Top 10 WrestleMania Swerves and Heel Turns

From the golden days of AWA to the PG era of WWE, there has been one constant in wrestling, and that’s the swerve. Whether it’s a once heartless grappler realizing the error of their ways or a babyface crossing over to the darkside, you can always count on some behavorial shifting in crowd favorites and bad guys.

While the history of Wrestlemania is rich in feelgood moments, it has seen its fair share of treachery over the years as well. Now is the perfect time to explore some of the most memorable turns from WWE’s signature event.

10. Degenerates Sell Out

Swerves were trending during Wrestlemania 15 in 1999. That year, (Masked Corporate) Kane and Triple H were involved in a heated rivalry that included Chyna accidentally taking a fireball intended for Hunter to the face. When it came time to settle the score, Kane had to fend off attempted ambushes by both Triple H and Pete Rose, the latter of whom attacked the Big Red Machine in a chicken suit before the match could even begin. Having already recently crossed him to join the Corporation, an appearance by Chyna looked to be bad news for the DX captain, but things took a dramatic turn when she nailed Kane with a chair. Trips lost by DQ but gained an old friend as Chyna rejoined the group.

The DX reunion would be short-lived as snakes revealed their venomous intentions. Chyna and Trips came out to support stable mate Xpac as he squared off against Shane McMahon – another match pitting DX against the Corporation. Pac was attacked by everyone, including corporate stooges Gerald Brisco and Pat Patterson, the Mean Street Posse, Test, and finally Triple H, whose Pedigree allowed Shane to steal the win. This swerve made Trips and Chyna members of the Corporation, while defining what was essentially the precursor to the infamous McMahon-Helmsley era.

9. A Giant Stands Up

Andre the Giant was the main force in The Heenan Family prior to Wrestlemania 3 and going into Wrestlemania 6. Having failed to beat Hulk Hogan and put over rising star the Ultimate Warrior, the once dominant big man seemed to be losing his way completely until the Colossal Connection. Comprised of the Giant and fellow Heenan Family member Haku, the Colossal Connection dropped their WWF tag team titles at WrestleMania 6 to Demolition, who they’d beat previously for the belts. The most memorable moment here was the aftermath, which saw Bobby Heenan blaming Andre for the loss and even slapping him in the face. Andre returned with a giant slap of his own, which knocked Heenan out of the ring and drew massive applause of the crowd.

8. Brutus Cuts Out a New Niche

Brutus Beefcake was one of the first heels I recall liking – of course I would never admit this back in those days. When Wrestlemania 3 rolled around, he was one half of former tag team champions the Dream Team, who faced the Fabulous Rougeau Brothers at the event. Despite getting the win, Beefcake ended up out in the cold when partner Greg “The Hammer” Valentine and manager Luscious Johnny Valiant left him behind for new Dream Team member Dino Bravo.

Later that night, Beefcake would return to the ring with clippers to shave the head of Adrian Adonis after Adonis was put to sleep and beat by Rowdy Roddy Piper. The significance of this moment was the birth of Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake, who for a period, would become a huge crowd favorite in WWF.

7. From Pretty Boy to Model

When it comes to wrestling technicians, Rick Martel has to be one of the most underrated in history. Although it was clear that he wouldn’t reach the world title status he ascended to in AWA, Martel was extremely over in WWF, first as a member of the Can Am Connection, then Strike Force. After returning from injury, Martel reformed Strike Force at Wrestlemania 5 with his former tag team champion partner Tito Santana to take on the Brain Busters – Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard of Four Horsemen fame. An accidental “flying burrito” from Santana led to Martel refusing to tag in and officially severing Strike Force. Shortly thereafter, he adopted the ultra arrogant gimmick of “The Model”.

6. Big Show Snaps

Going back to his WCW days of the Giant, Big Show is probably approaching the record for highest number of face/heel turns. Show was up to his old wishy washy ways at Wrestlemania 15 when he faced Mankind. According to the match stipulation, the winner would be named special referee for the WWF title bout later between Steve Austin and “Corporate” champion Rock. With McMahon looking to stack the deck against Austin, he came out to express how irate he was over the fact that Big Show lost via disqualification, which automatically gave Corporate nuisance Mankind that special designation. After taking all the verbal abuse he could stomach, Big Show floored Vince and walked off to cheers.

5. Wonderful Ways Exposed

Hulk Hogan and Mr. T won the main event at the very first Wrestlemania when Cowboy Bob Orton mistakenly nailed Paul Orndorff with the loaded cast off the top rope. Following the match, Piper and Orton left Orndorff in the ring while Hogan and T actually helped him to his feet. This would lead to the slow and powerful face turn of Mr. Wonderful Paul Orndorff. Ironically, Orndorff’s turn would come full circle into what was one of the most heartbreaking heel turns ever. I’m talking about when he clotheslined then friend Hogan on WWF Superstars and joined The Heenan Family, literally leaving me in tears. These two would go on to to have one of the most memorable feuds of the mid 80s.

4. The Real American Returns

The nWo in WWE was pretty much a flop, yet epic levels of cool while it lasted. After all, it gave us the Rock vs. Hollywood Hogan at Wrestlemania 18. Legacies and vengeance gave this one tremendous buildup as the nWo, led by Hogan, put the Rock through the type of hell that would’ve killed a normal man. But the crowd was behind Hogan, and their support soared by end of the match when after losing, he shook the Rock’s hand to show the ultimate sign of respect. Fellow nWo mates Scott Hall and Kevin Nash didn’t take kindly to this act and attacked Hogan. Rock came out for the save, he and Hogan posed in the ring, and that was officially the last we saw of Hollywood.

3. A King Becomes a Man

The Ultimate Warrior has a horrendous rap for being one of the worst performers in wrestling history. I tend to disagree, and the classic at Wrestlemania 7 is the reason. Emotions for this one were extremely high as Warrior sought revenge for the Macho King costing him the WWF Championship to Sgt. Slaughter at the Royal Rumble. The stakes were also elevated because Savage put his career on the line. After 20 minutes of epic storytelling, Savage lost, resulting in Macho Queen Sherri attacking him as he lay defeated. Miss Elizabeth, who was shown several times in the crowd during the match, rushed the ring, fought off Sherri, and helped Macho to his feet. This was indeed a feelgood moment that reunited wrestling’s first couple, turned Savage face, and truly cemented him as one of the all-time greats in the ring.

2. Stone Cold Joins Satan

Wrestlemania 17 will go down as one of the most memorable events in history and this match stands out most. At the time, Stone Cold Steve Austin and the Rock were the two biggest stars in the business, and with Vince lurking, something crazy was bound to happen. There was brawling. There was blood. There was a swerve that changed the course of the company when Austin took a chair from ‘The Boss’, wore out the People’s Champ, scored the tainted win and stole the title. The show closed with Austin and Vince sharing a beer in the ring – and JR of course, losing his flipping mind on commentary.

Looking back, this has to be one of the most controversial swerves ever considering the before and after. Austin had a four-year run as the face of the company, and factoring in their history, siding with Vince was about the last thing you would expect. Some said the Stone Cold character had grown stale and needed a change. Others say creative wrongly pulled the trigger and tarnished Austin’s legacy. What can’t be argued is how shocking it was.

1. Legends Blaze Two Historic Trails

Many fans point to the feud with Vince McMahon but looking back, it may have been Wrestlemania 13 that ignited the meteoric rise of Stone Cold Steve Austin. The No DQ submission match with Bret Hart was a slugfest that spilled out into the crowd, saw the use of numerous weapons, and resulted in Austin losing what at the time looked to be pints of blood. In a scene reminiscent of Ric Flair vs. Dusty Rhodes, rather than submitting, Austin blacked out from the pain of the Sharpshooter, forcing special guest referee Ken Shamrock to ring the bell. Not satisfied with the victory, Hart continued to punish Austin after the match, opening him up to an altercation with Shamrock and boos from the crowd.

This match gets the top spot for the simple fact that it featured a gamechanging double swerve. Fan favorite Bret Hart became a hated villain who would go on to lead a heel version of the Hart Foundation before being victimized in the infamous Montreal Screwjob, and leaving for WCW. Austin, of course, went on to become the insanely popular beer guzzling, bird flipping, SOB who played a huge role in revolutionizing the so-called Attitude Era of pro wrestling and helping the WWE win the Monday Night Wars.

Swerves typically stand out based on shock value alone, but when they play out on wrestling’s grandest stage, they stay etched in our memory forever. What are some of your most memorable Wrestlemania moments – swerves or otherwise?

COMMENTS

Please read our Commenting Policy before you join in with the discussion.

Note: If you have email notifications enabled, please check your email spam folders to ensure emails are not missed.

2 Comments

Inline Feedbacks

View all comments

Chris TooKay

6 years ago

Kinda wish Trish’s turn at WM XX was included, by far my favourite WM heel turn.

Henry Higgins III

That was a really good read, but you forgot to mention that Warrior’s career was also on the line at WrestleMania VII in what is my favourite wrestling match of all time.

Cookie	Description
_pxvid	This cookie is used for detection of the browser and distinguishing whether it is a real user or malicious bot.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement	The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Advertisement".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics	This cookies is set by GDPR Cookie Consent WordPress Plugin. The cookie is used to remember the user consent for the cookies under the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-non-necessary	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Non Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance	This cookie is used to keep track of which cookies the user have approved for this site.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-preferences	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Preferences".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-uncategorized	The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Uncategorized".
CraftSessionId	This cookie name is associated with the Craft web content management system, where is functions as an anonymous session identifier.
csrftoken	This cookie is associated with Django web development platform for python. Used to help protect the website against Cross-Site Request Forgery attacks
DSID	To note specific user identity. Contains hashed/encrypted unique ID.
JSESSIONID	Used by sites written in JSP. General purpose platform session cookies that are used to maintain users' state across page requests.
PHPSESSID	This cookie is native to PHP applications. The cookie is used to store and identify a users' unique session ID for the purpose of managing user session on the website. The cookie is a session cookies and is deleted when all the browser windows are closed.
viewed_cookie_policy	The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.

Cookie	Description
b30msc
btc
CMST
cref
d
gpl
i
icts
ig_did
mdata
na_rn
na_sc_e
na_sr
na_srp
session_depth
visitor-id

Cookie	Description
__gads	This cookie is set by Google and stored under the name dounleclick.com. This cookie is used to track how many times users see a particular advert which helps in measuring the success of the campaign and calculate the revenue generated by the campaign. These cookies can only be read from the domain that it is set on so it will not track any data while browsing through another sites.
__stid	The cookie is set by ShareThis. The cookie is used for site analytics to determine the pages visited, the amount of time spent, etc.
_ga	This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to calculate visitor, session, camapign data and keep track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookies store information anonymously and assigns a randoly generated number to identify unique visitors.
_gat_gtag_UA_60765351_1	Google uses this cookie to distinguish users.
_gid	This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to store information of how visitors use a website and helps in creating an analytics report of how the wbsite is doing. The data collected including the number visitors, the source where they have come from, and the pages viisted in an anonymous form.
ad-id	Provided by amazon-adsystem.com for tracking user actions on other websites to provide targeted content
demdex	This cookie is set under the domain demdex.net and is used by Adobe Audience Manager to help identify a unique visitor across domains.
DigiTrust.v1.identity	Registers data on visitors’ website-behaviour. This is used for internal analysis and website optimization.
dmvk	This cookie is set by DailyMotion who display videos, it registers statistical data of visitors' behaviour on the website.
gid	This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to store information of how visitors use a website and helps in creating an analytics report of how the wbsite is doing. The data collected including the number visitors, the source where they have come from, and the pages viisted in an anonymous form.
GPS	This cookie is set by Youtube and registers a unique ID for tracking users based on their geographical location
is_unique	This cookie is set by StatCounter to determine how people are using the website
is_visitor_unique	This cookie is set by StatCounter to determine how people are using the website
sc_is_visitor_unique	This cookie is set by StatCounter to determine how people are using the website
v1st	This is set by DailyMotion to display videos.

