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- The Attitude Era is arguably the hottest period in the history of WWE. WWE's product undertook a new direction with edgier content on their programming. A lot of new stars were born and many established talent became main eventers. However, as with every era, there are several heels turns that were more notable than others. Some wrestlers excelled in their new roles as a heel, but others struggled. The likes of The Rock, Triple H, and Chris Jericho benefitted by turning heel in the Attitude Era and their heel turns weren't just significant for their careers, it was beneficial to the course of history in WWE that changed.
The Attitude Era is considered to be one of the most notable and pivotal times in WWE history, as well as one of the most celebrated. In fact, in some ways, the Attitude Era was one of the most integral periods in all of pro wrestling's storied history.
RELATED: 12 Best WWE Attitude Era Main Events, According To Dave Meltzer
There were several character shifts throughout the era that was not only significant for the performers themselves but the company as a whole. Specifically, there were several heel turns throughout the Attitude Era that would indicate major shifts in the direction of the WWE. Here are heel turns that changed everything in the Attitude Era.
UPDATE: 2022/10/07 15:30 EST BY Tevon King
The Attitude Era is arguably the hottest period in the history of WWE. WWE's product undertook a new direction with edgier content on their programming. A lot of new stars were born and many established talent became main eventers. However, as with every era, there are several heels turns that were more notable than others. Some wrestlers excelled in their new roles as a heel, but others struggled. The likes of The Rock, Triple H, and Chris Jericho benefitted by turning heel in the Attitude Era and their heel turns weren't just significant for their careers, it was beneficial to the course of history in WWE that changed.
14 X-Pac - 1999
X-Pac started 1999 as a member of D-Generation X, but after the group quietly disbanded, X-Pac formed a tag team partnership with Kane. Their alliance was better than expected, and the pair won the WWE World Tag Team Championship twice.
In the fall of 1999, X-Pac turned heel once more as he rejoined D-Generation X. This time X-Pac betrayed Kane and he stole Kane's girlfriend Tori. This was a groundbreaking moment as one of the best teams in the Attitude Era was no more and X-Pac's relationship with Tori was a new direction for his character.
13 The Goodfather - 2000
After the Nation of Domination broke up in 1998, The Godfather turned face and he became the conductor of the 'Ho Train. The Ladies of the Night would accompany Godfather down the aisle, and fans would boo if he came out on his lonesome.
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Nevertheless, Godfather's career took a turn for the worse as he joined the Right to Censor in the summer of 2000 and he was repackaged as The Goodfather. It was a groundbreaking moment in the Attitude Era considering nudity was present on the TV a lot during this time frame. Goodfather managed to win the WWE World Tag Team Championship with Bull Buchanan but in reality, Goodfather hated this gimmick as he spoke about on Chris Van Vliet's podcast. He went back to his Godfather character in 2002 but his WWE career never recovered.
12 Rikishi - 2000
There was a whodunnit storyline in the fall of 2000 with Commissioner Foley looking to find out the person responsible for running over Steve Austin at Survivor Series 1999. It was revealed to be none other than Rikishi who felt anti-climatic.
Rikishi was doing an exceptional job as a babyface alongside Too Cool's Scotty 2 Hotty and Grand Master Sexay. No one could take Rikishi seriously as a heel and he wasn't seen as a threat to the likes of The Rock, The Undertaker, Steve Austin, and Triple H.
11 The Undertaker - 1998
The Undertaker had been a babyface for six years by the time 1998 came around. However, he began to show heelish tendencies in his rivalry with Steve Austin. Undertaker's heel turn was cemented when he reconciled with Paul Bearer at Judgment Day: In Your House after Bearer betrayed his own son Kane.
This was a turning point for Undertaker's character as he went on to form the Ministry of Darkness stable. It was the first time that the Deadman was a leader of a faction. His character was dark and he feuded with Mr. McMahon's Corporation. It was interesting to see Undertaker in this new role and he did a remarkable job of making it work as he continued to reinvent his character.
10 Chris Jericho - 2001
Chris Jericho's heel turn in 2001 was a bit of a slow burn. He began the year as a strong babyface but would end it as the company's top heel. It was rumored that Jericho was originally supposed to be the one to turn on WWE at the Survivor Series in 2001, but creative switched to Kurt Angle at the last second.
What makes Jericho's turn so significant is that it indirectly led to the unification of the WCW and WWE World Titles. The symbolism of these two championships being merged ushered in the beginnings of the Ruthless Aggression era, and Jericho's heel turn signaled a changing of the guard, so to speak.
9 The Undertaker - 2001
When The Undertaker forced Jim Ross to join Vince McMahon's infamous "club," in late 2001, it signified not only an evolution in his character but also the direction of the company. As biker 'Taker, the Deadman was one of the cornerstones of the company, but upon turning to the dark side, quite literally, he was now a monster heel.
His heel turn would lead to the creation of "Big Evil" Undertaker, as well as an eventual title run in the Spring of 2002. The Undertaker's new attitude and persona was a major step into the post-Attitude Era. The Undertaker's new demeanor and philosophy would go a long way in defining "Ruthless Aggression."
