A cornerstone of episodic TV is surprising viewers with unexpected events and WWE mastered this art over the decades. Perhaps nothing is more shocking and exciting than a good, old-fashioned betrayalwhere friends and comrades turn against each other for profit or because of long-standing grievances.
From Big E's recent betrayal of the New Day to Shawn Michaels kicking Marty Jannetty, these moments have always been used to great effect by WWE. Not only do they provide the much-needed shock value that every TV show needs, but they also create plots and help characters develop in new directions. Here are the most memorable, cold-blooded and unexpected betrayals in WWE history.
10
Triple H turns on Shawn Michaels
Monday Night Raw, July 22, 2002
After the WWE Draft, Triple H was one of the few individuals on the roster with the privilege of choosing which brand he would go to. While his ex-wife (in storyline) Stephanie McMahon tried to sway him to SmackDown, his best friend Shawn Michaels tried to bring HHH to Raw. Apparently, Trips couldn't pass up a DX reunion, but the moment D-Generation X returned to the Raw ring, Triple H froze his friend with a Pedigree.
Although some may have predicted that Triple H and Shawn Michaels would eventually splitno one expected it to happen on the same night. This twist proved to be the first step in reshaping The Game as the ultimate villain, while also serving as the gateway to a proper in-ring return for Heartbreak Kid after not competing in a WWE ring for four years.
9
Judgment Day is on the verge
Monday Night Raw June 6, 2022
One night after he, AJ Styles and Liv Morgan failed to defeat The Judgment Day at Hell in a Cell, Finn Balor decided to join the heel stable, showing exactly how if you can't beat them, join them. That was shocking enough, but things took a surprising turn when the young trio promptly chose to attack Edge. expelling the Judgment Day leader from his own group.
Finn Balor establishing himself as the de facto leader, convincing his teammates to get rid of the real leader, all in the same night, was certainly an impactful means of establishing a heel character. Some might argue that Edge's turn and subsequent elimination may have been a little rushed, but it ultimately worked out for the best. Overnight, Judgment Day went from being an imitation of the Brood to becoming one of the biggest factions in WWE history.
8
Jimmy Uso superkicks Roman Reigns
Night of Champions 2009
A Bloodline split had been teased for months at this point in the aftermath of WrestleMania 39, reaching its zenith at Night of Champions. Sami Zayn, the former Honorary Uce, teamed up with Kevin Owens to defend their Undisputed Tag Titles against Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa. Unhappy with the Usos' attempts to help, the Tribal Chief mercilessly bullied Jey until older brother Jimmy intervened.
His face turn loses some points because it was soon undone months later with Jimmy Uso returning to the group post-SummerSlam, but the domino effect of this kick makes it one of the most significant comebacks on the list. Soon after, Jey would turn babyface, opening the door to his monumental solo career and becoming the first man in years to defeat Roman Reigns. Also, listen to that crowd. They had been waiting – even begging – to see this change for months, and finally seeing it happen was completely satisfying.
7
Andre teams up with Heenan to challenge Hogan
Superstars, February 7, 1987
There was a time when Andre the Giant was the most beloved wrestler in the entire industry. Upon becoming WWE Champion, much of Andre's adoration was transferred to Hulk Hogan. This was made clear when WWE awarded Andre a small trophy for being “the only undefeated wrestler in wrestling history” while giving Hogan a much larger trophy. Call him jealous, call him belittled, but in any case, Andre displayed a new attitude when he challenged Hogan for his WrestleMania title with the nefarious Bobby “The Brain” Heenan in tow.
True fans know that this is the result of Vince McMahon wanting Andre to wrestle one more time so the company could recover from a disappointing WrestleMania 2. This was the final push Hogan needed to stardom, and Andre, despite being bruised and battered by illness and injury, delivered like a true professional. This may not have the same pomp and circumstance as many of those laps, but something so simple remains effective. Andre may have a genuine grievance against his best friend, but he's an idiot in the disrespectful way he approaches the issue. The moment is made even more brutal by the sadness in Hogan's eyes at having a friend betray him.
6
Owens turns on Zayn
NXT TakeOver: R Evolution
WWE has started a trope lately where, just when fans think the show is ending as the end credits appear on the screen, a shocking moment happens. This trope goes back to this show, where, after having his first WWE match to open the show, Kevin Owens ended it by celebrating his best friend, Sami Zayn, winning the NXT Championship in the main event. They walk up the ramp together as the end credits roll, when suddenly, KO slams Zayn neck first into the ramp.
