WrestleMania 29: Potential Face or Heel Turns That Could Happen at WrestleMania

[LG]

Kane and Daniel Bryan are headed on a collision course with Dolph Ziggler and Big E Langston on April 7th at WrestleMania 29. Team Hell No will be putting the WWE Tag Team Championships on the line in this one, but for me the real story here is the potential return of Kane as Hell’s Favorite Demon.

I have to go on the record here with my firm belief that Kane and Daniel Bryan are one of the most entertaining tandems that WWE has ever seen. The combination of Kane’s power, Bryan’s technical prowess and the hilarity of watching them attempt to get along has made them a very unique must-see tag team.

Every time the duo is on TV, Team Hell No finds itself in one ridiculous argument after another. Kane and Daniel Bryan scream at each other, demanding to be appreciated and attempting to assert their individual superiority over the other.

It’s been fun, hasn’t it?

I will admit that back when the gimmick first began and we saw the unlikely pair sitting together in anger management classes, I initially thought the whole thing could be a mistake. Vince McMahon has always been a fan of the comedy acts and WWE is never in short supply of them. The fact is that a large part of the time they tend to fall flat and before you know it, it’s over.

But it did not take long for myself and perhaps other critics out there to realize that WWE had struck gold with this one. It has been very smart in capitalizing on the odd chemistry that Kane and Bryan have together and this thing has been a definite success.

And to be honest, I don’t really know if I am ready to see it end.

But I may not have any choice, as now there is a new element involved for Kane, one that centers around CM Punk.

As we all know, Punk interrupted The Undertaker’s tribute to Paul Bearer last week on Monday Night Raw. He then committed the ultimate sin by stealing the urn that has been synonymous with The Deadman since the very beginning of his WWE career.

Since then, it’s been all downhill.

Punk is now mocking Bearer and juggling the urn, carelessly dropping it as if it means nothing. The very roots of the Undertaker’s career lay in that urn, a symbol that represents who he is and where he comes from.

But, it also represents Kane. And that could be a big problem for not only CM Punk, but Daniel Bryan.

Thus far, Kane’s issues with Punk have been just under the surface. The two men faced off on Raw, in a match that Kane won, but that has evidently not solved the problem. Kane is still showing signs of frustration and is becoming more and more aggressive in the ring. He is looking less like a lovable funnyman and more like a rage-filled monster.

The way it’s supposed to be, perhaps?

Therein lies the issue as it pertains to Kane. He is very good at getting over. If the storyline calls for him to be heel and terrorize the WWE roster, then he will do just that. He can completely immerse himself in that character and physically dominate the way no one else can. He indeed becomes the Big Red Monster.

But if the storyline calls for him to turn face and team with Daniel Bryan, in a gimmick that is meant to be lighthearted and funny? Well, Kane can do that all day and twice on Sunday. He is still big and powerful, but he is also the perfect straight man in a comedy routine that rivals anything that WWE has ever done before.

Again, he’s very good.

So anytime a situation comes up that could result in Kane changing his colors again, fans know that he is more than capable of making it work. Suddenly, we go from an angle that is successful, one that Kane is thriving in, to one that would call for him to completely turn it all upside down. And he is always up to the challenge.

Is that what could be happening now?

There has been no real sign of any increased friction between Kane and Daniel Bryan thus far, no more than usual, at least. In fact, they appear to be on the same page, as evidenced by their upcoming match against Ziggler and Langston.

But if anything could happen in terms of change for Kane, then there could be no bigger stage for it than WrestleMania. And for those fans who want to see him back in the singles division, wreaking havoc on WWE as only he can, then they would likely love to see the end of Team Hell No at Mania.

Of course, this could be nothing more than a bump in the road for Kane, a minor distraction that will pass, and once it does, we’re back to the crazy antics and anger management issues of Team Hell No.

But for me, there’s just something about this situation. It feels as though change could be in the air for Kane.

Lovable comedian or menacing monster? Only time will tell.

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[LG]

John Cena said it himself on Raw Monday night.

For the past 10 years, it has been Cena who has come to work every day. Fans like him or hate him and in his own words, Cena was succint--- he has been along for the ride.

