Prior to 1993, Owen Hart had a nondescript career, best known for being the Blue Blazer, a high flying superhero character.
At Survivor Series 1993, Owen was part of team Hart, alongside brothers Bret, Keith and Bruce. The team was victorious, however Owen was eliminated following a collision with Bret. This set Owen off, and after confronting Bret, he challenged him to a match. Bret repeatedly rejected the notion of fighting his brother, and the two reconciled in time for the Royal Rumble, where they had a team team title math vs the Quebecers. Bret had a "knee injury" and was unable to tag Owen in. Eventually the ref called the match on account of Bret not being able to continue. Owen was furious, and he kicked Bret in the leg and stormed off, before giving his famous "and that's why I kicked your leg out of your leg" promo.
The two had a great and long feud, most notably their absolutely awesome opening match at WM X, which to this day is still one of my favorite matches of all time: (highlights and only, couldn't find full match):
Owen shockingly defeated Bret clean, and then had to watch Bret defeat Yokozuna later in the night for the WWF Title. Owen won the KOTR and challenged Bret for the title. Despite not being able to beat Bret for the title, Owen used many tactics. He partnered with Bret's former tag team partner Jim Neidhart. At Survivor Series 1994, he convinced their mother to throw in the towel in Bret's submission match be Bob Backlund, costing him the title.
This turn was memorable Bc it felt real. Owen was a talented wrestler, but he was in the shadow of his older and more successful brother. Both men played their roles to perfection.
Mark Henry had marginal success in his first 15 years in WWE, but he really broke out on 2011 with his "Hall of Pain" gimmick. After a couple of years of multiple injuries (and retirement teases) Henry strongly suggested on social media that he was going to retire on Monday Night Raw.
John Cena was in the ring for a promo, and Henry interrupted, coming down the aisle in a wonderful salmon suit. Cena was initially way of him, but Henry just came out to announce his retirement. He discussed his career, his highs and what he wasn't able to accomplish, to the cheers and chants of the crowd. He mentioned his family and told his little girl that he was finally coming home. Cena came in and held his hand high, before going in for a hug. Henry took the opportunity to give him a World's Strongest Slam. Henry tore off his tie and shirt while yelling at Cena and laying down the challenge for his title.
Henry would fail to win the title, shortly thereafter turn face again, and didn't accomplish much after this title match. So while the longevity isn't there with this turn, the action of the turn itself was top notch.
Batista had a long and successful run as a main event face. In late 2009, and and Rey Mysterio were friends and tag team partners. Batista began to frustrate with losses to JeriShow and what he perceived as Rey stabbing him in the back (by breaking up his pin attempt in a fatal four way match for the WHC). After the match, Batista told Rey he was sick of "friends stabbing him in the back" and "I'm gonna rip your head off." A brutal beatdown of Mysterio ensued. It was great as the "massive heel" vs "undersized face." Batista was much better as a heel imo.
Batista defeated Mysterio, and feuded with Taker and Cena (winning the title briefly) over the next few months before leaving WWE. It was Batistas best run since his program with HHH in 2005.
Looks like he was out for a few weeks, then teased his retirement on twitter and returned to give the promo. I guess you could make an argument that he turned face simply by returning/teasing his retirement, or that he turned during the promo by being (apparently) genuine, but he was heel prior to this.
Last edited by teejayC; 02-28-2018 at 11:18 AM.
Reason: slow
I'M A GOOD KISSER! But I never got a chance to show it!
Spoiler:
In mid-1997, Mick Foley put on an absolutely masterful series of promos, leading him from deranged monster heel to sympathetic babyface. Some of the finest mic work in a career full of awesome promos.
From part one of the series:
Quote:
Ross says that they've had the chance to sit down with Goldust recently, and now…holy ****, it's here. Yes, Ross says that now they've had the chance to sit down with Mankind. Even though the timing of this should have easily made me see it coming, I wasn't expecting it on this episode. This is pure greatness. Tonight is just part one.
