What if Shane McMahon is the next WWE Champion?

2. Shane McMahon’s a heel for a while

Shane McMahon winning the title is likely to cement his heel status for years to come.

There are those times when WWE engages with short term turns to experiment or fill a void in the card. Consider Braun Strowman or Nia Jax each edging heel when the show demanded it opposite Roman Reigns and Ronda Rousey, respectively.

For Shane McMahon, though, a heel turn would mean more than a simple, short storyline contrivance. In booking him to win the World Cup the way he did, WWE seemed to acknowledge the simmering disdain hardcore fans have had for him in recent years.

Yes, it was a huge deal to see Shane-O-Mac first return to WWE, and immediately get slotted in a Hell in a Cell Match with The Undertaker. Neither that match, nor any of McMahon’s other in ring efforts since have been particularly good (or at least good in a way that can be credited to McMahon).

The general consensus is that fans feel like he’s taking the spotlight and big match opportunities away from more deserving talents.

So, if WWE does go full throttle into this heel turn, especially with a title reign, we can assume that they’re not looking to turn back anytime soon—McMahon will join the rest of his family as a default heel for years to come.