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Over the last few months, a lot of wrestlers have switched up their alignments. While usually, only a few happen per year, at least eight wrestlers have undergone a heel/face change within the last few months.
Some were necessitated when Roman Reigns had to step away from the WWE to deal with his leukaemia.
With Raw's alleged top face no longer around, creative jump-started a few face and heel turns to hopefully make up for the loss of Roman.
Braun Strowman returned to the face side and was joined by the ultra-popular Elias.
Bobby Lashley and Dean Ambrose switched to the heel side of things, helping to refresh each performer's character.
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And on Smackdown, two of the top performers in their respective divisions, Daniel Bryan and Becky Lynch, turned heel.
In Becky's case, it was in name only as she was continuously cheered like the second coming of Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Just how effective have the recent shifts in character been? How successful will they be going forward?
Dean Ambrose
HOW HE/SHE TURNED: Ever since Ambrose returned to stand in Seth Rollins' corner at Summerslam, everyone and their mother was expecting Ambrose to eventually turn on his brother.
While he didn't do so right away, the two lost and regained the Raw Tag Team titles from Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre.
Almost immediately after winning the belts the second time, Ambrose completed the turn everyone expected when he laid out Rollins.
He had stayed away from the ring ever since, entering through the crowd on one Raw while burning his former Shield vest outside in another promo.
With TLC approaching, it was announced on Raw that Ambrose and Rollins would battle for the Intercontinental Title at TLC.
GRADE: B
PROGNOSIS GOING FORWARD: It will be easier to judge how effective Ambrose's turn is once he enters a feud with someone other than Rollins.
They'll always be linked to each other because of the Shield and thus will feud more than any two wrestlers should.
If he's just as intense in another feud against say, Elias or Finn Balor, then it could easily jump to an A. His unpredictability and mind games are what made him so popular on the independent scene.
CARMELLA
HOW HE/SHE TURNED: It wasn't as defined as Ambrose's turn, but Carmella's turn was more of the slow-burn variety.
Throughout weeks leading up to the Mixed Match Challenge, R Truth would have 'miscommunications' with Carmella.
He thought he'd get a title shot by beating her and he called her Maryse a few times.
After weeks of frustration, Carmella was in R Truth's corner when he faced the Miz in the main event of a Smackdown episode.
With that match, she officially turned face and if that wasn't convincing, it was confirmed on Truth TV when they'd have fun and random dance breaks on the show.
GRADE: B
PROGNOSIS GOING FORWARD: Carmella's run as the top heel on Smackdown was kind of a mess.
The way she won her feuds over Charlotte Flair and Asuka were comical, and not in a good way.
While it is true that the only logical way she could have beaten either of the aforementioned women was with outside interference, it completely lessened her impact as a heel champion.
The screeching, arrogant heel work was more grating than effective and her offence of a top heel wasn't too believable against two of the best women in the WWE.
Once she lost the title at Summerslam, it allowed her a chance to revamp her character and it has worked wonderfully.
She's much more likeable at R Truth's side and her dance breaks are often highlights of battle royals or matches.
She might still struggle to make it back to the title scene but she's a good role player when they need her to be.
She might be better suited for a title reign down the road once she builds up more of a move set rather than rest moves and kicks.
ELIAS
HOW HE/SHE TURNED: On the same night Roman left, Elias turned to a face.
He tried to have his concert on top of the entrance ramp but was continually told to get off the stage by Acting Raw General Manager Baron Corbin.
After he left the stage to everyone's chagrin, he returned to bash a guitar over the Lone Wolf's head.
The following week on Raw, Elias set up shop outside of Corbin's office and continually serenaded Corbin with songs of his incompetence.
Since then, he's engaged in a feud with Bobby Lashley and his child manager, Lio Rush.
His call to social services was hilarious.
GRADE: A
PROGNOSIS GOING FORWARD: People were already cheering for Elias and he was routinely getting some of the loudest reactions regardless of being a heel or face.
It only seemed natural that he would become a fan favourite rather than a heel getting cheered like a face.
He also is among some of the top merchandise sellers in WWE, so it made sense to make him a face.
He's also feuded with almost every face on Raw (Rollins, Bobby Roode, Finn Balor, Lashley before the turn) so a face turn is refreshing.