We start the interview with a video package introducing Mankind. Ross calls him "Mick Foley" for the first time, and says we're going to see another side. Ross: "What do you think the biggest misconceptions the WWF fans have as relates to Mankind?" Mankind, debuting the classic smiley-face-with-Mankind-mask shirt (one of the only wrestling shirts I ever bought):
Quote:
That I am a bad person. Jimmy, there's plenty of good reasons to hate me. I just don't want people to hate me for untruths and partial truths and rumors. You see, when I was a kid I played Cowboys and Indians. Who were the good guys? The cowboys coming over the hill to rape and pillage innocent women and children? I was always the Indian, Jimmy, I always stood for the underdog. If that makes me a bad person, standing up for what I believe in, I guess you've got me right: I'm a bad man.
Ross, in a voiceover, talks about how Mick often embraced pain growing up. Mick continues.
Quote:
I was eight years old at Minasaki Elementary School, playing a game of 'kill the guy with the ball.' May even be an Olympic sport these days. And in chasing one of the other students, I made a leap for his leg, and the back of his foot kicked me in the lip. And I didn't know what happened. I knew it hurt, Jimmy; I knew it hurt bad. But all of a sudden people started looking at me in a different way, like there was something wrong with me. I looked down at my Chicago Bears - back in the day when they were 2-12, in the waning days of Dick Butkus - and my Bears white sweatshirt suddenly turned red.
Children were running from me, scared. I was bleeding. I was in pain. And I was loving it. Because I felt like I'd finally found something in my life that I could do better than everybody else: handle pain. Someone said 'aw that's just vampire blood.' Then they saw the open wound from which the blood was flowing. I've still got that shirt Jimmy, and I remember thinking, 'Wouldn't it be nice if I could do something in my life where I could do this all the time? Get that attention every night?' Stockbrokers can't do it. Teachers can't do it. The President of the United States can't bleed for a living. But pro wrestlers can! It's the first time that I realized that I had a calling in my life, and I followed it right down the line.
It was all I wanted to do. My brother and I watched them all: Chief Jay Strongbow, Bruno Sammartino, the Valiant Brothers, that's what we wanted to be. And then I broke his nose by backdropping him into his bedroom wall, and mom said no more wrestling. But she didn't say no more dreaming.
After another interlude by Ross, Mankind continues.
Quote:
I'm gonna tell my son, when he gets to be 15, not to be the guy who eats strange things. I never exactly brought it upon myself…other people and their…cliques - for lack of a better word - would gang up because I was different, because I acted different, looked different. They were throwing worms at me, Jimmy. Little wiggly worms they were throwing at me. Bending down in athletic class doing my hurdler stretch and there was worms being thrown at me. So what do you do to retaliate? Do you throw the worm back? At seven or eight people? It's not the fact that they were hurting me; they were wounding my pride. They were looking at me like I was garbage. So I picked up the largest specimen, Jimmy…AND I SUCKED IT DOWN! To show them that their attempts to hurt my pride would not be successful.
I thought, Jimmy, that I'd shown them. But sure enough, the story became exaggerated as everything in life does. It wasn't 'Mickey Foley ate one worm because some kids were picking on him.' It became 'Mickey Foley eats a plate full of worms every day. You think I got many dates after that, Jimmy? … You think girls wanted to kiss the boy who had worms on his breath? I'M A GOOD KISSER! But I never got the chance to show it! What, am I gonna practice on myself? I never had the chance to show the world that I could love and could BE loved! They ruled me out because I had a strange appetite for strange things. I'm not gonna say I didn't accept money to eat other strange things, but the fact of the matter is, the damage had been done, and I went through my entire high school days without date #1. You don't think that scarred my soul? Well maybe you're not looking deep enough.
Foley went on to build sympathy during a run to the finals of the 1997 King of the Ring Tournament. He ultimately fell short in a loss to Hunter Hearst-Helmsley, but the event solidified him as a face and positioned him toward an eventual run as a main-event face.
Spoiler:
I select Mick Foley's 1997 face turn
Team:
Spoiler:
Shawn Michaels 1992 heel turn
Jake Roberts 1991 heel turn
CM Punk 2011 face turn
The Undertaker 1992 face turn
Mick Foley 1997 face turn
I looked at it when I picked the second Foley turn because the segments are great but they abandoned it pretty quickly and made him a heel again. Great face turn that didn’t lead to a great face run until they did it a 2nd time
The ramifications of this turn haven’t come to a conclusion yet, but I’d say that it has created the most anticipated match in the history of the promotion.