Those 10 years have been good to Cena, allowed him to become arguably the most polarizing wrestler in WWE history, a movie star (actually that is debatable) and has become the WWE's biggest marketing tool of all time. But after the 10 years and at 35 years old, maybe it is time for Cena to finally leave his perch as the top draw and allow himself a change or two to his character and the direction the WWE wants to go.

This is merely an assumption based on my part regarding the direction the WWE is willing to travel. But I do know that year after year, we as fans have gotten a stale mouthful of Fruity Pebbles that kids eat up and adults tolerate. For everything we want John Cena to not be, the fact remains his commitment to causes like Make-A-Wish and the Armed Forces is as close to anything Hulk Hogan did in the 1980s with Hulkamania.

Vince McMahon would be stupid to cash out that kind of success.

The WWE cannot move forward until it makes some major decisions about its lead heroes and villains. Monday night could have been the start of something great for the company. Cena told The Rock, the fans in attendance in Philadelphia and the millions watching that The Rock is the only man who he admittedly allowed to get under his skin and it cost him everything last year.

Imagine what happens if that happens again? Imagine what happens if The Rock retains the WWE Title and goes on to Extreme Rules to face Cena again? Imagine if we see a more aggressive and bullying Cena in one more match with "The Great One."

Wasn't it Brock Lesnar who shocked the world last year by calling out the fan favorite and proved he could affect the entire company with one F-5?

Cena, with all his vanilla personality and stale bread attitude has gotten a bit feistier of late and it shows. More aggression in his tone, more aggression in his voice and more attitude. Sticking a hand in the face of The Rock last night did not help, but we get the picture.

I am hoping this is the beginning of the end for Cena as we know him. Who steps in to make the transition is anyone's guess. But a fresh Cena, a real change in attitude and the chance to make a new start for the company is just what both Cena and the WWE need.

Until then, the wrestling promotion is being held hostage by what used to work, not what works right now.



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[the madscotsman]

I think it would be cool to do it at mania. Have Cena screw the Rock out of the title. I'm sure they could find some way of having the children still buy his merch.(assuming that's the reason they haven't turned him by now. ) I mean look at Punk: he's a heel and still sells loads of merch. honestly think a Cena heel turn would be best for him and WWE. It would allow some new faces to be made.

[Rob]

It would be a kickass storyline if they revealed Cena being behind the Shield, like Hogan with NWO. But then again, there's a shitload of other things wrestling fans would actually want to see, and Vince McMahon wants no part of it.

[the madscotsman]

But with HHH geting more and more power and him apparently wanting some more old school type story lines I think it could still happen.

[Jake]

It would be a kickass storyline if they revealed Cena being behind the Shield, like Hogan with NWO. But then again, there's a shitload of other things wrestling fans would actually want to see, and Vince McMahon wants no part of it.

Would love to see this and I've been hoping that since they came in. Would definitely be better at mania but for him to lose a 2nd year in a row to Rock at mania and have a fit on raw the following night would be satisfying. Definitely has to be mania or the raw to follow to successfully sell the rematch at that ppv in my opinion. Nobodys going to be hyped to buy that show to see face Rock vs an obvious pretend face cena where we all know the turn is coming. Definitely happening at Mania or the Raw to follow or they're sticking out with him as a face for awhile yet is what I think.

[the madscotsman]

Aye, they'll need to change things a good bit in order to get people to buy Extreme rules. I mean it's not like Punk and Cena were we can get emotionally involved. I really don't give a fuck about Rock v Cena.

[LG]

Randy Orton may be the voice of reason in his team with Sheamus and Big Show, but should they lose at WrestleMania 29 to The Shield, Orton will turn on his friends.

After nearly a year of losses, this will give Orton the chance to turn heel and start winning again.

Over the past several months, Orton has been on a career downturn. He's lost clean to many superstars, including Jack Swagger, Dolph Ziggler and even Alberto Del Rio. Once called the Apex Predator, Orton hasn't looked like the nine-time world champion and 2009 Royal Rumble winner of old.

Instead, he's been more of an in-ring floatation device, staying afloat in the WWE main roster tidal wave of talent but just barely.

Orton is 33 years old with 13 years of professional experience. He's got plenty of years ahead of him. Instead of putting other guys over, the Viper should be walking over other guys.

Orton's wish to turn heel has been covered here on Bleacher Report. His upcoming bout with Sheamus and Show against The Shield may be the opportunity he needs to turn heel and get back in the win column.

