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The primary function of a villain is to earn the ire of the WWE audience. However, sometimes a heel is so good at their job that they end up becoming immensely popular.
If a wrestler isn't connecting with the fans, promoters will often turn them heel just so that they can revert to being a babyface with more success down the line.
WWE tried to push Roman Reigns as its marquee star after The Shield broke up. However, the audience rejected the Georgia Tech product after he won the Royal Rumble in 2015. After years of trying to fight the crowd, Vince McMahon finally relented and turned Reigns heel in 2020.
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The Tribal Chief character has been incredibly successful and the 36-year-old will undoubtedly be cheered when he finally turns babyface.
With that being said, here the five best babyface turns in WWE history:
#5 Batista turned on Triple H in 2005
After the original brand split in 2002, Triple H ruled the roost on RAW and was the top heel on Monday nights. The Attitude Era had just come to an end and WWE needed to create new stars to carry the promotion forward.
Batista and Randy Orton, two OVW standouts, were paired with The Game and Ric Flair to form Evolution. The Viper parted ways with the stable in 2004 after they turned on him when he won the World Heavyweight Championship.
Batista's turn came a year later. After months of teasing tension between The Animal and Triple H, Batista finally snapped and powerbombed his former mentor through a table. The two men went on to headline WrestleMania 21 with the Guardians of the Galaxy star winning the World Heavyweight title.
#4 CM Punk won the WWE Championship at Money in the Bank 2011
CM Punk was stuck in the doldrums following stints as the leader of The Straight Edge Society and The New Nexus. With his contract set to expire after Money in the Bank 2011, Punk became the number-one contender for John Cena's WWE Championship at the pay-per-view.
The Second City Saint cost the West Newbury native a tables match against R-Truth and then proceeded to unload his frustrations on the microphone. He made references that appealed to the hardcore audience and became the talk of the professional wrestling world overnight.
Punk's babyface turn was solidified at Money in the Bank in his hometown of Chicago when he defeated Cena and left with the WWE title after blowing a kiss to Vince McMahon.
#3 The Corporation turned on Mankind at Survivor Series 1998
A member of The Corporation at the time, Mankind faced The Rock in the finals of the finals of the tournament for the vacant WWE Championship at Survivor Series 1998. Mick Foley and The Great One were both on the ascent and on the cusp of becoming mega stars.
As the bout reached its conclusion, Vince McMahon and company double-crossed Foley as he was locked in a sharpshooter. The Chairman called for the bell and recreated the infamous Montreal Screwjob finish.
This was an incredible double turn as The Rock went on to become the top heel in the industry, headlining WrestleMania 15 with Austin. Foley, on the other hand, embarked on a run that saw him become one of the greatest underdog babyfaces of all-time.
#2 Hulk Hogan was always destined to become a babyface in WWE
After a nine-year absence, Hulk Hogan returned to WWE in 2002. The Immortal One was the driving force behind Vince McMahon's national expansion and one of the most integral figures in the promotion's history. He was also fondly remembered by the audience at the time, who grew up watching him.
Hogan, however, returned as the heel leader of the nWo, not as the red-and-yellow babyface. He took on The Rock in a dream match at WrestleMania 18 in one of his biggest markets, Toronto. Even though Hogan was meant to be the villain, he was cheered by the audience, who favored him over The Rock.
Once the match ended, Scott Hall and Kevin Nash turned on The Icon, who turned babyface, and fought them off alongside The Great One.
#1 Stone Cold Steve Austin and Bret Hart executed a double turn at WrestleMania 13
Stone Cold Steve Austin was on a meteoric rise to the summit in 1997, and it was evident that he would become the industry's next superstar. He was still a heel at the time and took on Bret Hart in a submission match at WrestleMania 13 with Ken Shamrock as the special guest referee.
Austin and The Hitman put on a classic, which is still among the greatest match that The Showcase of the Immortals has ever seen. It even received five stars from Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Hart won after The Texas Rattlesnake passed out in the sharpshooter.
The visual of a bloodied Austin showcasing his grit and refusing to submit is iconic to this day. After the match, Hart attacked the Texan and cemented a double turn, which helped propel Austin towards becoming the most lucrative wrestler in WWE history.
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