Spoiler:
Quote:
This wasn’t our moment, but this is MY moment
Spoiler:
Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa debuted on NXT as an indie team invited to participate in the first ever Dusty Rhodes Tag Team classic. I guess the job prospects for lawyers aren’t what they used to be.
After an opening round win over the makeshift team of Bull Dempsey and Tyler Breeze, they would be defeated in the second round in a competitive match by eventual runners-up Baron Corbin and Rhyno.
While they were still working on the independent scene, they would continue to be booked quite strongly on NXT, getting victories in 2016 over teams such as The Hype Bros, The Revival and TM-61.
Around this time, Gargano and Ciampa would also take part in the Cruiserweight Classic, having to face off against each other in the first round. It was a great match that most thought was among the best in the entire tournament. Many thought that Ciampa might turn after Gargano’s victory, but nope. They hugged it out.
Gargano would go on to the second round, losing to eventual winner, TJ Perkins.
In the summer of 2016, Gargano and Ciampa would get their crack at the tag team titles at Takeover Brooklyn II. In a 4.5 star match, The Revival would prove to be a bit too much and DIY would leave empty-handed.
That fall, the 2016 version of the Dusty Classic was beginning, and The Revival were slated to face off against Gargano and Ciampa (now known mostly as DIY) in the second round. The Revival, not wanting to risk their tag team gold, forfeited the match. They made certain that DIY didn’t win though, attacking them in the semi-finals, ensuring the victory for The Authors of Pain.
Commissioner Regal was having none of that nonsense though, and ordered that The Revival defend their titles against DIY in a 2/3 falls match at Takeover Toronto. In one of the great images of 2016, DIY would win the titles on a double submission in the middle of the ring.
WWE.com would later consider that match the best match of 2016.
Their reign would prove to be short lived. After a successful title defense against The Revival on NXT TV, DIY would be defeated at the very next Takeover in San Antonio by still undefeated Authors of Pain.
Both The Revival and DIY would get a shot at regaining the titles Wrestlemania weekend in Orlando at a three-way elimination match featuring one of the coolest spots all time, where the two teams would perform their finishers using one member of each team in an effort to work together to take out AOP.
The alliance would only be temporary, as The Revival would betray DIY later in the match, causing their elimination. This would cost The Revival though, as AOP would go on to retain with DIY out of the picture.
At the Raw after Wrestlemania, The Revival were promoted to Raw, leaving DIY as the only legitimate threat to AOP’s dominant reign. DIY would get one more chance at Takeover Chicago in a ladder match.
AOP would retain after a brutal affair in the main event of the night. As Gargano and Ciampa walked up the ramp, and with the copyright logo on the screen, Ciampa would tell Gargano, “This wasn’t our moment, but this is MY moment”, and threw him into the wall on the stage.
Chants of “ASSHΟLE” and “**** YOU CIAMPA” were heard throughout the Allstate Arena as the show faded to black.
On the following NXT TV episode, Ciampa blamed the fans and Gargano for wanting to replace him after suffering an injury.
Ciampa would go away because of the injury, and Gargano would refocus his sights on the NXT title. After a setback at Takeover Brooklyn III to Andrade Cien Almas (off of a distraction where Zelina Vega threw a DIY shirt at Gargano) and another loss to unheralded Fabian Aichner, he would be left off the main card of Takeover War Games, where Almas would win the NXT title from Drew McIntyre.
Despite another loss to Pete Dunne for the UK title, Gargano would be entered in to an 8 man tournament as a replacement for Velveteen Dream for a shot at the NXT title. Gargano would defeat Kassius Ohno and then shockingly pin Aleister Black in a four-way match to become #1 contender. He would successfully defend that opportunity against Velveteen Dream, and the match against Almas was finalized at Takeover Philadelphia.
In what many are calling the best match in NXT history (and the best match of 2018 so far in any promotion), Almas defeated Gargano. As Gargano was walking up the ramp with his real-life wife Candice LaRae, and with the end of show copyright logo on the screen, Ciampa returned, striking Gargano with a crutch to end the show.
Not completely satisfied, Vega and Almas wanted Gargano out of their lives forever, negotiating a match where Gargano would get another title opportunity but leave NXT forever if he failed to win. On NXT TV last week, that match took place. After interference from Ciampa, Almas would retain, signaling the end of Gargano’s NXT career.
