to something meaningful. In intriguing fashion, that 'something meaningful' didn't always necessarily turn out beneficial to the people behind the character themselves. Some even regret the decision to turn heel entirely, but it can't be denied that they rocked WWE to the core when they actually happened.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood.