AEW has seen a plethora of heel and babyface turns despite arriving on the wrestling map in 2019. The Jacksonville-based promotion has continually allowed wrestlers to reinvent themselves with gimmick change.
There’s no arguing that a well-executed heel turn can turn the trajectory of a wrestler’s career. Such a change is often considered crucial to storylines and angles. Here are some of the best AEW heel turns thus far:
Jack Perry betrays HOOK (Forbidden Door 2023)
Jack Perry’s heel turn had been a long time coming. After an extremely personal feud with Christian Cage that would’ve turned any other human being insane, the former Jungle Boy aligned with HOOK.
However, the partnership quickly fizzled out after Perry attacked his partner at AEW Forbidden Door 2023. HOOK would defeat Perry at All In at Wembley to presumably end the feud.
Following the match, Perry would get into an altercation with CM Punk that allegedly stemmed from his “cry me a river” comment during the match. Both Perry and Punk would be suspended, with the latter getting fired by Tony Khan.
Perry would show up in New Japan with a new look. He’d attack Shota Umino and declare himself a scapegoat following the assault. Ironically, Perry’s altercation with CM Punk took place several weeks into his heel turn.
If Punk’s unceremonious exit was part of a storyline, Perry would’ve got the top spot on this list.
Kenny Omega aligns with Don Callis (Dynamite Winter is Coming 2020)
Kenny Omega was arguably the biggest heel in New Japan during his critically acclaimed feud with Kazuchika Okada. The Best Bout Machine started as a face when AEW first popped on the wrestling map in 2019.
However, the nascent promotion was challenged by the pandemic just a few months into its creation. Omega began to show signs of heel turn during his quest to become AEW Champion.
The heel turn finally came to fruition during his world title match against longtime opponent Jon Moxley at Dynamite Winter Is Coming. After defeating Mox for the title, Omega got his hand raised by Don Callis.
Both men quickly left the ring to the shock and anger of the commentary team and Tony Khan. This would lead to a critically acclaimed run for the Cleaner that also saw him show up in TNA (formerly IMPACT Wrestling) to win its top title.
MJF shows his true colors (AEW Full Gear 2019)
MJF was closely studying Cody Rhodes during the American Nightmare’s acclaimed run on the independent circuit. The Salt of the Earth aligned with Cody in the early months of AEW. He’d occasionally cross paths with Brandi Rhodes as well.
Cody challenged Chris Jericho for the AEW World Championship at Full Gear 2019 under the stipulation that he’d never compete for the world title in case of a loss. Unfortunately for Cody, he’d lose the match after MJF threw in the towel to signal the end of the contest.
Despite knowing he’d never get another opportunity at the title, Cody proceeded to embrace his protégé only for Max to hit his mentor with a low blow. The angle would kick off a brutal feud between the two superstars and turn MJF into one of the biggest heels in AEW at the time.
Swerve Strickland has reinvented himself in a major way
Swerve Strickland was truly one of the biggest highlights of AEW in 2023. The former Swerve Strickland turned heel by betraying his partner Keith Lee on the December 21, 2022, episode of Dynamite.
Strickland would spend the following months showcasing his potential as a great heel. The highest point of his run would come during his feud with Adam Page. Both men would fire on all cylinders to give AEW fans one of the most brutal and personal feuds in company history, complete with stellar matches.
The rivalry elevated Strickland to a different stratosphere. It’s 2024 and fans are actively rooting for the Mogul Embassy leader to claim his first world title win in AEW. It remains to be seen if Strickland will grab the brass ring in the following months.
Christian Cage’s on a roll in AEW
Christian Cage is arguably doing the best work of his illustrious career. The former TNA Champion turned heel at the expense of Jungle Boy at AEW Dynamite Road Rager 2022. The feud turned extremely personal after Christian dragged Perry’s late father, Luke Perry, on television.
After brainwashing Luchasaurus (aka Killswitch) into joining sides with him, Christian would eventually finish his feud with Jack. He’d also goad Nick Wayne and even his mother to join his crusade against the rest of the AEW roster. The Patriarch’s bitter journey would put him on a collision course with real-life best friend Adam Copeland (formerly Edge).
Together, they delivered arguably the Match of the Night at Worlds End. Unfortunately for the Rated R Superstar, it wasn’t his night, as Christian would use Killswitch’s open contract to successfully cash-in on the TNT Championship.
Honorable Mentions
- Chris Jericho
- The Young Bucks
- Samoa Joe
- Dr. Britt Baker
- Adam Cole
Also read: 5 Best Heel Turns In WWE History
