Over the span of the past few years, there have been a number of instances where WWE has caught fans off guard, whether it was an alliance they didn't see coming or a friendship that dissolved.
These relationships shaped how matches would be booked, and started the path for feuds that would develop. Heel turns generally seem to catch fans off guard, such as when Bret Hart and Stone Cold Steve Austin pulled a double turn after their Wrestlemania match, or when Trish Stratus turned on Chris Jericho.
Heel turns quite often catch fans completely off guard. Sure, sometimes there are teases of a split amongst friends, but often it doesn't always turn out the way it's being suggested.
In any relationship, there are ups and downs, but generally, friends try to work it out. But in the case of WWE where some relationships end in a blink of an eye, a warm embrace is quickly followed by a stab in the back.
The motives are generally selfish and lead to tremendous feuds afterwards. Since 2010, these five heel turns were not seen coming, and when they did happen a collective gasp was uttered by the WWE universe.
Feel free to share and let us know if there were other ones we could include in the future.
#5 Chris Jericho (on AJ Styles)
When AJ Styles joined WWE, fans were full of anticipation about the possibilities that would be presented to him now that he was part of the company. After he entered the Royal Rumble, he and Kevin Owen came to blows in the middle of the ring, filling fans with excitement about the possibility of them facing each other down the line.
Soon after, his first solo match was against Chris Jericho. Their matches were of a very competitive nature and provided a great chance for the two of them to have a rivalry rather than a feud. If anything, it initially came across as a 'can you top this?' between the two of them.
However, their rivalry turned to apparent respect, as they combined their collective powers to create a team. Y2AJ was quickly building steam, and the pair were a team for others to be wary of.
However, when they lost a WWE tag team championship match to the New Day, fans were caught off guard when Jericho ended their union with a beat down of Styles, a turn based primarily out of jealousy. Thus was created a feud between the pair, that culminated at Wrestlemania.
#4 Seth Rollins (on the rest of The Shield)
One of the hottest factions in recent memory was The Shield. Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose were a collection of young talent that was catapulted to the top of the promotion. But for months, around the end of 2013 and beginning of 2014, it seemed as though they were divided, and fans weren't sure when if this group would come to an end.
At the time, it seemed as though Dean Ambrose was most likely to be the one that turned his back on his brothers and walk alone.
After the trio was victorious against Evolution at Extreme Rules in June 2014, the group seemed more united than ever. But on the Monday Night Raw that followed, at the end of the program, the Shield stood tall in the ring as Triple H and Randy Orton proceeded to come down to the ring.
That was when The Game stated that there was always a plan B, and at that moment Rollins, who had been holding a chair, struck Roman Reigns in the back, to the shock and dismay of Dean Ambrose.
He then proceeded to attack Ambrose, in an incident that couldn't be described as anything other than shocking.
#3 Kevin Owens (on Sami Zayn)
At the time he came to NXT, Kevin Owens had a buzz surrounding him. Videos promoting his debut were cheered, and when he debuted he was cheered once again. In his debut match against CJ Parker, he received a broken nose after receiving an open palm strike.
The sound of it was cringeworthy, but Owens didn't seem to miss a beat. On that same evening, Sami Zayn was facing Adrian Neville for the NXT championship in what was, his last opportunity. It was clear that this match was going to put Zayn on the map.
The match went back and forth, and in the end Zayn walked away victorious, capturing the championship. It was an event to be proud of, and one that was celebrated by the entire NXT locker room. As the ring filled, Zayn's 'real life’ best friend Owens came out and they embraced, showing that all their blood, sweat and tears was worth it in the end.
As everyone left the ring and the friends proceeded to the back, Owens threw Zayn to the ground and beat down his friend mercilessly, leaving the new champion a complete mess.
#2 AJ Styles (on John Cena)
Before he joined WWE, fans often asked 'what if?' as it pertained to AJ Styles. Seeing the Phenomenal One in the world's biggest promotion appeared to be nothing more than a pipedream. But after he finally signed with WWE, the what if questions were now replaced with fans thinking and talking about 'Imagine when Styles faces....'
It was no longer fantasy booking; it was speculating on potential future matches for one of the best in the world. Now that he was finally in WWE, any number of match-ups were possible.
Initially, Styles faced off against Chris Jericho, Roman Reigns and Kevin Owens. However, one contest that fans wanted to see was for him and John Cena to finally cross paths and create magic. The two are almost identical in age and ring experience, but had never faced one another, or even been in the same promotion.
When they first came face-to-face, it appeared as though there was nothing more than mutual respect. And when Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows entered the ring, it was assumed their intent was to beat down both Styles and Cena.
But it was Styles who attacked Cena, and beat down the former fifteen-time champion in a moment fans didn't see coming.
#1 Paul Heyman (on CM Punk)
If there was one alliance that appeared to be as strong as can be, it was the relationship between CM Punk and Paul Heyman. Together they were about as dastardly a combination as there could be.
Whether it was making Ryback look like a fool, or tarnishing the memory of Paul Bearer in the lead up to Punk's match against the Undertaker at Wrestlemania, the duo sure worked to stir the pot. One of the most notable statements Heyman made about Punk was that 'He is my best friend in the world'.
After Wrestlemania, Punk took some time off, and appeared to change his tune upon returning. Still, despite their distance from one another, fans were led to believe that the bond between them was as strong as ever.
When Punk was set to compete in the Money in the Bank ladder match, he told Heyman to remain in the back, saying 'I've got this.' Near the end of the match, Heyman came out, Singapore cane in hand, and stated that he was there to 'defend' his best friend.
But as Punk neared the top of the ladder, Heyman repeatedly struck him from behind, severing their bond. It was a moment fans didn't see coming.
