Thumbs up or Thumbs down: Recent heel/face turns in WWE

In the months following SummerSlam, several key WWE Superstars have changed their characters. Whether it was a long time coming or done out of pure necessity, several big stars have recently changed their operating methods.

Two of the biggest turns involved performers who were the backbone of NXT during their tenures: Finn Balor and Bayley. While Bayley is still on SmackDown, Balor returned to NXT, where he had the most success. Everyone was elated for 'The Demon King' to return home, but he shocked the world once more by attacking another face (Johnny Gargano) instead of the heel it appeared he'd be squaring off against (Adam Cole).

Heel or face turns can help freshen things up for a stagnant star and sometimes those turns can catapult a wrestler further than ever before. Bayley had won titles before she recently turned heel, but her character lacked an edge. Balor had that edge, but it was usually only brought out in 'Demon' form for PPV spots.

With the WWE Draft resetting the rosters for both shows, there was a need to have some changes in character. Some moves were also made toward the end of summer. While some turns may not pan out, some will certainly prove to be successful. Rather than grades, I've given the recent heel turns on RAW, SmackDown, and NXT either a thumbs up or a thumbs down.

#7 The Kabuki Warriors - Thumbs Up

Upon debuting for SmackDown following WrestleMania 35, Kairi Sane was immediately thrust into a tag team with Asuka. For her entire WWE career, she has been a lovable face and almost like a huggable Japanese version of Bayley. Sane was always smiling and leaning heavy into her 'Pirate Princess' gimmick.

Asuka did have a brief turn in NXT after a dominant run as NXT Women's Champion, but it was more so due to overconfidence than straight up heeling. Both women have been among the top faces in WWE, but recently went through a heel turn in the middle of their title match with Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross.

In order to win the tag titles, Asuka misted Nikki Cross, leading to The Kabuki Warriors winning the titles. They leaned even further into heel territory by misting manager Paige shortly after winning those belts. There aren't many top heels left on RAW after the Draft, so turning Asuka and Sane was something that needed to be done. 'The Empress of Tomorrow' is simply better as a maniacal heel.

#6 Randy Orton - Thumbs Down

Will he RKO you or will he leave you alone?

It is understandable that due to Brock Lesnar moving to RAW by virtue of quitting SmackDown, some Superstars needed to be turned face. Seth Rollins vs. Brock Lesnar has been done to death this year and isn't a feud that needs to be revisited at the present. The face side is so lacking that Rey Mysterio, perhaps the smallest opponent for Lesnar since Zach Gowen, is getting a shot at the WWE Championship.

In order to balance the cards on RAW, Randy Orton recently turned face by aiding Ricochet and Humberto Carrillo against The OC. Orton is still a top star and one of the most popular performers in the company. The main problem is that he's turned so many times that it lessens any turns he makes. Also, there isn't much difference between heel Orton and face Orton other than who he faces in feuds. He might be a little more devious with his attacks, but Orton still hits people with "RKOs outta nowhere" and doesn't change much else.

Lesnar and Orton have already feuded in the past when 'The Beast' bloodied 'The Legend Killer' at SummerSlam a few years back. While a likely feud would play on that history, a better route could have been to turn Drew McIntyre face. He's been stagnant as a top heel due to never really getting a consistent run as - pardon the pun - the big dog on RAW. Orton's had his time atop WWE and McIntyre could have used a face turn to eventually challenge Lesnar for the title. Those are the main reasons Orton's turn gets a thumbs down.

#5 Io Shirai - Thumbs Up

Instead of waiting until the main roster for a big heel turn, Io Shirai accomplished the act over the summer. Unable to cope with failing to defeat Shayna Baszler for the NXT Women's Championship, Shirai simply snapped and went to the dark side by attacking former friend Candice LeRae.

Gone was the happy-go-lucky, smiling woman known for carrying a mask to the ring. Shirai became an unhinged banshee with screams and manic movements when coming to the ring. Her entrance to the song "Scary Mask" on a recent episode of NXT suited her new persona as a relentless woman who doesn't care about anyone or anything.

Many of the current women in NXT have already unsuccessfully challenged Shayna Baszler for the title, but using that loss as an impetus for a heel turn did wonders for Shirai. She was already one of the best female wrestlers in the world, but as a heel, she's even scarier. If Baszler wasn't the top heel for the NXT women, then Shirai would be.

NXT is currently loaded with talented women, but it would be a shame for 'The Genius of the Sky' to join the main roster without winning the title at some point. The heel turn might be the reason why she could win the title if/when 'The Queen of Spades' finally moves up to either RAW or SmackDown.

