Best Turns in Wrestling History

[Wall_of_Jericho]

Thought I would start a thread acknowledging the best turns in wrestling history. A wrestler who jumps from being heel to face or face to heel and it did absolute wonders for their careers. Wether it helped them get over or lead them down the path towards the main event or winning championships. Or maybe it just gave them a whole new dimension and it ended up they actually worked better in their new character.

An example of one that does NOT apply is Hulk Hogan turning heel and joining the nWo. That turn did wonders for the company (WCW) and not for Hogan. He was already over as it was, an established main event draw and had won many championships to that date. This thread is more for wrestlers who were kinda stuck in the midcard and a turn helped them break out.

I think right off the bat some honourable mentions need to be:

OWEN HART (Heel turn in 1994) - Broke out from under his brothers shadow and became his own man when he turned heel in 1994. Went on to win King of the Ring, the Tag Team Championship, Intercontinental Championship and the European Championship. It also gave the fans to see how talented Owen truly was. As I say he was stuck in Bret Harts shadow. Owen showed he had charisma, he could cut a promo and he could have excellent matches.

BRITISH BULLDOG (Heel turn in 1995) - Went heel in the summer of 1995 and well what can I say? Worked wonders for Davey IMO. We saw a whole new, ruthless side of British Bulldog. He got a push into the main event scene and had some excellent matches for the WWE title with Diesel, Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels over the next couple of years. I do believe shortly after his turn he cut a promo about how he was fed up being a nice guy, smiling for the kids, signing the autographs. Nice guys finish last and Bulldog proved it with this heel run. He began getting the push he was deserving of.

SHAWN MICHAELS (Heel turn in 1991) - No one will ever forget clean cut Rocker, Shawn Michaels, smashing his tag team partner through the barbershop window. No doubt the one single moment which swung Shawn Michaels entire career. Imagine if that never happened....

 

[a0161613]

The best turn ever was the Bret Hart - Steve Austin double turn.

It did all it had to.

They had a great match (Submission Match at Mania)

Made Austin a legit star

Gave Hart a new lease of life as the pro Canadian heel

Led to other great matches (my fave was the Canadian Stampede 10 man tag)

One of the best turns ever and unlike the ones described above, it helped two guys in the industry, not just one. And it kinda helped the WW(F)E too, as it properly kickstarted the Attitude era.

 

[IrishCanadian25]

I love this thread idea.

I am going to bring up a forgotten heel turn. I don't recall the year, but it was the first episode of Smackdown. Shawn Michaels was the commissioner and the special referee. The main event was a title match between HHH and The Rock.

To "ensure impartiality," Michaels makes himself the special referee. Just as The Rock is coming off the ropes to hit The People's Elbow, BAM! HBK hits him with sweet chin music, HHH wins, and HBK becomes "The Corporate Commissioner."

The Rock's Heel turn moments after defeating Mankind for the WWE Title, forming "The Corporation" was classic as well. One of those "WTF was that!?" moments.

 

[sirveaux]

The Rock's heel turn from Rocky Mavia into "The Rock." I think that turned out pretty nicely for everyone involved

 

[Hardinhoff]

Even though this doesn't pertain to cementing status, my favorite would definitely have to be when he turned on Hogan after the pose off during I believe Summerslam. Absolute poetry. It came out of nowhere.

 

[zeus3007]

Randy Savage, when he was champ and turned from face to heel for Wrestlemania 5. Everything was fine one day, him and Hogan were best buddies, then, BAM, Savage goes nuts, accuses Hogan of trying to still his woman, and tells Elizabeth to beat it because she won't pick a side. It all led to the insane stuff he did as the "Macho King" (which was a horrible gimmick, but he was still nuts).

 

[broncobuster2000]

even though he is stale right now wait till cena makes a heel turn. i think that is hwne we will go into the next boom period. just wait. The next boom period will be when all brands merge into one. and cena turns heel. just wait

 

[jrcongine]

Macho king gimmick was great. Wrestlers today should look back and learn how to embrace a character and how to get one over. Is it me or has the wwe been on a down side since they changed from wwf to wwe?

 

[KyleCobra]

It wasnt so much an immediate turn but..

when Mankind slowly turned face throughtout the later half of 1998. It showed he can get wayy over as a face.

 

[AG Great 1]

What about the Bret Hart heel turn in America @ WrestleMania 13....and he was beloved everywhere else in the world with his Hart Foundation

 

[TheOneBigWill]

This thread idea is great.. & I know how much Irish loves it. So here you go, call it a trump card.

Triple H. - WrestleMania XV: Chyna had left D-Generation X & sided with Shane McMahon, & the Corporation. D-X was realing & needed a big win over Kane, who was turning face in his own right at this time. So, lets set the stage..

Triple H. v. Kane, Chyna low blows Kane & rejoins Triple H., as D-X is back together!!! But wait, theres more.. moments after the happy reunion, X-Pac faces Shane McMahon for the European Championship.. as Chyna & Triple H. rush down to help X-Pac.. wait, wait.. no.. Triple H. pedigrees X-Pac, & instead of Chyna leaving the Corporation to rejoin D-X & Triple H.. its actually Triple H. who turns his back on D-X & joins Chyna, in the Corporation!!

I will add more later as I think of them, trust me. But that has to be the one that set me off the most. Tops the list, right now anyways.

 

[emperor.indian]

one of the best turns in recent years came when flair turned heel in a match between HHH and RVD. FLAIRs heel turn and aligning with HHH gave birth to the evolution. this gave two future stars and champions in the wwe
ORTON and BATISTA.
also PAUL HEYMANs heel turn in a match involving BIG SHOW V/S BROCK LESNAR went a long way in establishing brock lesnar as a face and helped build up an interesting angle

 

[Барбоса]

I think Orton's heel turn after he dislocated his shoulder with his updates on his condition went a long way to making it believeable that he could be incorporated into Evolution

 

[WhatCripplesTheLegend?]

How about Sid Justice into Psycho Sid?

WWF brought him in to be the special referee in a Hogan match and that lead the stage for his turn in the company. Sid doing his "Master, and ruler, of the world" followed by heinous laughing is still some of the best heel promo time I've seen, fuckin miss that guy, he was light years ahead of his time.

 

[zeus3007]

Another great one was when Andre the Giant turned on Hogan prior to WM III. It was probably the first time when the fans felt one of their heroes screw over another hero.

 

[megaman]

theres been millions of brilliant heel turns but only 3 comes to me right now hulk hogan at bash at the beach 1996, the rock at survivor series 1998 and stone cold steve austin at wrestlemania 17, who wouldve expected 3 fan favourites to turn heel at them times

 

[scorpionz_venom]

No one will agree with me, but when Austin turned and started hugging Vince. That was AWESOME, then he double-swerved into being the leader of the Alliance. It showed Austin's comedic abilities.

 

[jamesjd66]

I loved the Austin turn with the 10+ chair shots to rocky. and then hugging vince....ridiculously awesome!

The setup to that match was great too with both faces giving their prematch promos and Austin saying "I need this" meaning the belt. That friggin Limb Bizkit song is still stuck in my head.