WWE: Ranking the top 5 heel turns of 2019

As much as we love to hate heels in WWE, there are few things in wrestling more satisfying than a well-done heel turn. Here were the top five from 2019.

Seth Rollins recently embraced his inner jerk, showing his true colors when he turned on the fans and staged an attack on Kevin Owens. WWE fans were waiting for Rollins to turn heel, but there were several turns in 2019 that caught wrestling fans by surprise.

It’s time to rank the top five heel turns of the year. All five of these turns have led to heel versions of characters that are somehow even better than their babyface versions. These are five of the best wrestlers in the business, and they are being set up for special 2020s.

5. Io Shirai

The best in-ring talent in wrestling over the past two years, Io Shirai turned heel on Candice LeRe in NXT this summer. Shirai was chasing Shayna Baszler in the Queen of Spades’ second NXT Women’s Championship reign, but she felt short. After the loss, a frustrated Shirai attacked LeRae, even though she helped Shirai even the odds by taking out Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke.

Shirai’s heel turn was shocking enough, but what really puts her on the map is her work as a heel. She’s been exceptional, going all-in with a new look and a presence about her that makes her one of the biggest stars in the NXT brand. It won’t be long before Shirai is the NXT Women’s Champion, and fans are clearly seeing why she was one of the absolute best wrestlers in the world at Stardom before joining WWE.