10 Shocking Heel Turns That Rocked WWE

3. Sgt. Slaughter Betrays His Country

Sgt Slaughter Iraqi Sympathiser
WWE.com

As aforementioned, Xenophobia can be a tough sell in pro wrestling. That didn't stop the WWF from capitalising on rising tension in the Middle East by betraying Sgt. Slaughter's prior American patriotism and turning the cartoonish G.I Joe into an Iraqi sympathiser in 1990.

Controversy quickly followed.

Turning his back on the United States entirely, Slaughter was aligned with General Adnan and Colonel Mustafa (played by The Iron Sheik). This was a massive departure for Slaughter, who had previously been a standard military man proud of his heritage and willing to defend his country's honour against all comers. Now, Sarge was batting for the other team.

So successful was the heel turn that the WWF decided to put the WWF Title on Slaughter at the 1991 Royal Rumble. The reign didn't last long, though; he was only ever there to put Hulk Hogan over at WrestleMania VII and slink back into the background by the tail end of '91.

Still, what a reinvention.

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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.