A well-timed betrayal can turn a good story into a legendary one. These are the heel turns that fans and writers most often rank among the most shocking in WWE history. Some outlets also count Hulk Hogan’s 1996 nWo turn, which happened in WCW, so it is mentioned at the end rather than ranked.
- John Cena turns on Cody Rhodes (2025). At Elimination Chamber on March 1, 2025, Cena betrayed Cody Rhodes and aligned with The Rock, turning heel for the first time in about 20 years. He went on to win a record 17th world title at WrestleMania 41. Our look at how Cena changed WWE covers the rest of his career.
- Seth Rollins turns on The Shield (2014). On the June 2, 2014 Raw, Rollins revealed himself as Triple H’s “Plan B” and hit Roman Reigns with a steel chair, then joined The Authority.
- Shawn Michaels superkicks Marty Jannetty (1992). On the Barber Shop segment, Michaels superkicked his tag partner and threw him through a window, ending The Rockers and launching his singles career.
- Triple H turns on Shawn Michaels (2002). When Michaels returned from injury, Triple H hit him with a Pedigree, setting up their SummerSlam 2002 street fight.
- Roman Reigns aligns with Paul Heyman (2020). After returning at SummerSlam, Reigns aligned with Heyman and became the “Tribal Chief.” Read how the Bloodline changed his career.
- Andre the Giant joins the Heenan Family (1987). Andre had been one of Hulk Hogan’s closest allies, and his turn set up their WrestleMania III showdown.
- Randy Savage turns on Hulk Hogan (1989). The Mega Powers exploded, and the split fueled one of the biggest feuds of the era.
- Stone Cold sides with Mr. McMahon (2001). The Texas Rattlesnake’s alliance with his long-time rival stunned the audience.
Honorable Mentions
Hulk Hogan’s turn at WCW Bash at the Beach 1996, when he joined the nWo, is often called the most shocking of all, though it happened outside WWE. The Montreal Screwjob is also regularly cited, even though it is not a traditional heel turn. Rankings vary and the order above is subjective.
Sources: ESPN, GiveMeSport, Yahoo Sports, Cultaholic, Sports Illustrated.