With each passing day that inches closer to WrestleMania 42, the excitement levels intensify among fans. The lineup is becoming increasingly clear as to who will be featured on the highly anticipated card, following last week’s episode of SmackDown, where two additional matches were officially announced.
First, it was announced that Drew McIntyre will clash with Jacob Fatu, in what is set to be a brutal encounter as the two will compete in an Unsanctioned Match. The second bout was set for the United States Championship as Trick Williams will face Sami Zayn, following Zayn’s title win over Carmelo Hayes.
This past Monday on Raw also saw four major additions added to the card. Gunther will square off against Seth Rollins, while Finn Balor will be taking on Dominik Mysterio. The Men’s Intercontinental Championship will be on the line in a Ladder match between current champion Penta, Je’Von Evans, Rusev, Dragon Lee, and JD McDonagh.
And finally, it was announced that Nia Jax and Lash Legend will defend their Tag Team Championships in a Fatal Four-Way match against Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss, The Bella Twins, and the team of Lyra Valkyria & Bayley.
But matches aren’t the only big news of the week, as it was also announced that 17-time World Champion John Cena will be hosting this year’s WrestleMania. This appearance will mark the first time that Cena will step foot inside the ring following his retirement match on December 13, 2025, against Gunther.
While fans are looking forward to the matches that have already been set and those soon to be revealed, alongside the recent news of Cena hosting, there is another element that has fans’ interest: potential heel turns.
Throughout WWE history, there have only been nine major heel turns that have taken place at WrestleMania. Since the last time fans witnessed a heel turn was eight years ago at WrestleMania 34, an argument can easily be made that now is the perfect time to create that kind of shock-value moment.
Many believe the Night 2 main event between CM Punk and Roman Reigns is the perfect stage for a heel turn. Despite some fan pushback, some believe The Rock might return at WrestleMania to plant the seeds for a one-on-one showdown with Reigns for next year. This would naturally open the door for a Punk heel turn, injecting some much-needed edge into a babyface character that some critics argue has grown stale.
The good guys don’t just write history; often, it’s the villains who steal the show, and there is nothing quite like the electric atmosphere of a packed stadium when a beloved hero decides to cross over to the dark side. We will be diving deep into the most iconic heel turns to have taken place in WrestleMania history, narrowing a long list of legendary betrayals down to the top five. Let’s start this off.
5. Shinsuke Nakamura: WrestleMania 34
We are kicking off our list with the most recent heel turn to take place. Shinsuke Nakamura, following his Royal Rumble victory, decided to take on a former rival he had faced and defeated during his time in NJPW: AJ Styles.
While some billed the match as “The Dream Match” for the WWE Championship, it unfortunately failed to live up to the expectations set by their legendary encounter in Japan. What transpired next, however, would leave the crowd stunned. Immediately after losing clean, Nakamura knelt, presenting Styles with the title belt that he had just retained. But just as it looked like a class act, Nakamura suddenly delivered a low blow.
This turn made the list for the shocking visual it presented. Most fans wanted to see Nakamura win gold, so his losing and showing a sign of respect to Styles was seen as an expected display of honor.
The sudden betrayal stunned the crowd into silence and became the defining moment of the match. Nakamura’s face persona had also grown stale, and this turn revitalized him, unlocking a more aggressive and edgier character that fueled an intense, successful multi-month feud with Styles.
