Now Seth Rollins knows what it feels like. With Triple H’s swerve last Monday night, a new feud was born and one of the greatest “turns” in the business will always be remembered. For everything it has done, which is to make Kevin Owens the new Universal Heavyweight Champion, this segment is more about what Triple H did, stabbing his protégé in the back than Owens “winning” the belt.
The friends becoming foes and the mentor-student heel turn is a common storyline in this business, no matter what promotion you watch. The fact, this time, was about the teacher making the ill-fated move is a bit of a surprise.
WWE is famous for this kind of an angle, which at times has become the basis of some of the best stories ever told. Other promotions have done it as well like The Freebirds turning on the Von Erichs and Kevin Sullivan turning on Barry Windham with the Florida Heavyweight Title on the line.
These five programs, however, are the ones that have impacted the business the most.
1- Seth Rollins breaks up The Shield
This was “Plan B” for Triple H. If there was ever a scenario that was supposed to happen with another member of the Hounds of Justice joining The Authority, this was it. I thought for weeks it would be Dean Ambrose who would at some point sell his brothers out. The move to make Rollins the villain was pure genius.
Rollins would not only go on to become the best heel in the WWE over the next year and a half, he would become the first member of the unholy trinity to win the company’s top prize. Rollins has become one of the best workers in WWE and professional wrestling.
2- Barry Windham turns on Lex Luger
I was in Jacksonville for this one. There had been rumors for weeks about Windham turning and joining the Four Horsemen. The storyline was Windham and Lex Luger were the NWA World Tag Team Champs and were facing Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson. Luger had taken the majority of the abuse in the match.
Windham would turn on his partner, throw him to the wolves where he would hand the match to his new “brothers” which also led to the Midnight Rider confronting Windham and the Horsemen. Until Hulk Hogan turned on the fans, this was the biggest heel turn of the modern era in the NWA.
3- Larry Zbyszko turns on Bruno Sammartino
He was hailed as the next Bruno Sammartino, but could not shed the likeness to his mentor. The two were inseparable. The storyline goes like this. He challenged Sammartino to an exhibition match so he could prove he could work on his own, in which Sammartino dominated the early stages.
After Sammartino threw him out of the ring, an irate Zbyszko seized a wooden chair and struck Sammartino, leaving him in a pool of blood. And a heel was born. Zbyszko would go on to win the AWA World Title and was one of the best heels of his time in the business.
4- Andre the Giant turns on Hulk Hogan
This was such an amazing program because no one ever thought the larger than life Giant would do anything so devious. It went down in a segment of Piper’s Pit with Hogan’s crucifix being pulled from his neck. I remember it like it was yesterday. With Bobby Heenan by his side, the ever annoying manager accused Hogan of only being André's friend so he would not have to defend his title against him.
Hogan tried to reason with André but his pleas were ignored as he challenged Hogan to a match for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania III. It led to the largest attended wrestling event in the history of the business at that time, and for the first time, Andre was body slammed by Hogan in Pontiac, Michigan.
5- Hulk Hogan turns on the fans
I knew at some point Hogan would change his stripes. You cannot go through a career like Hogan did without being tested by the dark side. The Outsiders angle was one of the greatest spots ever created – thanks in part to Scott Hall. The idea of Hulk Hogan coming out to save WCW from the WWE uprising was the type of thing 1980s professional wrestling would expect.
But this time, Hogan would turn his back on working out, saying prayers and taking vitamins. The fact Tony Schiavone told the immortal one to “go to hell” sold this spot as the biggest impact in this business. Everything heels do today – including The Club using their “Too Sweet” sign is based on the importance of this historic moment in this business.
