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Did they or did they not, comes the question out of Monday Night RAW. WWE's inability to completely distinguish whether Bobby Lashley and Kevin Owens committed a double turn, comes at a point where the company is unsure where to take the injured Owens within the WWE.
In Lashley's case, it's clear as day that the Dominator now propped by hype man Lio Rush is definitely treading the heel zone. However, his sparring partner is a different case. With Kevin Owens headed to surgery, there is a lack of clarity of whether he turned face. WWE hasn't given us reason to believe so, except that once Owens does return he shall find himself showered in massive cheers.
A lazy but typical way for WWE to deal with the nuances of pro wrestling. Still, this finally positions Kevin Owens as a face, something the universe has waited to see since his debut. Not only that it adds an intriguing dimension to his story going forward, especially since this should have been what happened in the first place when Owens quit a month or so ago.
After all proper double turns when pulled off are simply amazing, we know one of them ended up changing the face of WWE. Here are such game-changing double turns in the history of the company, built by one.
Honourable Mentions
Chad Gable/Shelton Benjamin turn with The Usos: This one was a bit of confusion since Chad was still a beloved (somewhat) face when he joined up with Benjamin after Jason Jordan's defection to RAW. Meanwhile, The Usos came off an epic feud with New Day, reinstating the lost faith fans had in them as no-nonsense heels.
Yet realizing the temperament changing, WWE took the route to give these two teams a swift double turn and put over an act the fans really wanted to cheer. Sure it might have since hindered the Usos, but it's also made them the team they are that got to wrestle at Wrestlemania after a near decade in the company.
Demolition forces a face turn against Powers of Pain: Positioned as a destructive force, the tag team of Demolition took WWE by storm. Their partnership with Fuji might prompt them as heels, but the duo just kept bursting with popularity. This caught the eye of management, despite debuting the Powers of Pain as heroes primed to take down Demolition.
Instead in a Survivor Series clash, the two teams scuffled with Demolition turning on their manager and Powers of Pain picking the scraps to break down Demolition, now under the tutelage of Fuji.
#6. Double Turn Across A Mania
The unmitigated betrayal is a staple of the Attitude Era, a part of it that may not function as smoothly as it did back then. Unexpected turns came at every corner during that time including Chyna's defection to the Corporation from DX. This felt like a disaster for Triple H, as he sought retribution by facing one of Corporation's great monsters; Kane.
This all came to a head at Wrestlemania 15 where Kane took on Triple H. On the way to secure victory, the monster got swerved by Chyna reuniting with her former lover and DX or so it seemed. This is until late into the night in a match between Shane McMahon and X-Pac where the reality came undone.
Chyna and Triple H would join the chaotic fray to supposedly help their friend only to turn on him and DX, for Triple H to finally join the Corporation where Chyna already stood. Meanwhile, the vindicated Kane sought to help X-Pac ward of these traitors on the same night.
A magic double turn full of plot holes and typically for the sake of it, a Vince Russo Classic. Yet the best thing as it set Triple H down the path to becoming The Game.
#5. The Proto-Women's Revolution
Despite portraying a somewhat off-kilter heel, AJ Lee spoke of the need for WWE's women to break out of their shell long before anyone would have you believe this revolution is Stephanie McMahon's brainchild. This caused a schism in the way AJ Lee's portrayal clashed with her popularity, much like Becky Lynch today (Classic WWE booking).
As such the management needed her to face someone whom she might not completely overshadow, so on the night after Wrestlemania, comes in the young fiery Paige. An antithesis of the WWE diva and everything that AJ had been espousing. The young woman had stirred a growing interest in the women's division on NXT and beat Lee on her first night for the Divas championship.
A change was in order, but it was all for nought. Deciding as they often do to the point of ruination, Paige got stuck with the gimmick of a fluke rookie that stole any thunder she brought with her from developmental.
Four months later the viewers grew bored and an AJ Lee return saw the two women duke it out and subtly turn from their alignments, to crown the nerd goddess champion once again. This was the revolution before the evolution.
#4. The Son Surpasses The Father
At Wrestlemania 17, despite ending the night with an unfathomable deal. Vince McMahon got comeuppance in the undercard for his heinous actions against the fans, wrestlers and his family through a Shane McMahon beat down assisted by Linda McMahon and Trish Stratus. It was a cathartic beginning to the unofficial end of the Attitude Era.
