Greatest Heel Turn of all time and WHY?

[Doomsday Device]

My personal favorite of all time, has to be the Barbershop segment between Marty and Shawn. The Rocker break up.

Not only was this shocking, it had so many elements of realness in it. Shawn and Marty were legit partners, they even lived together. And also, they couldnt stand eachother at the end, in real life. When I saw Shawn come out in that segment wearing all black, I knew something was going to go down. Because usually the heels, back in those days, mostly wore black.

That kick, and then the plate glass window, man that was cool.

I know perhaps others will say the Hogan heel turn for the nWo as their favorite, which is understandable, seeing where it took WCW after that. But the Barbershop segment between Marty and Shawn will always be my most favorite heel turn segment of all time.

 

[rayisawesomeness]

Chris Jericho's heel turn in 2008 when he threw Shawn Michaels' head through the Jeritron. It was the beginning of the amazing (and ongoing) heel Chris Jericho who is the current World Heavyweight Champion. It was also the start of my personal favorite feud of all time between Jericho and Michaels which I HIGHLY prefer over their amazing 2003 feud. Good topic.

 

[LongHessa]

Bret Hart's turn on America, hands down. It lead to so many great feuds in 1997 between the Hart Foundation and many others and it all seemed quite real. Plus, it hadn't been done before. He played the role to perfection.

 

[Moda B Turki]

i'll just go with 3 turns.
1- Shawn michaels turns on marty, noone would just blieved that XD ,,

2-i think hogan comes 2nd for turning on the NWO ..

3-cm punk turns on Jeff hardy back in 09.

Great topic btw XD

 

[T2KFreeker]

Hate to say it, but it was Hogan turning at Bash at the Beach into the nWo. I am not a Hogan mark, but him turning heel changed the wrestling industry and shook the fans. WCW was on top for quite some time all because Hogan turned heel and got people wondering even more. You had to tune into WCW just to see if it was real or if someone was full of it.

 

[Marko Markovic]

Hogans just because it was most unexpected of them all.Who would believe that would happen?I think that on that day all the kids in America who watched wrestling cryed.

Micheals heel turn was not that great to me because he wasnt big name back then(only as one part of the "The Rockers").He was great after "The Rockers" though

I dont know why you say "Jerichos heel turn" when we all knew that he was gona be heel after all that rant on Michaels because of Ric Flair retirement?He is great as heel now(perhapse even best in WWE now) but it wasnt greatest because everyone expected it to happen

 

[Heater41]

I guess I am showing my age but by far it was Larry Zybysko turning on his mentor, Bruno Sammartino. This was before the internet, before spoilers and shocked every fan in the wrestling world. From week to week you could see the frustration on Zybysko's face but that may have set the bar for heel turns in the industry.

 

[Jetspete]

Cena would need a much better heel turn than a raw promo. This is a topic that is discussed regularly, so im surprised the moderators didnt merge it with a previous incarnation of the topic. In order for a heel turn to be truly historic it has to be jaw dropping, yet believable (austin joining mcmahon was not), and alter the course of wrestling history for years into the future. It should also take place at a major event, not a Raw/weekend show. HBK, Hogan and steph are all great choices. My vote is for Paul Bearer turning on the Undertaker at SummerSlam 1996. Mankind had been victimizing taker for months, and for taker marks like myself Slam was going to be his revenge. Bearer costing him the match in the epic Boiler Room Brawl was stunning. Plus it set up the eventual introduction of Kane a year later.

 

[DiscipleofWrestling]

For greatest heel turn, I have to go with the Hogan Bash at the Beach heel turn. It was such a shocker to the fans who knew Hogan only as the Red and Yellow Hulk Hogan. When Hogan dropped the leg on Savage and joined with Hall and Nash, it changed the game for the entire industry. It showed how serious WCW was to beating WWF, and it helped create the boom that WCW experienced for the next two and a half years.

 

[Crippler CrossFace]

I don't really think this is up for debate. Sure other heel turns can be other people's favorites and I'm not gonna hate on anyone's opinion.