But we all know that’s not how the story will end. Gargano and Ciampa will face off somehow, someway in the most built-up storyline in NXT history. I’m ready to see it happen.
Spoiler:
Mr Perfect face turn (1992)
Kevin Owens heel turn (2013)
John Cena face turn (2003)
The Rock face turn (1999)
Tommaso Ciampa heel turn (2017)
This is the write up for my Zbyszko turns on Bruno pick.
Larry Zbyszko Turns on Bruno Sammartino
Back in the late 70’s and early 80’s, Bruno had a protege who was named Larry Zbyszko. Bruno had touted him as someone who eventually would be every bit the world champ that he was. Even after Bruno’s retirement, he still would mentor Larry. Eventually Larry had made the claim that he was in a rut, so to speak, and the only way out was to have his mentor come out of retirement to face him in the ring. Bruno was willing and they had agreed to make it a scientific face vs face style match. That’s how the match started anyway. From the beginning Bruno was getting the best of Larry and would always release whatever hold he had put Larry in. Even if Larry was able to apply the hold Bruno easily was able to either reverse it or break the hold. Larry was slowly growing more and more frustrated.
At one point Larry was able to Irish Whip Bruno into the ropes, and then Larry decided to run the other ropes in an old school Cross Cross. Eventually Larry stopped and went for a hip toss which Bruno was able to counter with one of his own. Then Larry got up and got into a little scuffle and was deposited through the ropes on to the floor. Bruno, being the good sportsman held the ropes open for Larry, but at this point Larry’s frustration had boiled over and he hit Bruno with a knee to the back. He then climbed in the ring and went full HAM. He threw forearms and elbows and punches. The red tried to pull him off but was tossed out of the ring for his efforts. Then Larry went to the floor and grabbed a chair and hit Bruno a few times with it, opening Bruno up. The crows at this point, stunned by what they were watching, finally started to boo Larry. Larry’s turn was complete.
This set up one of the best angles in WWF history. The two wrestled around the circuit for a while and also cut some seriously good promos on one another. It eventually led to one of the best shows in WWF history. Well at least pre Wrestlemania anyway. They had the blow off in a steel cage at Shea Stadium. This was the same card that saw Hulk and Andre meet for the first time at a big show. The stipulation on this match was that if Bruno didn’t win, he would retire. But let’s be honest here, there is no way Bruno was going to lose in New York in a blow off match. This turn set Zbyszko up as a big player in wrestling for the next 15 years or so.
The stipulation on this match was that if Bruno didn’t win, he would retire. But let’s be honest here, there is no way Bruno was going to lose in New York in a blow off match.
Bruno wanted to lose that match. However, Vince McMahon Sr. wouldn't allow it.
During this feud, neither man ever pinned the other (or lost by submission).
With my pick I'm going to take a heel turn and subsequent story that was so good WWE had to recreate it years later (the original was, of course, better)
Punk was a legend of ROH. He became a fan favourite putting on classic matches and as ROH Champion in 2005 it became known that CM Punk had a WWE offer and was going to be leaving ROH. So he had a going away match against Austin Aries.
Only Punk didn't lose. Punk won and cut one of his legendary promos.
Quote:
This belt, in the hands of any other man, is just a belt. In my hands it becomes power. Just like this microphone, in the hands of any of the boys in the back, is just a microphone. You put it in the hands of a dangerous man like myself and it becomes a pipe bomb....
...The greatest thing the devil ever did was make you people believe that he didn’t exist. And you’re looking at him right now. I am the devil himself! And all of you stupid mindless people fell for it!”
Punk then claimed that he was off to WWE and was taking the ROH title with him. Christopher Daniels came out to try to challenge him for the title right there but Punk escaped through the crowd and the Summer of Punk was off and running. The next time Punk showed up in ROH he brought he WWE contract with him and signed it on top of the ROH title which is an all-time great heel move. He was then booked in a series of shows that were each billed as Punk's last night in ROH where he would narrowly escape with the title (including a 60-minute time limit draw against Christopher Daniels)
. He would finally drop the title in a four-way match against Daniels, Samoa Joe and James Gibson. But the original Summer of Punk was a brilliant heel turn and run to close out his ROH career.
