The Masterclasses of Betrayal: 5 Best Heel Turns at WWE WrestleMania

With each passing day that inches closer to WrestleMania 42, the excitement levels intensify among fans. The lineup is becoming increasingly clear as to who will be featured on the highly anticipated card, following last week’s episode of SmackDown, where two additional matches were officially announced. 

First, it was announced that Drew McIntyre will clash with Jacob Fatu, in what is set to be a brutal encounter as the two will compete in an Unsanctioned Match. The second bout was set for the United States Championship as Trick Williams will face Sami Zayn, following Zayn’s title win over Carmelo Hayes. 

This past Monday on Raw also saw four major additions added to the card. Gunther will square off against Seth Rollins, while Finn Balor will be taking on Dominik Mysterio. The Men’s Intercontinental Championship will be on the line in a Ladder match between current champion Penta, Je’Von Evans, Rusev, Dragon Lee, and JD McDonagh. 

And finally, it was announced that Nia Jax and Lash Legend will defend their Tag Team Championships in a Fatal Four-Way match against Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss, The Bella Twins, and the team of Lyra Valkyria & Bayley. 

But matches aren’t the only big news of the week, as it was also announced that 17-time World Champion John Cena will be hosting this year’s WrestleMania. This appearance will mark the first time that Cena will step foot inside the ring following his retirement match on December 13, 2025, against Gunther. 

While fans are looking forward to the matches that have already been set and those soon to be revealed, alongside the recent news of Cena hosting, there is another element that has fans’ interest: potential heel turns. 

Throughout WWE history, there have only been nine major heel turns that have taken place at WrestleMania. Since the last time fans witnessed a heel turn was eight years ago at WrestleMania 34, an argument can easily be made that now is the perfect time to create that kind of shock-value moment.

Many believe the Night 2 main event between CM Punk and Roman Reigns is the perfect stage for a heel turn. Despite some fan pushback, some believe The Rock might return at WrestleMania to plant the seeds for a one-on-one showdown with Reigns for next year. This would naturally open the door for a Punk heel turn, injecting some much-needed edge into a babyface character that some critics argue has grown stale.

The good guys don’t just write history; often, it’s the villains who steal the show, and there is nothing quite like the electric atmosphere of a packed stadium when a beloved hero decides to cross over to the dark side. We will be diving deep into the most iconic heel turns to have taken place in WrestleMania history, narrowing a long list of legendary betrayals down to the top five. Let’s start this off.

5. Shinsuke Nakamura: WrestleMania 34 

We are kicking off our list with the most recent heel turn to take place. Shinsuke Nakamura, following his Royal Rumble victory, decided to take on a former rival he had faced and defeated during his time in NJPW: AJ Styles. 

While some billed the match as “The Dream Match” for the WWE Championship, it unfortunately failed to live up to the expectations set by their legendary encounter in Japan. What transpired next, however, would leave the crowd stunned. Immediately after losing clean, Nakamura knelt, presenting Styles with the title belt that he had just retained. But just as it looked like a class act, Nakamura suddenly delivered a low blow. 

This turn made the list for the shocking visual it presented. Most fans wanted to see Nakamura win gold, so his losing and showing a sign of respect to Styles was seen as an expected display of honor.

The sudden betrayal stunned the crowd into silence and became the defining moment of the match. Nakamura’s face persona had also grown stale, and this turn revitalized him, unlocking a more aggressive and edgier character that fueled an intense, successful multi-month feud with Styles.

4. Trish Stratus: WrestleMania 20 

Next on our list, we have Trish Stratus. Her heel turn took place not in a match where she was competing, but during a bout involving the two men she was entangled with in a love triangle storyline: Chris Jericho and Christian.

The initial turn happened at the end of the match, when Stratus appeared to try to help Jericho, but instead “accidentally” elbowed him. This maneuver gave Christian the opening he needed to win the match. In the aftermath, Trish cemented her betrayal by repeatedly slapping Jericho before leaving the ring with Christian. The final visual was of Christian and Trish kissing on the ramp while a devastated Jericho looked on from the ring.