When you are talking greatest heel turn of all time I would have to say Hogan turning heel at Bash at the Beach. For me this is my earliest memory of wrestling. I still remember hearing about it the next night on Nitro. It shocked everyone and started the biggest stable in the history of wrestling. Nothing will match the shock value of that heel turn, which in essence is what makes the heel turn memorable.

Unfortunately I doubt that any heel turn will rival anything like the heel turns of the past. The internet and, in my opinion, more importantly the revelation that wrestling is scripted/booked have killed the shock value of every heel turn to come.

 

[brandogg]

Hogan's will probably go down as the most important - followed by Shawn Michaels, then I'd have to say Stone Cold Steve Austin's heel turn at Wrestlemania 17 vs the Rock was pretty great. It led to the "what" chants and all, and was just completely bizarre, like when he would hug Vince and stuff. I thought it was great.

 

[WunNightStan619]

Imma go with austin at WM17 when he alined himself with his longtime hated enemy vince mcmahon..then the next night on Raw, when he alined himself with the man who orcastrated the plot to try n end his career, and the same man he went to war with a month earlier, Triple H....Austin was a great heel

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

Hogan turning heel at Bash at the Beach 96, and it's not even close. This was unheard of, at least with a guy as big as Hogan. Nothing of this magnitude had ever been done before. I remeber when I watched him come down the aisle, I was thinking to myself, "Could he actually be the third guy?" And he was. It was the most shocking thing I had ever seen on a PPV.

I have never been a huge Hogan mark, but this was huge. Hogan is/was the biggest name in pro wrestling (Steve Austin being a close second), and for the "hero" of pro wrestling to turn heel, was unbelievable. This guy WAS the model for a babyface wrestler. This guy got the crowd reaction that every babyface wrestler wanted. People thought, especially during that time period, that this was impossible. Who would have been able to guess that you would watch a crowd throw GARBAGE at Hulk Hogan? Today, it wouldn't be as big a deal, if say Cena turn heel. Only because it's not new (and Cena isn't nearly as over as Hogan was). It wouldn't be as surprising.

That's what was amazing about Hogans heel turn. NO ONE saw it coming. Today, that couldn't happen. The internet would leak it before hand. And even if the story didn't come out before it actually happened, no one would be as surprised as they were in 1996.

 

[Davi323]

Hogan, hands down. Look, Hogan was the undisputed biggest face in the entire wrestling business. He was the ONE person (other than maybe Ricky Steamboat) who was so assuredly a good guy for life, it was completely unfathomable that he would become bad. For a decade, he told his Hulkamaniacs, myself one of them, to train, say our prayers and take our vitamins. Hulk Hogan's heel turn would be like Superman deciding to become a supervillain instead of the worlds greatest superhero. It simply was impossible.

And yet, it happened. Not only did it happen, but it spawned the Monday Night Wars for real. Oh, there had been shots fired by both sides before that, but until Hogan turned, it was a minor skirmish, nothing more. Hogan turning his back on the fans was the single greatest thing that ever happened on a Monday night wrestling show. That was the one heel turn, that had you seen it live, made you go WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED???

 

[DERO1979]

I dont think this is even debate-able. It's Hogan. There's not even a close second. Hogan joining Hall and Nash at Bash at the Beach 1996 was arguably the biggest moment in the history of wrestling. It changed the face of wrestling. It was the birth of the nWo, probably the biggest angle in the history of wrestling. There is so much that came of Hogan's heel turn. Michaels turning on Jannety was a nice springboard for him but it took him YEARS to get to main event status. Hogan turning heel got the WCW ahead of the WWF ahead in ratings for like 2 years. It prompted Vince to start the Attitude Era. It led to the fierce Monday night Wars. It all happened instantly as a result of Hogans turn. WCW was stale before Nash and Hall got there. Hogan turning made it cool. There would not have been a DX an or a Rock if it wasn't for the Hogan heel turn. Austin may have never gotten to the level he did if it weren't for Hogans turns. I'll argue that til the day I die. Hogan's turn impacted wrestling in so many ways that it would take hours to sit and break it all down....