With Rollins likely to lose the Intercontinental Title to Ambrose and Brock Lesnar as Universal Champion, the two top champions on Raw are bad guys.
If Ambrose wins the title and holds it until next April, he'll need a face challenger.
Finn Balor or Elias would both be perfect options and each is more than ready for a title run.
BRAUN STROWMAN
HOW HE/SHE TURNED: Like Elias, Braun effectively returned to the side of the faces when Roman had to relinquish the Universal Title.
His partnership with Drew McIntyre and Dolph Ziggler was over and it was McIntyre who had the last laugh with his Claymore kick after they lost their rematch from Super Showdown.
The week after Roman made his announcement, Braun said that even though they've battled a lot recently, he'd get the title shot whenever he came back.
Giving props to a former enemy essentially made Braun a face in creative's eyes, but he'd always been a fan favorite regardless.
GRADE: C
PROGNOSIS GOING FORWARD:No matter how Braun has been booked, whether good guy or bad guy, the fans have cheered for him.
Turning him heel to face Roman for the title didn't really work. The same portion of the crowd that always booed Roman still did so, especially once the Brock Lesnar feud was over.
Although sometimes crazy, Braun's feats of lifting an ambulance, pushing over a truck and pushing a dumpster off the stage have had the fans cheering him more than anything.
The cheers just got a little louder when it was announced that Braun would face Brock for the Universal Title at Crown Jewel.
For whatever reason, Braun ended up losing the match.
He has another match with Brock at the Royal Rumble, but the jury is out to if he will even be able to compete.
He'll have a gimmick match with Baron Corbin at TLC if he can return in time and then the match with the always physical Lesnar at the Rumble.
If he can't make either match, it'll stall his momentum and he might just remain hugely popular huge guy who can't (or won't be given) the big one.
NIA JAX
HOW HE/SHE TURNED: Jax is the new Big Show in terms of times she's waffled back and forth between good and bad.
She was a face when she won the Raw Women's Title at Wrestlemania 34 but was effectively turned heel to feud with Ronda Rousey.
She was a face again before Evolution, having matches alongside 'friend' Ember Moon.
Since she won the battle royale at Evolution and would once again have to challenge Rousey for the title, she would have to be switched back to a heel.
She did so by attacking 'friend' Ember Moon after she effectively squashed her in a match on Raw recently.
She formed a partnership with Tamina and they both continued to attack Moon.
She also is the main person responsible for Becky Lynch having to take time off to heal her 'broken face'. Jax' punch put Becky on the shelf and postponed her showdown with Rousey.
Her actions at Survivor Series led to Sasha Banks, her teammate, getting eliminated, leaving Jax as the sole survivor.
GRADE: D
PROGNOSIS GOING FORWARD: Like Big Show, Jax has switched allegiances more times than Charlie or Mac do when they're having a gang argument on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
She's not getting booed out of the building because of her heel work but because she deprived the world of getting to see Lynch and Rousey battle at Survivor Series.
It was the hottest feud currently going and Nia's carelessness might actually be a blessing in disguise.
Jax has also had hurtful botches against Charlotte Flair and Bayley that led to the latter missing time with a shoulder injury.
Since the two women's champs were having such a great feud, it might postpone it until Wrestlemania 35.
When you get booed for the wrong reasons, it might be considered a failure, but I'm sure the WWE will take Jax getting booed any way they can.
Here's hoping she doesn't hurt Rousey so that the match can still happen in April.
BOBBY LASHLEY
HOW HE/SHE TURNED: When Lashley returned to the WWE the night after Wrestlemania 34, he came back as a face.
It worked but only for a short time.
He wasn't having success in carrying his side of feuds with Elias and Sami Zayn on the mic. He even beat Roman Reigns but lost when a title shot was on the line.
Creative tried to get Lashley over by pairing him with Lio Rush, but Rush constantly talking during Bobby's matches was more annoying than anything.
Lashley effectively turned heel when he ruthlessly attacked Kevin Owens during a match of theirs on Raw in Chicago.
The crowd was already cheering Owens as the face before Lio Rush opened his annoying mouth.
It was cemented when he sent Owens to the DL with knee injuries.
Since then, he's been bullying guys like Elias and Finn Balor.
He was also a sole survivor on Team Raw at Survivor Series and participated in the post-match beat-down that sent Braun Strowman to the hospital for surgery.
