5 surprising face turns that changed WWE forever
It is often easier to be hated than loved.
In WWE, there has been no shortage of fantastic heels that have been able to anger the fans, annoy their opponents and find ways to be downright despicable.
From the affluent arrogance of the Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase to the all-consuming ego of Mr. McMahon to the self-righteous Daniel Bryan of today, WWE has hosted some of the best heels of all time.
But sometimes, in rare instances, a heel will see the error of their ways, and embrace the fans, fighting for what is right.
Often, these face turns can have huge ramifications down the line, for both the turner and the industry as a whole.
Here are five face turns that shocked the WWE Universe and changed the face of the company forever.
#5: The Animal is unleashed
When a young Dave Batista won the 2005 Royal Rumble, the Animal was faced with a dilemma.
As a member of Evolution, it made little sense for Batista to challenge his mentor Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship, and after nearly being run-down by a certain bullhorned Limo, it seemed like it was going to be Batista-JBL at WrestleMania.
That was until Batista found out the truth: that The Game had orchestrated the hit, to make sure he didn't face the Animal at WrestleMania.
Turning on his mentor with an infamous thumbs down, Batista vowed to take the title from the King of Kings at WrestleMania 21, and did just that, ushering in a new era.
Now, 14 years later, the roles are reversed, as the Game is hoping to avenge his loss this Sunday at WrestleMania 35.