 

[Doomsday Device]

I know that the heel turn Im about to mention now doesnt stand out much in people's minds. But the British Bulldog heel turn was pretty cool. To refresh people's memory. It was British Bulldog and Diesel against Mabel and Mo (check it on youtube). Once Diesel was in the ring, Bulldog clotheslined him from behind and Diesel fell into Mabel's arms. I think this was the same night Luger showed up on the first Nitro. It made sense for Bulldog to turn heel because his good guy gimmick was watered down and worn out. Then after that night he came out with short hair and a different outfit and looked very badass.

See, this is when heel turns had a genuine shock factor to it. I remember feeling the hair on my neck standing as I saw this happen. Now with the internet, tweets and whatnot, we know of heel or face turns WEEKS before they happen. And when we see it, its like meh whatever.

 

[tnarage2]

my favorite heel turn has to be HHH turning on HBK back in 2002. I think this was a terrific heel turn for HHH probably his greatest heel turn of all time. This heel turn was great everyone thought DX was gonna comeback. HBK & HHH doing their usual DX promo then all of a sudden. HHH kicked HBK in the gut and gave him a pedigree. And this was the start of my favorite feud of all time.

 

[killswitch3:16]

I would say doink the clown got the BIGGEST heel turns of all time. I mean look at him, remember him in the royal rumble! Shit, that was freakin awesom

 

[ChrisNutter]

Stone Cold Steve Austin at Wrestlemania 17 alligning with Vince McMahon, totally unexpected and really was something different.

 

[Boxer38]

Mine would have too be, back in mid 2005 when Shawn Michaels turned on Hulk Hogan.
Even though it seemed kind of predicable, well too me it did, for some reason. Too me it was just an awesome thing too witness. Oh and when RAW was in Canada, and Shawn fooled everyone, including me into thinking Bret Hart was returning, was just amazing. I think he played it so well and then again when he fooled everyone into thinking Hogan was coming out to confront him, haha those were some classic moments.

Even though their match at Summerslam was sort of Lackluster, it made history. It would have been better to have Shawn win the match. It just seemed wired that the feud died with having only one match. It was going around that there was supposed to be a rematch with this time having Shawn win but, Hogan didn't like the idea..Prick.
Regardless, it was still a fantastic heel turn for me.

 

[GOAT1216]

As good as Hogan's heel turn at the Bash, there's one that's my absolutely favorite. Back in 1988, in the old Jim Crockett Promotions World Championship Wrestling on TBS, Barry Windham and Lex Luger was defending the NWA Tag straps against the horsemen. No one, I mean no one seen Barry's heel turn as Barry was one of the top faces in the company. When he body slammed Luger inside the ring, gave him a lariat, and walked out with J.J. Dillon, holding up the four fingers...that was beyond classic.

 

[axl626]

Hogan at Bash at the Beach. No contest. Hogan was a tired superhero of a wrestler who was constantly in the main event only to take some time off and return to the biggest turn ever. This made national news and changed wrestling. This, in my opinion and others, started what came to be known as the Attitude era which was not just WWF but all of wrestling.

I made an allusion to another wrestler earlier in this post but I know that he wouldn't have nearly as much of an impact if he makes the turn. Hogan was an icon, this certain guy is a "superstar."

 

[youngbullzeye]

i think what difines a great heel turn is

1 shock value

2 how legit was it

3 the most important how long it is remembered

and with that saidi really dont think thier is any that can top hogan at bash at the beach it had everything it had great shock value it was dont very good and we still talk about it till this day great topic btw

 

[cnmasaki]

The biggest was most definitely Hogan.

The most shocking was Austin aligning himself with McMahon.

The BEST, was the Bret Hart/Steve Austin double switch at Wrestlemania 13. It cemented Steve Austin as a face and created a fantastic heel in Bret Hart. The match put both of them over in a huge way and helped make their respective careers. I've never seen a double switch happen so smoothly and naturally - it was perfect.

Honorable mentions to The Rock switching to the Corporation over Mankind, Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannety, and Stephanie's betrayal against Vince with Triple H.

 

[cena4eva]

I think what everyone mentioned above with Shawn and the Rockers and Hulk were great. I also think Kurt Angle beating up his good friend Eddie Guerrero was freat to. It was a great feud that led up to Wrestlemania 20