At the precipice of their bout, the feud between the McMahon father and son took an interesting turn when WWE bought out WCW. As such Wrestlemania 17 was a celebration of the company, but also the start of a new angle. In a storyline twist, Shane McMahon had bought out WCW to challenge his father.
This came in the form of an Invasion which rid the company of temporary feuds and alliances, for WWE's best to stave off this madness concocted by a vengeful Shane. What this gradually saw was the young McMahon turn heel, due to a pro-WWE crowd. While the still scheming and manipulative got a bit of leeway from fans as he built a team to take out the abomination of the Alliance.
For a moment father and son were at a crossroads, where the young lion finally had the elder one down and out of the pack. Vince being Vince, of course, came roaring back.
#3. Corporations Taking Over
Heading into Survivor Series of 1998 there were intriguing elements at play as Stone Cold Steve Austin had been screwed of his WWE championship. A tournament to determine the new champion was set up for the event, to act as a masquerade for the coronation of a corporate champion by Vince McMahon.
The belief being this champion would be the deranged but somewhat gentile Mankind. It was not to happen.
At the same time, there is The Rock, after toiling as a white meat babyface and turning this around to dial up the Rock persona. The Brahma Bull finally had the audience in the palm of his hands. They were voraciously by his side, making him the perfect People's champion to bring down the machine.
The belief is that a physical specimen sought by the company would be the best bet against it. It was not to happen.
What did happen was a double turn paying homage to the unfortunate screwjob incident a year prior, as Vince McMahon crowned Rock the champion and kicked Mrs. Foley's baby boy out. This allowed the Rock to flourish just a while longer in the charismatic heel role, before truly breaking out at the height of the Attitude Era.
#2. Dolph in A Siesta of his Own Making!
For a decade marred by ignorant and stubborn decision, it takes a real stir and insight for WWE to consider grand changes in the scheme of fans and reactions. It sounds silly considering that it is the fan reaction of the live performance art that determines the narrative of the WWE. Yet what can you do, Vince's hardheadedness is legendary and rightly so (sometimes).
As such despite an ill-fated Alberto Del Rio face turn, the company made the smart decision of reverting its decision for a grand double turn. A Money in the Bank holder and backed by a faction of his own, Dolph Ziggler was a star on the rise with an arrogant chip on his shoulder that he could back up in the ring. As such fans were just waiting to cheer him on.
The moment came on the RAW, the night after Wrestlemania 29. Where the crowd went wild for his cash in on an injured Del Rio. The fighting Mexican was beaten and Ziggler celebrated this monumental championship win, that unfortunately got snatched away by a cruel bit of timing due to a concussion.
On return just a month short, Ziggler returned to properly defend his title against Del Rio. With the concussion history, poor Ziggler had to lose the title but did so in stellar fashion fighting off a ruthless Alberto targeting his soft head. The result as expected saw Del Rio turn into the jerk he always was and showcase Ziggler's fighting spirit, turning him a favourite to fans he was already loved by.
#1. The Attitude Era Cometh!
Was there any doubt?
Technically not the first double turn in wrestling history, but rather one that punctuated the idea and brought it into the lexicon of professional wrestling. Bret Hart's outdated white meat babyface act against the hard-edged resilient Stone Cold generated the buzz heading into Wrestlemania 13. Who knew it would be the game changer to forever change WWE.
By this point, Bret already faced the ire of many fans, ironically as a parallel to his previous Wrestlemania 11 opponent Bob Backlund. While apathy generated for the Canadian native, love of a violent kind spewed for the take no prisoners Stone Cold. Despite being a heel and doing tons of dirty things, this anti-hero embodied the essence of the 90's perfect.
As such during the match, Hart's increasing frustrations with Austin came to fore in a cold wilful and destructive fashion. He did everything to take him down, he exhumed every part of his wrestling ability to put down the rattlesnake. Yet nothing seemed to work.
Meanwhile, a busted up and beaten down Austin kept coming back to the point of no return. He fought through with each cheer getting louder and louder. As he bled on the canvas, in a sharpshooter hold by Hart, Austin bled till he couldn't wake up. Stone Cold fell on his sword that night, right into the arms of the fans as he never gave up, never tapped out.
That night Hart turned his back on the world except for Canada, in a masterstroke. That night Steve Austin truly became Stone Cold. That night WWE got made.
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