Kevin Owens started the night by making his WWE in-ring debut to an overwhelming babyface reaction. At the end of the night, he received even louder boos for stabbing his best friend in the back. It's impressive that Owens was able to get the crowd going so quickly. Indie fans knew that KO always had a better heel than a face since his ROH days, but they were hoping for a slower turn rather than something so abrupt. An incredible start to an incredible career.
5
Evolution turns on Orton
Monday Night Raw, August 16, 2004
At SummerSlam 2004, rising star Randy Orton defeated Chris Benoit to become the youngest World Heavyweight Champion in WWE history. Moments after successfully defending in their rematch the following night on Raw, Evolution helped the Legend Killer celebrate. Unfortunately for Orton, Triple H and company. decided to immediately kill Orton's legend before it began turning the best night of your life into the worst.
If anyone knows how to follow through with a betrayal when the audience least expects it, it's Triple H. As with many of these entries, it would be easier to assume that a slow build was in store, perhaps with Triple H's jealousy building over weeks. if not months. Instead of feeling rushed, it holds a place as one of the most shocking moments in Raw history, and in many ways, a defining moment in Orton's career for his character.
4
Dean Ambrose turns on Rollins after Roman announces his cancer diagnosis
Monday Night Raw, October 22, 2018
The Universal Champion opened the show not as Roman Reigns, but as Joe Anoa'i announcing that a leukemia diagnosis he kept secret had returned. When he went on indefinite hiatus, his reunited Shield brothers challenged Drew McIntyre and Dolph Ziggler for the Tag Titles, winning in honor of Roman for a feel-good moment. The moment, however, was spoiled by an angry Lunatic Fringe attacking his partner to end the night.
This period is not remembered as fondly, as Ambrose's previous run left much to be desired, with Jon Moxley reflecting on it negatively in his Mox biography. Still, though, the opening moment itself had an emotional impact. The audience was on a rollercoaster of emotions all night, with this ending putting immediate heat on Ambrose through the shock, confusion and anger of seeing him turn on a night like this. It's a shame WWE couldn't capitalize on that momentum with good storytelling.
3
Hulk Hogan turns to WCW to lead the nWo
1996 WCW Beach Party
After invaders Kevin Nash and Scott Hall continued to run roughshod over WCW programming, a Six-Man Tag pitted them and a mystery partner against Lex Luger, “Macho Man” Randy Savage and Sting on PPV. With chaos ensuing, the Real American Hulk Hogan charged into the ring, presumably to defend WCW. Bobby Heenan jokingly hypothesized from the comments that Hogan was the Outsiders' third man. Not even the Brain expected to be right.
Not every betrayal in wrestling is necessarily against another member of the team. In this case, Hulk Hogan betrayed WCW by aligning himself with The Outsiders bent on reshaping it in his image. Furthermore, some will argue that Hulk Hogan betrayed the wrestling communityspecifically the kids who looked up to him by eating his smoothies and saying prayers in his honor. That Hogan was long dead, and this moment marked the beginning of WCW's memorable run at the top of the industry.
2
Seth Rollins activates the shield
Monday Night Raw, June 2, 2014
One night after The Shield defeated Evolution for the second pay-per-view in a row, Batista left the company. Heading into Raw's main event between Roman Reigns and Randy Orton, The Shield looked more dominant than ever and had the numbers game. Except, moments before the main event, Triple H declared that “there was always a Plan B.” Only then, the chair shot heard around the world resonated behind Roman's back. Dean Ambrose was attacked while recovering from the shock, and Seth Rollins stood over his fallen comrades.
No moment in modern wrestling has such a profound ripple effect on WWE programming and the industry as a whole like Seth's betrayal. It produced three future world champions, but also many current stories – including the ongoing story of Bloodline. Having the upset happen when The Shield had the most momentum possible was surprising and allowed the group to retreat before losing momentum.
1
Shawn puts Marty Jannetty through the barbershop window
The Wrestling Challenge, January 11, 1992
After teaming up for nearly five years, the Rockers reached a turning point when Marty Jannetty inadvertently caused losses to Shawn Michaels in a series of matches. Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake tried to find out what was going on on his talk show Barber Shop, where he brought the two friends as guests. Miraculously, it seemed the two managed to reconcile their differences and were ready to take steps to salvage their friendship. until Michaels superkicks Jannetyright before throwing him out the window.
The Rockers' breakup set the standard for tag team breakups in wrestlingto the point that turning on a tag team partner is often called “Jannetty'd”. Furthermore, the emerging tag team star receives comparisons to Michaels, while the one who is not destined for success is seen as a Jannetty. The concept of betrayal in wrestling existed long before WWEbut the Rockers' breakup created the template for how to do it right.