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In modern-day WWE, being a squeaky clean babyface is virtually impossible. The audience is unwilling to invest in typical do-gooders. Characters such as the underdog Bryan Danielson are exceedingly rare and often work only when there is an element of reality attached to the storyline.
For instance, WWE unsuccessfully tried to push Roman Reigns as a babyface for several years. The former Shield member finally made it as a top star once he turned heel and became The Tribal Chief -- a ruthless boss and trashtalker. He's much more comfortable as a performer now and a potential babyface turn could be very lucrative for Roman Reigns down the line.
It's now almost imperative that a wrestler has a run as a villain and gets to express their personality before they can go on to become a fan favorite. With that being said, here are five times WWE fans have turned a heel into a face.
#5 Six-time WWE Champion Hulk Hogan
At No Way Out 2002, Hulk Hogan returned to WWE for the first time in nearly nine years. Although the Invasion was a thing of the past, the nWo had finally arrived. His heel persona had taken WCW to unprecedented heights, but WWE fans had a different relationship with Hogan.
By the time WrestleMania 18 and his dream match with The Rock came around, there was a clamor for the return of the red and yellow hero. The crowd in Toronto cheered for their childhood idol in a bout that turned out to be a classic.
Hogan parted ways with the nWo after the match and turned babyface. The wave of nostalgia carried him all the way to a sixth WWE Championship reign when he defeated Triple H at Backlash 2002.
#4 Two-time WWE Champion Batista
Between 2003 and 2005, Evolution was one of the main focal points of WWE. The group, consisting of Triple H, Ric Flair, Randy Orton and Batista, dominated Monday Night RAW, with The Game establishing a stranglehold over the World Heavyweight Championship.
With Orton having left a year prior, the group imploded when Triple H and Batista clashed at WrestleMania 21. The seeds of the grudge were planted over the long-term and there was a desire to see The Animal cement his position as a top babyface after he won the 2005 Royal Rumble.
Fans were completely invested in seeing Batista dethrone his mentor, and WrestleMania 21 ended up drawing one of the biggest buy rates in WWE history.
#3 Four-time WWE SmackDown Women's Champion Becky Lynch
Becky Lynch was about to have a moment in the spotlight when she received a title shot against SmackDown Women's Champion Carmella at SummerSlam 2018. However, Charlotte Flair was inserted into the match at the last minute and proceeded to win the title, as The Queen often does.
An infuriated Lynch turned heel and completely transformed her outlook, as she finally got the opportunity to showcase her personality. She had an incredible feud with Flair that made her the hottest commodity in professional wrestling.
As the audience got behind her new persona, the Irish star's momentum catapulted her into the main event of WrestleMania 36, where she unified the Raw and
#2 Eight-time WWE Champion The Rock
The Rock was always marked for success in WWE. A third generational wrestler with unbelievable charisma, he was destined to be one of the biggest stars in the business. The Hollywood star debuted as Rocky Maivia, a babyface without a discernible personality.
The professional wrestling audience, whose sensibilities had been altered by The nWo and ECW, completely rejected this character. The Rock was eventually forced to turn heel and join The Nation of Domination. He quickly found his footing on the microphone and became one of the most interesting characters in WWE.
This was the foundation that led to him breaking out as a massive star.
#1 Six-time WWE Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin
Stone Cold Steve Austin worked his way up the ladder as a heel. But he was so edgy and entertaining that the fans soon fell in love with him. By 1997, it was evident that he would take over as the top star in WWE. Austin walked into his WrestleMania 13 match with Bret Hart as the clear heel.
The two legends put on a titanic tussle that ended with The Texas Rattlesnake passing out in a sharpshooter. The image of a bloody Austin writhing in pain remains iconic to this day, embodying his grit and determination. After the match, Hart continued to attack him. This moment cemented Austin's turn into the company's hottest anti-hero and helped usher in the era of The Texas Rattlesnake.