Cookie	Description
__asc	This cookie is used to collect information on consumer behavior, which is sent to Alexa Analytics.
__auc	This cookie is used to collect information on consumer behavior, which is sent to Alexa Analytics.
__qca	This cookie is associated with Quantcast and is used for collecting anonymized data to analyze log data from different websites to create reports that enables the website owners and advertisers provide ads for the appropriate audience segments.
_cc_aud	The cookie is set by crwdcntrl.net. The purpose of the cookie is to collect statistical information in an anonymous form about the visitors of the website. The data collected include number of visits, average time spent on the website, and the what pages have been loaded. These data are then used to segment audiences based on the geographical location, demographic, and user interest provide relevant content and for advertisers for targeted advertising.
_cc_cc	The cookie is set by crwdcntrl.net. The purpose of the cookie is to collect statistical information in an anonymous form about the visitors of the website. The data collected include number of visits, average time spent on the website, and the what pages have been loaded. These data are then used to segment audiences based on the geographical location, demographic, and user interest provide relevant content and for advertisers for targeted advertising.
_cc_dc	The cookie is set by crwdcntrl.net. The purpose of the cookie is to collect statistical information in an anonymous form about the visitors of the website. The data collected include number of visits, average time spent on the website, and the what pages have been loaded. These data are then used to segment audiences based on the geographical location, demographic, and user interest provide relevant content and for advertisers for targeted advertising.
_cc_id	The cookie is set by crwdcntrl.net. The purpose of the cookie is to collect statistical information in an anonymous form about the visitors of the website. The data collected include number of visits, average time spent on the website, and the what pages have been loaded. These data are then used to segment audiences based on the geographical location, demographic, and user interest provide relevant content and for advertisers for targeted advertising.
_kuid_	The cookie is set by Krux Digital under the domain krxd.net. The cookie stores a unique ID to identify a returning user for the purpose of targeted advertising.
_px2	This cookie is set by PerimeterX who provide security analyst oversight.
_pxff_tm	This cookie is set by PerimeterX who provide security analyst oversight.
_pxhd	This cookie is set by PerimeterX who provide security analyst oversight.
ab	This cookie is generally provided by agkn.com and is used for advertising purposes.
ad-privacy	Provided by amazon-adsystem.com for tracking user actions on other websites to provide targeted content to the users.
ayl_visitor	This cookie registers data on the visitor. The information is used to optimize advertisement relevance.
bafp	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bafp_t	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bfp_sn	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bfp_sn_pl	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bfp_sn_rf_8b2087b102c9e3e5ffed1c1478ed8b78	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bfp_sn_rt_8b2087b102c9e3e5ffed1c1478ed8b78	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bfp_sn_t_8b2087b102c9e3e5ffed1c1478ed8b78	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bfp_sn_td_2d31c94105a0aa6d1ceaea0c86c6b656	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bito	This cookie is generally provided by bidr.io and is used for advertising purposes.
bitoIsSecure	This cookies are generally provided by bidr.io and is used for advertising purposes.
bsc	The cookies is set by ownerIQ for the purpose of providing relevant advertisement
CMID	This cookie is linked to advertising and tracking the products users were looking at.
CMPRO	This cookie is linked to advertising and tracking the products users were looking at.
CMPS	This cookie is linked to advertising and tracking the products users were looking at.
dc_id	This cookie is used to deliver adverts more relevant to you and your interests. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advertisement as well as help measure the effectiveness of the advertising campaign. They are usually placed by advertising networks with the website operator's permission. They remember that you have visited a website and this information is shared with other organisations such as advertisers.
did	The purpose of the cookie is to identify a visitor to serve relevant advertisement.
didts	The purpose of the cookie is to identify a visitor to serve relevant advertisement.
dpm	The cookie is set by demdex.net. This cookie assigns a unique ID to each visiting user that allows third-party advertisers target that users with relevant ads.
eud	This cookie is from Rocket Fuel and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
euds	This cookie is from Rocket Fuel and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
everest_g_v2	The cookie is set under eversttech.net domain. The purpose of the cookie is to map clicks to other events on the client's website.
evo5_popin_instance	Prevents an interaction from reoccurring for visitors not accepting 3rd party cookies.
id	This cookie is set by DoubleClick (which is owned by Google) to build a profile of the website visitor's interests and show relevant ads on other sites.
IDE	Used by Google DoubleClick and stores information about how the user uses the website and any other advertisement before visiting the website. This is used to present users with ads that are relevant to them according to the user profile.
io.narrative.guid.v2	This cookie is generally provided by io.narrative.io and is used for advertising purposes.
KADUSERCOOKIE	This cookie is generally provided by pubmatic.com and is used for advertising purposes.
KTPCACOOKIE	This cookie is generally provided by pubmatic.com and is used for advertising purposes.
matchliveramp	This cookie is provided by w55c.net and is used for advertising purposes.
mc	This cookie is associated with Quantserve to track anonymously how a user interact with the website.
mxpim	This cookie is generally provided by mxptint.net for advertising purposes.
na_tc	This is a Social Media sharing tracking cookie.
NID	This cookie is used to a profile based on user's interest and display personalized ads to the users.
nnls	The purpose of the cookie is to identify a visitor to serve relevant advertisement.
pxrc	The purpose of the cookie is to identify a visitor to serve relevant advertisement.
pxvid	This cookie is set by PerimeterX who provide security analyst oversight.
rlas3	The cookie is set by rlcdn.com. The cookie is used to serve relevant ads to the visitor as well as limit the time the visitor sees an and also measure the effectiveness of the campaign.

Cookie	Description
__jid	Cookies set on the website by the third-party commenting platform Disqus.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
disqus_unique	These cookies are set by Disqus so that users can comment on website/platform.
G_ENABLED_IDPS	The cookie is used by Google and is used for Google Single Sign On.
mid	The cookie is set by Instagram. The cookie is used to distinguish users and to show relevant content, for better user experience and security.
na_id	This cookie is set by Addthis.com to enable sharing of links on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter
ouid	The cookie is set by Addthis which enables the content of the website to be shared across different networking and social sharing websites.
ov	This is a generic functional cookie that provides enhanced functionality and personalisation.
ts	This cookie is generally provided by PayPal and supports payment services in the website.
vuid	These cookies are used by the Vimeo video player on websites.