This heel turn was the perfect dramatic moment, especially during that time. It provided an unforgettable end to a masterfully crafted five-month love triangle storyline that the crowd was heavily invested in, making it one of the most iconic, heart-wrenching moments in WrestleMania history. This move helped propel Stratus, a long-time babyface, toward the highlight of her career: her dominant 448-day run as Women’s Champion. 

3. Triple H: WrestleMania 15

Our next entry features a heel turn involving Triple H. This didn’t happen in a match he was competing in, but rather one featuring his fellow D-Generation X member, X-Pac, who was facing The Corporation’s Shane McMahon for the European Championship. There was an interesting element for this heel turn, one that separates it from the rest on this list.

Earlier in the night, Chyna betrayed The Corporation, seemingly reuniting with Triple H and DX. But later on, when Triple H and Chyna appeared during X-Pac’s match to assist him, Triple H delivered his signature Pedigree. This move helped Shane win the match and marked Triple H’s official defection to The Corporation.

This turn earns its spot on the list because it was the exact moment that paved the way for Triple H to become a main-event player and the multi-time World Champion fans grew to love. Before this night, Triple H was the highly popular babyface leader of DX. Afterward, he transformed into the corporate, cutthroat “Game” persona that would dominate the WWE landscape for the next ten years. 

2.“Stone Cold” Steve Austin: WrestleMania 17 

The next heel turn on this list is arguably the most stunning conclusion in WrestleMania history, while also standing as one of the most shocking heel turns in WWE. It involved “Stone Cold” Steve Austin at WrestleMania 17, toward the end of the main event bout against The Rock for the WWE Championship. 

As the match escalated in brutality during a ferocious No Disqualification bout, Austin grew increasingly desperate. Just as his longtime enemy Vince McMahon arrived ringside, McMahon, rather than attacking Austin, handed him a chair that Austin would then use to throttle The Rock with, leading to his win. Following his victory, Austin shook hands with the now former CEO, in what was described by fans as “shaking hands with the devil himself.”

This heel turn was so shocking because for the better part of four years, Austin and McMahon had been engaged in a violent, bitter feud that defined the Attitude Era. Houston fans were desperate to see their hometown hero, Austin, win the WWE Championship, and to see him transform into a villain and align with McMahon was the ultimate gut punch. 

While many fans debate the long-term success of having the “Texas Rattlesnake” as a heel because fans didn’t want to boo him, the moment of Austin teaming up with McMahon is the wrestling equivalent of Batman aligning with the Joker. 

1. Bret Hart: WrestleMania 13 

The number one spot on this list belongs to the “Hitman”, Bret Hart, who was involved in a brutal No Disqualification Submission Match against “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. Many journalists and fans consider this bout to be the most perfectly executed in-ring storytelling of all time, unique because the “Double Turn” took place during the match. 

Hart was entering this match as the babyface whom fans cheered but were growing tired of, similar to the reactions John Cena and Roman Reigns would receive years later. Meanwhile, Austin was booed as the despised villain.

As the match progressed, the dynamic flipped; Hart grew increasingly reckless while Austin played the hero, refusing to tap out to the Sharpshooter. Austin eventually passed out, but not before being cheered by the crowd as a courageous warrior.  Following the match, Hart solidified his new heel persona by berating the fans and special referee Ken Shamrock. 

This bout earns number one on the list because this moment created the perfect transition dynamic for both wrestlers. Both men entered the ring with one alignment and walked out the exact opposite: Hart became a bitter, self-righteous heel, while Austin became the beloved babyface. Fans made a complete flip in who they cheered and booed solely because of the masterclass storytelling in the ring.

Unexpected heel turns are one of the most awesome things about WrestleMania, and throughout history, it has been proven that this event isn’t always sunshine and rainbows. It’s also a place where superstars realize that under the brightest lights, you sometimes have to make the darkest decisions. 

This list proved that, and at WrestleMania 42, CM Punk may have to make the ultimate decision as to whether he wants to continue doing things pridefully, while risking the loss of his title. Or, does he potentially sell his soul to the “Final Boss,” The Rock, in order to keep what he feels belongs to him?