10 Wrestlers Who Turned During Championship Reigns

10. Bayley (2019)

It was deemed unthinkable for years but Bayley's 2019 heel turn (eventually) at long last helped Vince McMahon understand how so many people had forged a connection with arguably the very best of NXT's legendary Four Horsewomen.

In fact, said relationship was so real that this heel turn barely even registered as such. A good-not-great run as SmackDown Women's Champion had trundled along for several months ahead of this betrayal of Raw's titleholder Becky Lynch, but fans gave 'The Hugger' the loudest response

As a self-appointed role model rather than the actual one she'd tried to be for several years, the switch initially registered as something she was trying to no-sell until a SmackDown Women's Title loss to Charlotte Flair at the Hell In A Cell pay-per-view a few weeks later triggered something even darker than the initial assault on Lynch.

A relaunched look and style shocked fans looking on during the October 12th SmackDown, but that was nothing compared to the slaughtering of the Bayley Buddies that greeted her entrance. It worked as a strategy for the night too - she'd reclaim her lost strap at the first attempt with a victory over 'The Queen'.