5 Reasons why Jade Cargill turned heel on WWE SmackDown

Jade Cargill turned heel on WWE SmackDown by attacking WWE Women's Champion Tiffany Stratton. She initially came down to even the odds when Kiana James and Giulia attacked the champ after the match.

The Storm had fallen in two previous challenges to capture the title. After a few weeks off programming, she returned to save The Center of the Universe. It was all set up for her massive heel turn.

Now, with a big change to her character, it opens up several avenues for storytelling. Cargill likely turned heel on SmackDown for one of the next five reasons.

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#5. Stratton needs different challengers

Tiffany Stratton has held the WWE Women's title since January of this year. She's closing in on nearly 300 days (officially 294 days) with the title. Charlotte Flair, Nia Jax, Cargill, and Trish Stratus have all fought and lost during that time period.

The pool of heel challengers has dwindled, so having a big hero turn heel gives her matches a different dynamic.

Jade Cargill may also be the one to finally dethrone The Center of the Universe since she's less than three months away from holding the title for a year.

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#4. Her attitude is better suited for a heel

Cargill is a physical specimen with a star-making aura. Her attitude as a heroic star, however, always felt a bit miscast. She disavowed everything Stratton did as Champion and thought she'd easily win the title.

She even claimed the two weren't on the same level. Jade Cargill made the crucial mistake of hitting her finisher near the ropes at SummerSlam, allowing Stratton to get a rope break during a pinfall.

The Storm claimed that Stratton escaped by putting her foot on the ropes. Had she hit the move in the middle of the ring, things could have been different.

Before Naomi attacked her last year, Cargill kicked Bayley out of conversations with Naomi and Belair. There are shades of grey for characters, but something about Cargill always seemed better suited for a villain.

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#3. She's frustrated that she can't beat Tifanny Stratton

Inability to defeat an opponent is a well-used tactic in wrestling history. Seth Rollins faced this against Cody Rhodes recently. He finally slayed that demon at Crown Jewel, albeit with some underhanded tactics.

Cargill lost to Stratton at SummerSlam and again in a triple threat for the title featuring Nia Jax. Jax was pinned in the contest, but it always felt like The Storm would be clamoring for another shot at gold.

That frustration boiling over explains her heel turn. Jade Cargill realized she needed to change something to get what she wanted, no matter the cost. She'll get another shot at the title at Saturday Night's Main Event.

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#2. Jade Cargill needed a change of character

When a performer has played the same character for too long, they become stale. Switching things up with a heel or face turn can usually alter a star's fortunes.

Naomi turned heel this year and won Money in the Bank and the Women's World title. Jacob Fatu was so popular and exciting that he turned face and won the US title.

Jade Cargill was always a tough opponent for challengers, and she's faced most of the heels on SmackDown. Her face character was a bit stale, so operating differently could lead her to the title she's pursued over the last few months.

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#1. It sets up a feud with a face Bianca Belair

Bianca Belair held the WWE Women's Tag Team titles with Jade Cargill for a good portion of 2024. Along with Naomi, the three stars were considered a Big Three in WWE.

Cracks started to show after someone attacked Cargill backstage ahead of WarGames. The EST and Rhea Ripley challenged IYO SKY at WrestleMania 41, but fell to The Genius of the SKY.

Belair injured her finger in the match, but continued to appear on programming. Naomi was revealed as the attacker, as she felt Cargill tried to replace her. Belair stayed in the middle, even refereeing a big match at Evolution.

The EST could come back soon as a face. It would lead to an inevitable showdown between the two with a clear heel/face dynamic.