Most of the best rivalries in WWE historical past featured a babyface going head-to-head with a heel, a few of these iconic rivalries have seen each wrestlers play as a face and as a heel throughout completely different durations of their feuds.
Historically feuds between opponents are between a face and a heel. Followers are likely to lean in the direction of the face as they like to see the heels get their comeuppance. Nearly all of rivalries see babyfaces prevail however in some situations, the heel goes over.
Nonetheless, some rivalries have seen each wrestlers play their half in each roles, which definitely freshens up the rivalry. Followers could have their allegiances to 1 wrestler no matter whether or not they’re a face or a heel. It definitely creates an attention-grabbing dynamic when each wrestlers commerce roles in feuds.
10 Edge Vs. Randy Orton
Edge returned to WWE as a member of the Uncooked model in 2004 after being dominated out of nearly all of 2003 whereas recovering from neck surgical procedure. Edge feuded and challenged Randy Orton for the Intercontinental Championship at Vengeance 2004. Edge continued his wealthy vein of kind by ending the heel Orton’s 210-day reign as Intercontinental Champion for his fifth run with the title.
Nonetheless, the roles have been reversed of their temporary feud in 2010 when the Grasp Psychologist returned to Uncooked and turned heel by assaulting Orton, who was a face. They’d a match at Over The Restrict which ended up as a double count-out. Furthermore, Edge’s nine-year absence ended on the 2020 Royal Rumble, and he started a feud with The Viper as soon as once more. They cut up victories at WrestleMania 36 and Backlash with Edge ending up on the sidelines till returning and profitable the 2021 males’s Royal Rumble, lastly eliminating Orton to win the match.
9 Triple H Vs. Chris Jericho
Triple H was the standout celebrity of 2000 however Chris Jericho later grew to become a thorn in his facet. The Sport was a dastardly heel, and Jericho “gained” the WWF Championship from The Sport on an episode of Uncooked however the end result was overturned. Their feud culminated in an excellent Final Man Standing match at Totally Loaded which Triple H prevailed in.
Two years later, Jericho and Triple H headlined WrestleMania X8 for the WWF Undisputed Championship. Y2J was now a heel and he shaped an unlikely alliance along with his former rival Stephanie McMahon. Nonetheless, The Game triumphed at WrestleMania and he got the better of Jericho once again of their brutal Hell in a Cell match at Judgment Day 2002.
8 Roman Reigns Vs. Kevin Owens
The largest menace to Kevin Owens’ Common Championship in the beginning of 2017 was Roman Reigns. Owens had a heel alliance with Chris Jericho, and Jericho ended Reigns’ run as United States Champion. Owens and Reigns had large in-ring chemistry collectively which noticed the Prizefighter retain the title over Reigns at the Royal Rumble.
Nonetheless, the Large Canine returned in the summertime of 2020 and turned heel. The Tribal Chief captured the Common Championship and started feuding with Owens over the title with each males on the SmackDown model. Reigns overcame Owens in a sensational TLC match and a cage match on SmackDown to realize the higher hand on this rivalry.
7 Seth Rollins Vs. Dean Ambrose
The Protect was probably the most formidable threesomes as soon as they made their debut at Survivor Collection 2012. Nonetheless, Seth Rollins turned his again on Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns, changing into embroiled in a rivalry with Ambrose in 2014. Rollins grew to become Mr. Cash within the Financial institution and received the higher of Ambrose in a Lumberjack match at SummerSlam and in an excellent Hell in a Cell match at Hell in a Cell.
Ambrose and Rollins reconciled in 2018 they usually captured the Uncooked Tag Group Championship for the second time. Nonetheless, The Lunatic Fringe turned heel for the first time in four years when he assaulted Rollins. They did not recreate their magic however Ambrose managed to regain the Intercontinental Championship from Rollins in his closing main storyline earlier than departing WWE within the spring of 2019.
6 Kurt Angle Vs. Brock Lesnar
Kurt Angle closed out a stellar 2002 with a 3rd reign as WWE Champion starting at Armageddon with some help from Brock Lesnar. Angle aligned himself with Paul Heyman briefly and reverted as a heel. Lesnar gained the 2003 Royal Rumble match and he closed out WrestleMania XIX within the titular match which noticed Lesnar reclaim the WWE Championship.
