Favorite Heel Turns

[MMK]

On this weeks CSR extra, they brought up Shawn Micheals and Hulk Hogan as the greatest heel turns in wrestling. Shawn throwing Marty threw the barber shop window, and Hulk Hogan joing Hall and Nash to form the nWo, are without a doubt two of the best, if not the best, choices.

I put Hogan's heel turn ahead of Shawns for one reason. Shawns heel turn may have changed one man's career forever, but Hogans joining the nWo changed the entire wrestling industry. WWF's days at the top were officially over.

But for me, my favorite heel turn was when Bret reunited with Owen and Davey Boy to form the Hart Foundation in March 97. I was a big fan of all 3 growing up. While I was interested in the nWo storyline, I had never been a fan of any of the players involved, so I had no investment in the outcome. But with the Hart Foundation, since I had been fans of all three guys for years, I wasnt just interested in the storyline, I was invested in it as well.

The nWo stable eventually dragged on for way too long and after many lackluster attempts in both wcw and wwf to revive the story, it was FINALLY and mercifully put to rest. The Hart Foundation, on the other hand, represents a period in time that will never be seen again. It only lasted from Mar.97 to Nov.97. After that, Bret was gone from WWE, as was the Anvil, and sadly Owen, Pillman, and Davey would all pass away. It was a brief storyline but that's what makes it more memorable for me. Unlike nWo, it didnt outstay it's welcome.

So what are some of your favorite heel turns? New school or old school, what ones stand out in your mind as the best?

 

[Constipated Badger Bottom]

Steve Austin at Wrestlemania 17

I never expected him to not only turn heel but to also to become friends with Vince Mcmahon a man who he has been feuding with for a couple of years in front of his hometown fans at the biggest stage of them all it was a complete shock to me and then the following night he formed the Two-Man Power trip with Triple H the man who a month earlier he had a brutal 3 stages of hell match with it was a shocker

 

[Wolf Pac]

Stone Cold at WM 17.
Nobody saw it coming. That to me was like the WWF's version of Hogan turning heel but granted it was as impactfu as Hogan's as Austin was a badass, he had heelish traits aswell as babyface traits plus he was a heel just as he was making his name but still it was truly shocking to see him allign with his most hated rival ever.

The Rock at Survivor Series 98
This was a great swerve by WWF. Having us think Rock was against The Corporation but he was with them all along. Again, didn't see it coming and it was the beginning of The Rock becoming one of wrestling's biggest draws ever which is what makes it more great.

And Hogan at Bash At The Beach 96 is another favourite. It should be every wrestling fans favourite.

 

[The Purse]

Heres one thats not been mentioned yet. Bret Hart against Stone cold at WM13. Could be one of the best double cross turns yet. Hart refusing to let go of the sharpshooter and the Promos he gave bashing America and forming the heel Hart foundation in the coming months make this the best short lived heel runs ever.

 

[MMK]

Oh, I just remembered one of my all time favorites.....

Jake...The Snake...Roberts. Summer of 1991, Jake interrupts Savage and Elizabeth's wedding reception, then weeks later goats Savage into the ring only to unleash his King Cobra on a helpless Macho Man. As a babyface Jake was the best promo man EVER, and he was even better at it as a heel.

Trust me, this was a great heel turn. Trust me.

 

[Spidey Revivey]

Randy Orton's first stint as a heel after Evolution. He was still considered a top performer, about to head into a Legend vs. Legend Killer Match with the Deadman at Wrestlemania. He was on fire, just about everyone loved him, and then he RKO's his kayfabe girlfriend Stacy Kiebler. Like *BAM* instant heat. I don't remember being so shocked at one man's actions on television more than that. I wasn't around personally to view Hogan's heel turn or even Michael's departure from The Rockers. But I can say I was around for Randy Orton to try his hand at being a heel on his lonesome, and he was a top heel at that moment, too.

Best heel turn? Hell no. But the thread is about favorites, and that one just happens to be mine, just for how shameful it was.

 

[Dagger Dias]

One of my favorites was Michaels in 2005 when he kicked Hogan after a tag team match to set up their Summerslam feud. It isn't talked about as much anymore but that's one that sticks out for me because it was one of the few moments in the latter part of his career when HBK was heel. Then of course there's more obvious answers such as Hogan's nWo heel turn.