GRADE: C
PROGNOSIS GOING FORWARD: Lashley's return has been somewhat of a jumbled mess.
All he did was smile relentlessly and say 'My Man'.
Finn Balor and Apollo Crews already had cornered the market on 'guy who is good at wrestling and who smiles.'
Lashley just didn't have the charisma as a solo act and his face run was as good as getting kicked in your privates.
Becoming a heel is better suited for Lashley's skill set. He's strong, muscular and relatively bland in the personality department.
His poses are narcissistic and having a loud chihuahua like Lio Rush speak for him has been more effective than Lashley was for himself.
Being a powerhouse bully has worked wonders for Brock Lesnar and Lashley is effectively Lesnar without the title runs. And without Heyman.
Look at what Heyman has done for Lesnar. Some people should stay away from speaking on a microphone and Lashley has proven that he is certainly one of them.
BECKY LYNCH
HOW HE/SHE TURNED: Becky had been winning matches throughout the late spring in early summer months.
Since she was on such a hot streak that she was in line for a Smackdown Women's title shot against Carmella at Summerslam.
As is usual, Charlotte Flair was thrust into the program/match and eventually won the belt at Summerslam.
It came across as the female Roman Reigns getting another title shot but this time, it was at the expense of her best friend and someone who had worked tirelessly throughout the year to get back on top.
Right after the two friends hugged in the middle of the ring, Lynch attacked Charlotte and the fans cheered her for it.
They were clearly behind Becky before and after it.
Lynch then won the belt off Charlotte at Hell in A Cell the next month.
She continued to attack Charlotte inside and outside of the ring but was still cheered for it.
GRADE: F
PROGNOSIS GOING FORWARD:The grade is more so for WWE's insistence on trying to make Lynch a heel and not for Lynch's work.
In WWE's mind, fans shouldn't be cheering for Becky against someone like Charlotte.
It's how they think fans should have cheered for Roman Reigns regardless of the amount of chances and title shots he kept getting before his departure.
You can't tell the fans who to like. Piping in the crowd response you want just makes the fans cheer/boo more for whomever they want.
Becky has always been the more likable of the two because of her attitude and grit. She also hasn't had the number of title reigns (7-1 before Hell in a Cell) that Flair has had.
It's like the Daniel Bryan/Randy Orton comparison. One guy is just naturally more likable than the other.
The same is true about Becky and Charlotte.
Even though she was technically a heel, she was cheered for everything she did. It even helped sell the feud with Ronda Rousey.
They should have kept her as more of a tweener, but she will be cheered no matter what she does.
You just can't force your opinions on those who ultimately cheer or boo the performers.
DANIEL BRIAN
HOW HE/SHE TURNED: Instead of eternally feuding with the Miz, Bryan set his sights again on the WWE Championship.
He had a match against AJ Styles before Crown Jewel and lost. The match was great but Bryan felt he still had unfinished business with the Phenomenal One.
During the build to Survivor Series and a match between Styles and Lesnar, Paul Heyman appeared on Raw and mentioned that he thought Bryan was better in the ring than Styles.
Styles retorted that he respects Bryan but would always beat him when they fought.
Bryan stormed the ring and attacked Styles after they exchanged words and they fought later in the night.
During the match, the ref was knocked down. Bryan took advantage, hit Styles below the belt and won the WWE Championship.
His devilish grins told us a story that he was changing, but it wasn't completed until his promo about the 'Death of the Yes Movement' this week on Smackdown.
GRADE: B-
PROGNOSIS GOING FORWARD: Bryan's turn is so fresh in our minds, it's still weird to think of him as both a heel and the WWE Champion.
He's always been synonymous with hardworking, every-man face but perhaps that's why his turn was necessary.
Him battling off all challengers would still work as a face because he's usually always seen as an underdog.
He advocated for the turn himself and is just as effective as a condescending heel that can back things up in the ring even if he is underdog.
Probably the only person who could have helped him turn heel was the most popular guy on the show in AJ Styles.
I've said in the past, if you want anyone to turn heel, have them attack Bryan.
I guess that's true now with Styles.
Bryan's success as a heel will ultimately be determined by the quality of his opponents going forward and ultimately by his challenger at Wrestlemania 35.