The 2 had probably the greatest trilogies in historical past with Lesnar turning heel and Angle returning as a face in the summertime of 2003 when Brock turned his again on Angle. They locked horns at SummerSlam with Angle retaining the title by forcing Lesnar to undergo the Angle Lock. Moreover, their feud blew off in probably the greatest Iron Man matches on free TV with Lesnar popping out on the profitable facet and starting his third reign as WWE Champion.
5 Steve Austin Vs. The Undertaker
The height of the longstanding rivalry between Steve Austin and The Undertaker was on the peak of the Perspective Period in 1998-’99. Undertaker reunited with Paul Bearer, turning heel within the course of in late 1998 they usually kickstarted the Ministry of Darkness secure. Undertaker was hellbent on becoming the WWF Champion, and he took the title from Austin controversially at Over the Edge 1999.
Austin turned heel after WrestleMania X-Seven, siding with the evil genius Mr. McMahon. Nonetheless, Austin and Undertaker feuded as soon as extra over the largest prize within the business with Undertaker now in his American Badass persona. They’d an underrated No Holds Barred title match at Judgment Day which noticed Stone Chilly defeat Undertaker as soon as extra.
4 Triple H Vs. Randy Orton
It didn’t matter if Triple H was a face or a heel in his feud with Randy Orton, however he received the higher of The Viper on quite a few events. Their rivalry started when The Game unceremoniously booted Orton out of Evolution and took the World Heavyweight Championship away from him in his first title protection at Unforgiven 2004.
Probably the most important second of their feud got here in 2007 when Orton was topped the brand new WWE Champion at No Mercy, and Triple H defeated him in an impromptu match. Nonetheless, Orton regained the title in a powerful Final Man Standing match in the primary occasion. They clashed just a few extra occasions in 2009 with the pendulum swinging in The Viper’s favor.
3 Trish Stratus Vs. Lita
Two of probably the most well-renowned Divas of their era, Trish Stratus, and Lita’s profession have been intertwined. Each made their fundamental roster debuts in 2000 and retired in 2006. Trish thrived as a heel and Lita was probably the most in style Divas on the roster earlier than she had an affair with Edge.
Trish started her 448-day reign as Ladies’s Champion by defeating an injured Lita for the Ladies’s Championship at New 12 months’s Revolution 2005 when Trish portrayed a heel. Their longstanding rival got here to a halt when Lita was probably the most hated lady in WWE at Unforgiven with Trish getting the better of Lita one more time for her final Women’s Title win in her hometown of Toronto.
2 Triple H Vs. The Rock
Triple H and The Rock have not all the time seen eye-to-eye which is comprehensible as each males have been aggressive and needed to be on high of the meals chain. Their early encounters over the Intercontinental Championship have been memorable with Rock because the assured heel chief of the Nation and Triple H main DX into battle with the Nation.
Nonetheless, their true animosity got here when Steve Austin was on the shelf they usually have been vying for the highest spot in 2000. Rock was now probably the most over babyface within the firm and he had the followers’ help in his rivalry with Triple H. The 2 introduced out the very best in one another and had enthralling affairs.
1 Steve Austin Vs. The Rock
The 2 pioneers of the Perspective Period, The Rock, and Steve Austin’s rivalry noticed the 2 legends conflict in three blockbuster WrestleMania outings in 5 years. The Rock did Vince McMahon’s bidding because the Company Champion however got here out on the shedding finish to Austin at WrestleMania XV and Backlash 1999.
Nonetheless, in an attention-grabbing flip of occasions, McMahon and Austin have been now in cahoots after WrestleMania X-Seven, taking Rock out of the image. Rock and Austin have been opposing ends of the spectrum of their feud within the Invasion angle in 2001 with Rock as a face. Nonetheless, Rock was a heel in their final encounter in Austin’s last match at WrestleMania XIX with Rock lastly beating Austin at WrestleMania, closing the guide on a rare feud.
About The Writer
