10 Wrestling Face/Heel Turns That Shouldn't Have Worked (But Did)

Nothing shakes up wrestling's status quo like a well-executed turn.

Whether it comes out of the blue or at the end of a long-term program, turning face or heel can send a wrestler's career stratospheric, launching them to heights that wouldn't have been possible otherwise. Going heel saved The Rock's career in 1997, and while turning isn't always this transformational, history is littered with similar examples.

Very few wrestlers excel on both sides of the alignment scale, though. Depending on their character traits, attributes, and history, it's extremely easy for a wrestler to get typecast as one or the other, leading to the perception that they should remain stuck in their current role forever.

This is a shame, as we never truly know how a wrestler will fare as the opposite alignment until it's put into practice. Some of the sport's most memorable face/heel turns have come from situations where the performer's new role was seemingly at odds with their strengths and weaknesses, but it's a big risk, and success stories are rare.

This only makes the tales within all the more remarkable, as each prospered when turning should've been a disaster...

Sami Zayn's Hell In A Cell heel turn was one of 2017's most shocking moments.

Other than a few easily dismissed online murmurs on the day of the show itself, there was no suggestion that 'The Underdog From The Underground' would ever switch alignments. Principled, determined, and pure of heart, he was the ultimate babyface, and a guy who'd played a straightforward, clean-cut good guy for the bulk of his career. He's never been in this role before, and that's what made it so surprising.

There was much trepidation when a hoodie-clad Zayn emerged at ringside, pulled Kevin Owens from the announce table, and sent Shane McMahon crashing down to hell. How would he, the archetypal underdog, fare in a villainous role, particularly alongside a character as sociopathic as KO?

"Excellently," is the answer. It's still early days, but everything about Zayn's heel turn has been executed perfectly thus far, from Hell In A Cell to his over-exuberant, troll-like ring entrances. His sound reasoning, A+ promo delivery, and believable attitude shift have made this WWE's most intriguing, and it's already paying dividends, with the oft-neglected star scoring a clean pinfall victory over Randy Orton this week.