#4 Sasha Banks - Thumbs Up

Prior to Bayley turning heel, Sasha Banks returned from a hiatus after SummerSlam. While it initially seemed as if she would be a face once again, Banks instead flipped the script by attacking Natalya during a segment on RAW. Fresh with a new hair color, it made natural sense for Banks to return to being a heel.

For the last couple of years, Banks has been a face alongside the likes of Bayley and Becky Lynch, but sometimes things just need to change. By changing her hair, her alignment, and her theme song, 'The Boss' has sold the heel turn very well. She's better as an arrogant braggart complete with gaudy jewelry and flashy clothes.

Once she was drafted to SmackDown, however, it made things seem strange since the two top women on the show were friends and heels. It also foreshadowed that one of the recent turns wouldn't last very long, if the two are to face off over the title down the road.

While Banks is good at being a face due to being one of the smaller women in the company, it's often the attitude that helps sell the character even better. Alexa Bliss is also smaller, but is brilliant at selling the arrogance of a smaller heel. The two women are on different sides of the coin on the Blue Brand, but Banks as a heel just feels right.

#3 Charlotte Flair - Thumbs Down

Lynch needed an ally when challenging the heel Kabuki Warriors.

Much like Orton, any time that Charlotte Flair "turns" it doesn't seem as monumental as when others do. When she is a heel she's usually loud and a braggart while also spewing rhetoric about being better than everyone else.

As a face, she talks a little less. Similar to Orton's turns, the main things that change are the opponents they face rather than tweaks in character. If she had a promo where she claimed that her constant bragging about being superior might have been misguided at times, then it would at least sell being a face. Even acknowledging through a promo that Becky Lynch has done wonders for the company would have at least given her a shred of being a wiser 'Queen.'

Claiming to be better than everyone and shoving it in their face is her thing, but after the WWE Draft, bookers wanted Flair as a face until the inevitable showdown with Lynch. Flair has her section of fans regardless of whether she is a bad guy or a good guy, but subtle changes help to sell heel/face turns. When nothing is done, it doesn't really seem different to most astute fans.

#2 Finn Balor - Thumbs Up

Balor went back to the past to secure his future.

Arguably the biggest turn in all of WWE this year was Finn Balor's. After he was demolished by The Fiend at SummerSlam, Balor took some time off before returning. When he did return, however, it was as a member of NXT rather than as a member of RAW or SmackDown. He wasn't referenced during the WWE Draft, as his shock return to the Yellow and Black brand was saved for NXT's debut on USA.

While Finn Balor didn't turn right away, it still made the turn even more brilliant. It appeared as if he would be targeting Adam Cole since he had the NXT Championship. Cole was also the first person Balor crossed paths with upon his return, but once some other people also stood up to The Undisputed Era (Johnny Gargano and Tomasso Ciampa), it appeared as if Cole had a full plate. Instead of attacking Cole, Balor did so to 'Johnny Wrestling,' turning heel in the process.

The former NXT Champion hasn't outright blasted the fans like most people do when they turn heel. Instead, he has directed his ire towards the newer generation of NXT stars like Johnny Gargano.

His heel turn was done brilliantly, but one way that would have helped to sell it better would have been during his entrance. Instead of playing to the crowd and putting his hands up during various points of his entrance theme, Balor should have stopped doing that. It would have fully cemented the heel turn. When people turn and don't blast the fans, it doesn't seem like a full turn. Regardless, Balor's turn was needed and has been done well.

#1 Bayley - Thumbs Up

Bayley's heel turn was perhaps the most necessary one on this slide show. For her entire WWE run, she's been the epitome of a face - she loves the fans, always does what's right, and fights her way up from the bottom.

Bayley has been stepped on by many of the women as they've ascended to the top, including the likes of Flair, Bliss, and almost everyone in between. Her initial turn was aided by the return of her best friend, The Boss. While nothing changed visually about the former hugger, she did start exhibiting heel tendencies. She cheated to defeat Flair at Clash of Champions and still felt justified towards the fans with her questionable actions.

The turn was complete when the current SmackDown Women's Champion not only completely changed her attitude, but also her look. She cut her hair and destroyed the inflated Bayley Buddies that have been synonymous with her ever since debuting in WWE. The former hugger now told the crowd that she didn't care about them and that she would only be looking out for herself. Sure, it's the usual rhetoric after a heel turn, but it was true in spades for Bayley. Her theme song also changed from an upbeat song to an emo-sounding anthem.

If there was one star who truly needed a turn, it was Bayley. It has led her to another reign as SmackDown Women's Champion and the top spot on the Blue Brand. She's even started using a different finishing move. Everything that she has changed has helped to make the heel turn even more believable. Had she only done half of those things, it wouldn't have seemed as effective.

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