10 DUMB WWE Heel Turns (We Didn't Want To Admit Were GENIUS!)

Defending the "dumb"! Were these WWE heel turns really bad, or were they great?!

Steve Austin Kurt Angle Gold Medals WWE
WWE

Every heel turn is a calculated risk, but they can one of wrestling's best tropes if done properly. Randy Savage going rogue on Mega-Powers pal Hulk Hogan stands out as a prime example of an epic turn, and so does Shawn Michaels doing everything in his power to stop Marty Jannetty from throwing himself headfirst through a barber shop window. Ahem.

Seriously, that one was inspired stuff too, and it turned HBK into a massive baddie overnight. Instant heat should be the number one goal for any heel switch, but it's important for creative to keep an eye on what's coming down the line over the next few weeks and months as well. Ideally, WWE want to squeeze the most juice they can from each turn.

Every single one here was either dubbed nonsensical at the time or had even the friendliest fans stroking their chins in a decidedly Hulk-esque 'that doesn't work for me, brother' fashion. There was hidden genius to them all though - it just took a while for things to sink in.

Time to continue this series of defending the "dumb". Next up, those tasty, tasty heel turns.

10. Tatanka (1994)

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WWE

Ludvig Borga changed more WWF/WWE history than you might think.

The Finnish environmentalist (?!) ended Tatanka's lengthy winning streak with a TV win in October 1993, and that sent the federation writers spinning onto pastures new with the babyface gimmick. In short, they decided the best way to evolve Tatanka heading into 1994 was to tease a heel turn that'd pay off come the summer.

Tatanka sold out to Ted DiBiase after alleging that it was actually Lex Luger who was ready to take the millionaire's money. That ruse paid off around SummerSlam time, and it was supposed to help cement Tatanka as a detestable heel who'd do anything to rocket up the card. Unfortunately, Tatanka ta-tanked in the role, but the general idea was solid.

His career had hit the skids after losing to Borga. Instead of fighting back like a brave babyface should, Tatanka's character took the coward's path by leaning on DiBiase's cold hard cash. People might hate on this heel turn in retrospect, but it would've worked had Tatanka embraced it properly.

Contributor

Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.