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Sometimes, WWE Superstars are faced with a choice to switch allegiances. This may be because their current character arc is losing momentum or is being misunderstood by the crowd.
Sometimes, a heel turn proves successful for a superstar. With notable examples including John Cena's time as the Doctor of Thuganomics, Hulk Hogan as the leader of the nWo and most recently, Roman Reigns' transition into the Tribal Chief.
Most superstars have been heels at some point in their careers, but a handful of them have the unique distinction of never having experienced a turn to the dark side.
Here is a list of the five greatest WWE Superstars who have never turned heel.
Disclaimer: Note that this list refers to Superstars’ careers in WWE, and so heel turns in other promotions do not count.
#5. Hacksaw Jim Duggan has not betrayed the American people
The winner of the first Royal Rumble match made his WWE TV debut on the March 3, 1987 episode of Superstars of Wrestling. There, he interrupted Nikolai Volkoff’s singing of the Russian Anthem. Duggan stormed to ringside with his famed two-by-four and cut a promo about how he would not let Volkoff sing the anthem as long as he’s alive.
This was largely his gimmick in the company, the everyday patriotic American working man, who fans loved as they could relate to him greatly.
Unlike other patriotic American characters like Sgt. Slaughter, Duggan never turned heel while working for the company. He did turn heel during his career, though, by joining Lance Storm’s Team Canada during his tenure in WCW.
#4. Ricky Steamboat could not turn heel, even when he wanted to
Many professional wrestlers go on to change allegiances at one point or another while working for other promotions. Ricky Steamboat has the unique distinction of being one of the very, very few to have never turned heel throughout his entire career.
Steamboat has also wrestled for the AWA, CWF, JCP, WCW, NAWA and NJPW in a career that began in 1976 before he was fired by WCW in 1994. He then made a return in 2005 which lasted till 2009.
The reason for never having him turn heel was that promoters didn’t think he looked like one. Fans were also very loyal to him.
He did pitch a heel turn to Pat Patterson, who told Steamboat he would ruin his career if he did so.
#3. Bruno Sammartino did not want himself to turn heel
The longest-reigning WWE Champion has also, like Steamboat, never turned heel during his career.
He made his professional wrestling debut on December 17, 1959. Sammartino signed with WWE (which was still WWWF at the time) in April 1963 and defeated WWE Champion Buddy Rogers in 48 seconds to win the title. This was the beginning of his seven-year reign.
He lost the championship to Ivan Koloff on January 18, 1971 at Madison Square Garden. According to him, the audience was so silent with shock that he thought he had damaged his ears.
He regained the championship after defeating Stan Stasiak on December 10, 1973, this time losing the championship to Superstar Billy Graham three years later.
Sammartino never turned heel as he saw himself as someone for people to believe in.
#2. Rey Mysterio is yet to embrace his the dark side
The Master of the 619 splashed his way onto WWE screens on the July 25, 2002 episode of SmackDown.
Fans instantly loved his high-flying luchador style and he became a fan favorite due to his courage and not backing down despite facing much bigger foes.
Mysterio has turned heel during his career, however, as he formed a heel faction known as the Filthy Animals together with Eddie Guerrero and Billy Kidman during his time in WCW. To date, this is the only time he has turned heel.
The Filthy Animals was WCW's answer to D-Generation X, in terms of being edgy and pushing the envelope when it came to wrestling groups.
The Filthy Animals stable saw Eddie Guerrero adopt some of his most famed tactics, such as hitting his opponent with a chair and placing it in their hands while the referee is turned away. The group won the WCW World Tag Team Championships four times during their run, which lasted from 1999 to 2001.
#1. The Ultimate Warrior did not turn heel during his time in WWE
The Ultimate Warrior wrestled some parts of his early career as a heel. His first turn came while he wrestled in the Continental Wrestling Association in 1985. Under the name Justice, he and tag-team partner Flash (who later became Sting) were together known as The Freedom Fighters.
Initially faces, they turned heel as the audience struggled to understand them as babyfaces. He would continue to wrestle as a heel even during his time at World Class Championship Wrestling, where he began wrestling as the Dingo Warrior.
He turned face while at WCCW after he was cheered even as a heel during his feud with Rick Rude.
He joined WWE in June 1987 and made his TV debut as The Ultimate Warrior on October 25 that year.
What do you think of this list? Can you name any other wrestlers that never turned heel in WWE? Let us know in the comments below.
