10 Big WWE Face/Heel That Must Happen In 2018
Fixing a broken alignment scale.
WWE's vast talent pool is flooded with miscast performers.
In Vince McMahon's crooked Universe, heroes rarely show honour, honesty, or integrity, coming off more like the villains they claim to oppose, while the heels regularly pull more sympathy. The writers are nailing some characters, but most are all over the place, particularly towards the top of the card.
2017 began with WWE expecting us to root against Rusev and Jinder Mahal in a storyline that saw Enzo Amore cast as a gross (babyface) sex pest, and is closing with colossal egomaniac Shane McMahon painted as some kind of comic book superhero. The alignment scale is a mess. WWE's 'heels' often draw louder cheers than the babyfaces, and the company's failure to present performers in an appropriate manner is one of the main reasons behind their inability to create new stars.
The company traditionally take it easy through December, mailing in the bulk of their programming until the year ends, and the Royal Rumble build officially begins. Thus, they're unlikely to address these problems until the clock strikes midnight on January 1st, but they have a long, long list of turns to consider in the new year...
10. Face: Chad Gable
Chad Gable is in a good place at the moment. Him and Shelton Benjamin have found a solid role as heels in SmackDown's awesome tag division, and while they'll never be pushed as strongly as The Usos or New Day, they'll likely get the chance to have at least a couple of high-level pay-per-view bouts with the scene's leading lights. Relative to the fate that has befallen Gable's former partner, Jason Jordan, on Raw, Chad has landed on his feet.
This run was essential after American Alpha's main roster failings, but it can't go on forever. A prodigious in-ring talent blessed with natural charisma, Gable is a tremendously well-rounded performer, and someone destined for bigger things as a singles competitor.
Having Benjamin betray the affable former Olympian makes sense. They'd likely have a great one-on-one clash if given a big platform, and victory there would set Gable off to a solid start on his march up the rankings. His size is a concern, particularly in this company, but his skills are as sharp as anyone on the roster, and he'd absolutely shine as an upper-midcard babyface.