How many superstars have turned face or heel as champion in WWE history??

[NegativeFeedback]

Help me answer that question by listing them out. The ones that I can think of off the top of my head are:

• Randy Savage, who is of course is the most famous instance of a heel turn as WWE Champion when he turned heel against Hulk Hogan.

• CM Punk who did it twice. Turning heel as champion when pitted against Jeff Hardy in 2009 and The Rock/John Cena in 2012.

• Booker T, after Sharmell helped him win the US title, and he denied it for a few weeks, before officially turning heel and attacking Benoit.

• Steve Austin who turned back into a face after the ending of the Invasion at Survivor Series 2001.

• Randy Orton technically turned face after winning the title in 2004, but he was treated as a face from the moment he won the title, so IDK if it should count.

• Dean Ambrose who turned face while United States Champion. He's the last guy to do it.

So who am I missing?? I'm guessing I'm missing a lot, but I'm not sure. Comment below and let me know!

 

[legendkiller1979]

Off the top of my head, Demolition turned face halfway into their first tag team title reign at the 1988 survivor series

 

[rge2010]

Daniel Bryan - did it in 2012 when he was the HW Champion

Brock Lesnar - pretty sure he turned from heel to face in 2003 whilst champion.

Undertaker - I think he did in 2002 after the Jeff Hardy Ladder Match? I can't remember.

Paige - did this recently in her feud with AJ Lee.

 

[Fillet Club]

There's only one other I can think of right now (most of them have been mentioned already), but didn't Sheamus turn from Heel to Face while he was World Heavyweight Champion?

Maybe I'm wrong and he didn't actually have the belt at the time...

 

[NegativeFeedback]

Daniel Bryan - did it in 2012 when he was the HW Champion

Brock Lesnar - pretty sure he turned from heel to face in 2003 whilst champion.

Undertaker - I think he did in 2002 after the Jeff Hardy Ladder Match? I can't remember.

Paige - did this recently in her feud with AJ Lee.

Both Brock and Paige turned heel after losing the titles, not while they were champions. Daniel is arguable, but I feel that he turned heel when he cashed in, and not later. I think he's in a gray area, just like RVD in 2006.

As for Undertaker, I have no clue. I didn't watch in 2002.

There's only one other I can think of right now (most of them have been mentioned already), but didn't Sheamus turn from Heel to Face while he was World Heavyweight Champion?

Maybe I'm wrong and he didn't actually have the belt at the time...

He was a bonafide face for almost a year when he beat Daniel for the title.

 

[Fillet Club]

He was a bonafide face for almost a year when he beat Daniel for the title.

Ah bugger, I had a feeling I was wrong. Serves me right for not having a cheeky google really, then again whenever I look up anything wrestling related I get particularly odd looks from my colleagues...

Hmm, would Edge & Christian count? When they went in to 'Mania 2000 they were essentially babyfaces along with the Hardy Boyz against the heel team of the Dudley Boyz. It wasn't until after capturing the belts that they began acting heelish.

 

[Nate DaMac]

Both Brock and Paige turned heel after losing the titles, not while they were champions.

He said that Brock turned face while he was champion, which is true.

 

[NegativeFeedback]

He said that Brock turned face while he was champion, which is true.

Brock turned face after Heyman screwed him and pulled the ref out of the ring, costing him the title. He wasn't a face until after being champ.

 

[HBKistheHOF]

I would kind of consider Jack Swagger's official heel turn the moment he won the World Title from Jericho. He was kind of just a tweener before that & got a mild at best reaction, once he was champ he was getting booed consistently.

Del Rio was heel for almost all of 2012 & then turned babyface when he beat The Big Show for the World Title at the tail end of the year. He would also turn back to a heel in the match that he won back the World Title from Dolph.

Speaking of which, Dolph was definitely heel for 2012/the beginning of 2013 when he was with AJ & Big E but basically became a face the second he cashed in the briefcase to win the title. Or if not that match, then he at least became a full blown babyface in the same match Del Rio turned heel, of which he was still technically the champion until the match was over.

 

[Nate DaMac]

Brock turned face after Heyman screwed him and pulled the ref out of the ring, costing him the title. He wasn't a face until after being champ.

Na, he turned face after the Cell match with Taker. He was playing face during the whole buildup to the Survivor Series match with the Big Show.

And besides, if you want to pinpoint his face turn to when Paul pulled the ref out of the ring, he was technically still champ for a few more minutes after that.

 

[NegativeFeedback]

I would kind of consider Jack Swagger's official heel turn the moment he won the World Title from Jericho. He was kind of just a tweener before that & got a mild at best reaction, once he was champ he was getting booed consistently.

Del Rio was heel for almost all of 2012 & then turned babyface when he beat The Big Show for the World Title at the tail end of the year. He would also turn back to a heel in the match that he won back the World Title from Dolph.

Speaking of which, Dolph was definitely heel for 2012/the beginning of 2013 when he was with AJ & Big E but basically became a face the second he cashed in the briefcase to win the title. Or if not that match, then he at least became a full blown babyface in the same match Del Rio turned heel, of which he was still technically the champion until the match was over.

Del Rio turned face at TLC before winning the title, while Dolph turned face when Del Rio turned heel in the double-turn at Money in the Bank. As for Swagger, the dude was a heel. He was just a JOBBER heel who did absolutely nothing. I still think it was pathetic that they gave him the title instead of McIntyre.

 

[Mr. Artistic guy]

Even though Kane cashed in his MITB on Rey Mysterio to be the WHC, he didn't turn heel until part of the way through his run. It was during the whole 'vegetative state' story about The Undertaker and it was only revealed to be Kane part way through his reign.

Cena did it whe- jokes.

 

[HBKistheHOF]

Del Rio turned face at TLC before winning the title, while Dolph turned face when Del Rio turned heel in the double-turn at Money in the Bank. As for Swagger, the dude was a heel. He was just a JOBBER heel who did absolutely nothing. I still think it was pathetic that they gave him the title instead of McIntyre.

True Del Rio was involved in that little 6-man tag at TLC 2012, I just meant that he really didn't make his full turn & get over as a babyface until after he was the Champion. Also the official double turn was at Payback, I just think it's arguable whether or not Dolph was already face before that because of the way he was received when he cashed in & since he was getting a lot of sympathy on TV due to being injured.

 

[The Boss]

Off the top of my head, Demolition turned face halfway into their first tag team title reign at the 1988 survivor series

They also turned back heel again during their 3rd title reign when they added Crush.