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

#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.