But not by winning the match itself.

All three men involved in the contest with The Shield have been victims of their three-on-one assaults at one time or another. But it was Orton who suffered a shoulder injury as a result of the attacks. He has the most reason to be involved and a time-tested storyline motivator: revenge.

Orton was first attacked by Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns on the December 3 Monday Night Raw after his match with Brad Maddox. He was attacked again on December 14 on SmackDown, where his received his injury.

The Legend Killer returned on the December 31 Raw and fended off The Shield with Sheamus and Ryback. He was attacked two more times, on SmackDown and Main Event, before he teamed up with the Celtic Warrior to pursue The Shield.

He clearly wants revenge, but revenge can also open the door to unrequited anger. A loss to the trio from NXT could be just enough to send the Viper into heel territory.

Orton has never been a team player, so his actions over the past week, where he played the mediator and motivator between Sheamus and Show, were odd. Storyline-wise, it helps build the eventual Orton post-WrestleMania meltdown.

Look at what is happening with the match already.

Show is the largest opponent of The Shield and has been able to toss the three men around the ring like pieces of trash. There's a good chance he'll walk out of the match, win or lose, in the favor of the fans. The same goes for Sheamus.

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But Orton needs the win to validate his current quest for revenge. If the team does lose at WrestleMania, what has the Legend Killer accomplished after being on the receiving end of weeks of beatdowns?

Nothing.

Show will have gained new momentum from a potential face turn. Sheamus will have retained his tough-guy image and mid-card status. Orton will have gained nothing more than another loss.

It's an easy opportunity for the WWE to have Orton vent his frustrations on Sheamus and Show. Plus, with Show likely becoming somewhat face, a serious heel void needs to be filled. Orton turning his back on the fans allows him to channel his more aggressive tendencies that wouldn't fly with the WWE Universe.

So much of his time lately has revolved around The Shield. With so many months of failure behind him, he can't afford to keep losing. Orton needs to show his fangs and act like a viper again.

BR

[LG]

John Cena vs. The Rock, the rematch of rematches, is scheduled for WWE’s WrestleMania 29 on April 7. While fan reaction has been mixed thus far in terms of how well received this bout is, there are some serious rumblings happening that maybe this will be the moment that changes Cena’s career. Maybe this is the moment that he will finally turn heel.

Seems we’re going back down that road again. Yeah, I know.

We have talked this thing to death, haven’t we? For what seems an eternity now, the burning topic of discussion among WWE fans has been whether or not Cena will ever once again make that turn.

Actually, the burning topic of discussion among WWE fans has been Cena, period. Everything the guy says, everything he does, is broken down, dissected, analyzed and hypothesized, seemingly every minute of every day. To say that Cena has been the most polarizing WWE Superstar of the last 10 years is to say that he doesn’t care much for wrestling boots.

Seriously, John, still with the sneakers?

But yes, the truth is that the eternal debate of “will he or won’t he” has intensified lately and the biggest reason for that is The Rock.

WWE is presenting Cena as a man who is after redemption. His loss to The People’s Champ last year was the catalyst that led to Cena having a fairly unsuccessful year.

His inability to defeat CM Punk and regain the WWE Championship, combined with his personal issues outside the ring, have been attributed to his 'Mania loss.

Cena takes the full blame, of course, as we expected he would, and has admitted that he dropped the ball at WrestleMania 28. He believes Rocky did not beat him and that he beat himself. In Cena’s mind, there is no question as to who should have won last year and who will definitely win this year.

Again, this is about redemption.

But that redemption is delusion in The Rock’s opinion, as he is just not buying what John is selling. Rocky believes that if Cena were capable of beating him, then he would have, plain and simple.

So, we have a disagreement. We have frustration. And we have a Superstar whose career is as stale as his jokes.

Sorry, John, they’re just awful.

But that’s not all we have. Cena began Monday Night Raw by saying the following:

“There is no mistaking that April 7 will be a historic day for the WWE. And whether I win or lose that match, it is safe to say that it will change the face of the WWE forever.”

I wonder just exactly what he meant by that.

Was it just part of the spot? Just something to say to put over the match itself? Or was there a bit of ominous foreshadowing attached to what he said?

Or are we all getting reeled in again?

