WWE: Ranking the top 5 heel turns of 2019

4. Seth Rollins

Some will say that Seth Rollins was primed for a heel turn after his tweets or his poorly-received match with The Fiend at Hell in a Cell, but we can’t really point to a singular moment where the fanbase turned on Rollins. We can use words like “overpushed” to describe Seth, but that doesn’t fit precisely either.

The reality is that Rollins is a better heel than a face, and the fans know it. He had a great run as a babyface in 2018 and the first half of 2019, but WWE didn’t give him a chance to shine as Universal Champion after WrestleMania 35 beyond a brief feud with AJ Styles.

Now, Rollins is at his best as a heel after turning on the fans and the locker room after Survivor Series, sealing the turn with his heinous attack on Kevin Owens. Rollins’ promos carry so much more weight as a heel, and he does all the little things right as a villain. From callously beating Rey Mysterio to his Mortal Kombat “finish him” to the Authors of Pain in their beat down of Samoa Joe, Rollins just *gets it* as a heel.

3. Dakota Kai

In the moment, Dakota Kai’s heel turn at NXT TakeOver WarGames was one of the most exhilarating moments of the year. The crowd was in absolute shock when Kai betrayed Rhea Ripley’s team, because she was one of the most beloved babyfaces in NXT. At one point, she looked like a sleeper to take the NXT Women’s Championship off Shayna Baszler after being bullied by her in 2018.

Kai’s acting ability made her one of the most effective babyfaces in NXT, as she could project so much genuine emotion to the fans. And she’s done exactly that as a heel, showing even more passion and range in this role. She could be headed for a spectacular 2020 and is already poised to be involved in two interesting storylines with Tegan Nox and Rhea Ripley.