Every heel turn is a calculated risk, but they can one of wrestling's best tropes if done properly. Randy Savage going rogue on Mega-Powers pal Hulk Hogan stands out as a prime example of an epic turn, and so does Shawn Michaels doing everything in his power to stop Marty Jannetty from throwing himself headfirst through a barber shop window. Ahem.
Seriously, that one was inspired stuff too, and it turned HBK into a massive baddie overnight. Instant heat should be the number one goal for any heel switch, but it's important for creative to keep an eye on what's coming down the line over the next few weeks and months as well. Ideally, WWE want to squeeze the most juice they can from each turn.
Every single one here was either dubbed nonsensical at the time or had even the friendliest fans stroking their chins in a decidedly Hulk-esque 'that doesn't work for me, brother' fashion. There was hidden genius to them all though - it just took a while for things to sink in. Time to continue this series of defending the "dumb".
Next up, those tasty, tasty heel turns. 10. Tatanka (1994) Ludvig Borga changed more WWF/WWE history than you might think.
The Finnish environmentalist (?!) ended Tatanka's lengthy winning streak with a TV win in October 1993, and that sent the federation writers spinning onto pastures new with the babyface gimmick. In short, they decided the best way to evolve Tatanka heading into 1994 was to tease a heel turn that'd pay off come the summer. Tatanka sold out to T.