The notion of Cena changing his colors, turning his back on the fans that he is always so desperate to win over, is so strong that we keep finding ourselves talking about it. We do nothing but wait for it to happen.

But is it all just a waste of time?

I have to say that I can see both sides of it. On one hand is the same old story, the one that paints Cena as the face of WWE, a guy who is just too good to turn heel. He is the ultimate babyface, a Superstar who is beyond reproach and if he goes heel, then he would be letting down a lot of younger fans whose parents buy his merchandise by the truckload.

But on the other hand we have the Cena who promised that the company will change after WrestleMania. He stood up to The Rock and at the end of their segment on Monday he did the “you can’t see me" as the two stood nose to nose.

That Cena is on the verge of taking back his career from the fans who simply do not appreciate him. He’s ready to do things his way.

Sounds good, right? Think it’s going to happen? Yeah, me neither.

The endless debate about Cena potentially turning heel is just that: endless. The conditions seem to be right for the moment to occur at WrestleMania 29, but there is no guarantee that it will definitely happen.

But, if there is one WWE Superstar who John could use as a reason to change, it’s The Rock, who could get him over in a heartbeat. And, if there is one stage big enough to accommodate an epic storyline twist of this size, it’s WrestleMania.

And the debate rages on.

BR

[LG]

WrestleMania is the biggest event in professional wrestling. It is where the best matches and some of the biggest moments happen.

In the past, big moments come from a superstar turning face or heel. There is potential for some guys in the WWE locker room to make a change and benefit from one.

Here are some superstars that could possibly turn face or heel at WrestleMania 29.

1. Randy Orton
Randy Orton's turn to a face had initially pushed him to the top of the company. However, he has grown very stale and is in limbo.

A heel turn might be necessary for Orton to get back to the top and into the World Heavyweight or WWE Championship picture.

His match at WrestleMania could be a perfect time for Orton to make that turn. He is teaming with Sheamus and Big Show to take on the Shield.

Orton could easily start to "hear voices" in his head and turn on his team. This would help keep the momentum of the Shield going and set up a feud with Sheamus nicely.

2. Kane
The instability of the Tag Team Champions could finally boil over at WrestleMania 29. We have seen Kane and Daniel Bryan work very well together but also come close to really losing their cools against each other.

An altercation or dropping the belts at WrestleMania could cause the two to finally start a feud versus each other.

With Daniel Bryan being one of the top baby faces in the company right now, Kane would most likely take the role of the heel. Nothing like a simple chokeslam to turn him heel and end Team Hell No.

3. Dolph Ziggler
Dolph Ziggler has been running around with the Money in the Bank briefcase for close to 10 months. Many feel he could cash it in at WrestleMania 29.

The World Heavyweight Championship match is between Alberto Del Rio and Jack Swagger. If Swagger wins that match, and Ziggler cashes it in, that could lead to a potential feud between the two of them and a face turn for Ziggler.

Ziggler has been sitting at the cusp of being a top superstar. He needs that one good push to finally get him there. A possible face turn and cashing in the MITB briefcase at WrestleMania could give him it.

4. Ryback
Ryback will be taking on Mark Henry in a "Battle of the Big Boys" at WrestleMania 29. But what also might be in store for Ryback is a potential heel turn.

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the WWE has been considering a heel turn for Ryback. That could lead to a feud with John Cena after WrestleMania.

I'm not sure exactly how the company would spin it to turn him heel, but a loss to Henry could set Ryback off on a rampage.

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[LionDen]

I like the idea of either Orton or Cena becoming heel and saying that they are in charge of The Shield. I think I would rather Cena do it as Orton can become quite easily at any time, he is just a natural at it. Cena needs to have something, a reason of some kind to become heel.

I really do hope Kane becomes a monster again, the run with Bryan has come to an end, it was fun while it laster but the two need to move on now.

I could see Ryback as heel, I think the fans will still love him and chat his 'Feed Me More'. I always wanted Ryback to take on Cena some time this year. I think Ryback will be pushed huge in a few months.

[The Mac]

cena will never.....evvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvver be heel agaiiiiiiiiiiiin

[LionDen]

cena will never.....evvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvver be heel agaiiiiiiiiiiiin

I don't know, the rumors are flying it is possible at Mania. I am guessing Cena would have a say in it and if it does happen, it will be a last minute decision.