8 Mick Foley - 1998
Upon capturing the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 14, Steve Austin was somewhat short on top heels to work with. Because the former champion, Shawn Michaels, had immediately left WWE following the PPV, the company had to scramble to find a suitable obstacle for Austin to overcome. The heel turn of Mick Foley/Dude Love in 1998 is actually long-term storytelling at its finest.
It was the beginning of the relationship between Mr. McMahon and Foley that would eventually lead to the main event rise of The Rock. Had Foley not turned heel and challenged Austin for the title in 1998, the WWE would have gone in a drastically different direction altogether.
7 Shawn Michaels - 1997
The Shawn Michaels heel turn of 1997 was born more out of necessity than preference, but it proved to be the best possible scenario in the long run. Not only did Shawn's turn lead to the formation of one of the all-time great factions in DX, but it gave Steve Austin a strong foil for his inevitable ascension. D-Generation X embodied the Attitude Era in countless ways.
RELATED: 5 Best Title Reigns Of Shawn Michaels' Career (& 5 Worst)
The group went a long way in signifying the company's new direction and was responsible for some of the most memorable moments on WWE television. Without HBK turning bad in 1997, things do not fall into place for WWE quite as smoothly or successfully.
6 Triple H - 1999
Triple H's WrestleMania 15 heel turn is somewhat overlooked, but it is incredibly significant. When Triple H turned on his DX cohort, X-Pac, and aided Shane McMahon to a victory, it was symbolic in ways that we could never have imagined at the time.
This moment was the beginning of Triple H's true rise to stardom in WWE, and it could never have happened if he continued on as the babyface leader of DX. You could even argue that this angle is what would take Triple H to where he is now as a company executive because it brought him closer to the McMahon family on and off-screen Looking back on it now, this was a landmark event that had immeasurable ramifications.
5 Bret Hart - 1997
Many say that it was Bret Hart's heel turn in 1997 that truly ushered in the Attitude Era. After losing a Steel Cage match on Raw, Bret would launch into a profanity-laced tirade aimed at Vince McMahon, officially becoming a heel for the first time since the previous decade. The fallout from this turn would lead to innumerable moments in WWE that could not have transpired otherwise.
Bret's character shift in 1997 was a domino effect that would not only shape the course of the WWE, but wrestling in general, going forward. Unfortunately, one of the many fallouts of this turn would be Bret's 13-year estrangement from WWE.
4 Stephanie McMahon - 1999
When Stephanie McMahon turned on her father, Vince McMahon, at the Armageddon PPV in 1999, it was historical on multiple levels. Stephanie aligning herself with her future husband, Triple H, in an on-screen capacity, allowed for their real-life relationship to blossom.
RELATED: 10 Things Fans Don't Know About Stephanie McMahon's Life Outside WWE
Not only did this lead to the McMahon-Helmsley faction which gave WWE some of its best television ratings of all time, but it would create a shift of power for the entire organization. Look no further than recent events to see just how significant Stephanie's heel turn in 1999 would eventually become. This was an example of life imitating art in the most literal of ways.
3 The Rock - 1997
The Rock turning heel in 1997, not only saved his career and changed the course of WWE, but it may have also altered the trajectory of Hollywood. In 1997, Rocky Maivia was floundering as a cookie-cutter babyface, and the audience was rejecting him with vitriolic fervor.
When Rocky turned on Chainz of the DOA and aligned himself with The Nation of Domination, he may very well have saved his job. Being a heel allowed The Rock to be born and with it one of the most charismatic stars the company has ever seen since then. If this heel turn doesn't occur, then it's very likely that Dwayne Johnson doesn't become one of the most famous people in the world.
2 Steve Austin - 2001
Some say that Steve Austin's heel turn at WrestleMania 17, was the precise moment that the Attitude Era died. What many forget is how well executed the angle was. This was layered storytelling at its finest, and several granular hints were dropped proceeding the turn, that few picked up on.
The caveat was the follow-up, and the fact that The Rock was leaving for Hollywood, meant that Austin had no viable competition to mitigate his heel turn. It's a hotly debated topic whether this angle should have ever taken place, but one thing most fans agree on is that it changed the entire trajectory of WWE, for better or worse.
1 Mr. McMahon - 1997
No other heel turn during the Attitude Era was as definitive as the moment that Vince McMahon, the commentator, became Mr. McMahon the evil Chairman. Following the infamous Montreal Screwjob, Vince would do a sit-down interview, and audaciously declare that "Bret had screwed Bret." It was a moment that likely wasn't intended to accomplish what it did, as it unconsciously created not only the most effective antagonist of the Attitude Era but quite possibly the greatest wrestling villain of all time.
Mr. McMahon would go on to be the best foil to the anti-hero of the Attitude Era, Steve Austin, and in doing so would see WWE do record-breaking numbers in profit. There is no other heel turn of the Attitude Era that represented a true paradigm shift, as much as the establishment of Mr. McMahon.
