5 possible face or heel turns in 2016

Could all the three ex-Shield brethren be involved in a face/heel turn this year?Hopefully with the advent of 2016 arrives the possibility of fresh perspective, fresh storylines and if the latest rumours are to be believed, fresh faces to rejuvenate the depleted roster in the WWE as well.Regardless of the influx of new talent however, there does exist a pressing need to shake up proceedings especially since the storylines have teetered dangerously close to staleness, or worse, irrelevance.Time and again, the WWE have been guilty of ruining perfectly enrapturing storylines and letting them peter out into nothingness, with the wrestlers ultimately falling prey to the profligacy and inconsistency in creative decision making.With a score of gimmicks now suffering a lack of any real traction or heat with the audience because of this, here is a look at how they may be freshened up with a list of 5 possible face/heel turns that the WWE could pull off in 2016 to enliven an otherwise dreary product, and breathe new life into the stagnating personas of these wrestlers.

#5 Stardust

It begs the question how much longer Cody Rhodes can keep up this gimmick, without running the risk of being forgotten

He may have opted to continue painting his face and hissing into the cameras in keeping with his late father’s wishes, but the WWE Universe may unanimously agree with me that perhaps dropping the star-laden latex suit and resurfacing as Cody Rhodes would ultimately be what is best for his career.

From feuding with Hollywood star Stephen Amell at Summerslam, to being anointed leader of a stable with fellow TV-time strugglers the Ascension, Cody Rhodes has found his stock rapidly plummeting in the eyes of the WWE hierarchy and conversely, the audience as well.

Perhaps for the time being the WWE Universe could care enough to adroitly chant “Cody!” at the being from the Fifth Dimension, but it is hard to see even that continuing if the Stardust gimmick is kept up for much longer.

Stuck in limbo without any real opportunity or storyline to generate heat with the audience, perhaps it is time for Cody Rhodes to listen in to the chants filling up the arenas and hasten himself back to reality, before it ultimately passes him by.

#4 Dolph Ziggler

The frustration of being overlooked by the powers that be is something that could easily be interwoven into his persona

Year after year, the internet fans have pondered if the time for Dolph Ziggler’s leg-up into the main event picture would finally materialise, only to be disappointed as Creative always conjures up a way in which to pull the carpet from beneath his feet.

Although by now, it has been well-established that Dolph Ziggler may see out the remainder of his WWE career caught up in the quicksand of the midcard, with the proverbial brass ring within sight but never quite within reach.

Despite being a babyface, the fact that Ziggler is rarely afforded an opportunity or sufficient time on the microphone to establish his persona with the audience leaves the Showoff with little option but to embrace an alternate route now.

With years worth of suppression to play off, letting his angst show in his character and embracing a heel persona may be the only prudent course of action left for Dolph Ziggler to take, as he yet again attempts to chart his course to the top of the food-chain in 2016.

#3 Seth Rollins

Was the hugely positive reaction that greeted Rollins when he showed up to claim his Slammy Award a sign of things to come?

With an unexpected stiff chair shot that sent ripples around the pro-wrestling world, it was Seth Rollins who defaulted from the Shield, thereby turning heel on his brethren and aligning himself with the Authority after Extreme Rules in 2014.

While the manner of the turn and the suddenness of its onset did cause quite the uproar amongst the fans, what came more as a shocker was that it was Seth Rollins who had given in to the ‘Dark Side’ when it was logically expected to be the Lunatic Fringe, Dean Ambrose.

Almost 2 years since, with the heel turn eventually proving to be a masterstroke for the Architect, a blown-out knee has curtailed his successful run as WWE Champion and shelved him until the latter stages of this year if medical estimates are to be believed.

However, his lay-off may end up being a blessing in disguise for Seth Rollins as it may allow him - much to the approval of the WWE Universe, one would suspect - to resurface as a babyface when he does complete his rehabilitation and return to the ring.

#2 Dean Ambrose

With his over-the-top antics and unsettling demeanour, Dean Ambrose is natural heel material

With overt shades of grey lining his character, Dean Ambrose has never been the consummate babyface and probably never will, considering the sheer amounts of punishment he is willing to take and dish out to his opponents.

His propensity to fly off the handle, however, has ultimately stood him in beneficial stead with the audience that frankly seem bored of the wrestlers that ascribe to the stereotypical mould of being a clean-cut babyface.

Perhaps due to the injuries to Daniel Bryan and John Cena, and the fact that Roman Reigns is finding resistance rather then acceptance much easier to come by, Dean Ambrose is is currently required to fill a gaping void in the ‘good guy’ column for the time being.

When the injuries do blow over and the roster eventually has its sheen restored, perhaps 2016 could offer the WWE sufficient breathing room to engineer a heel turn for Dean Ambrose, especially since it is something that his persona has always seemed to suggest, is just around the corner.

#1 Roman Reigns

Could a heel turn, ironically, be what ultimately gets Roman Reigns over with the WWE Universe?

After being vociferously booed through the entirety of his appearance, the script was pretty self-evident when Triple H entered at number 30 to a roof-raising ‘pop’, that Roman Reigns would not be allowed to triumph against all odds at the Royal Rumble event.

Perhaps the fact the WWE did not book Roman Reigns to outlast 29 other competitors indicates that the lessons from the debacle at the previous year’s edition of the 30-man over-the-top-rope match, have indeed been well learnt.

Either way, this struggle between the WWE top brass – who are apparently bent upon pushing Roman Reigns as the next top babyface – and the unforgiving WWE Universe that are least prepared to sit through Cena version 2.0, betrays no signs of abating anytime soon.

Although the company may not consider it, turning Roman Reigns heel may be the only solution to this stand-off as it may grant him vital creative leeway to express himself and impress his persona on the audience; a concept he is struggling to come to terms with as a babyface.

After all, if one comprehends the uncanny parallels between Roman Reigns and his cousin Rocky Maivia, it doesn’t take much to realise that being elevated into the pantheon of pro-wrestling greats as The Rock eventually was, is perhaps just one heel turn away.