Turn (professional wrestling)
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In professional wrestling, a turn occurs most frequently when a wrestler develops a new "gimmick" (persona) and changes, frequently from face to heel or sometimes vice versa. A perennial fan favorite is tag-team partners turning, often on each other, especially if they are related either in real life or in the storyline.
Selected famous turns
- Circa 1990 - Former American patriot Sgt Slaughter re-emerges as an Iraqi sympathizer during the Gulf War
- July 7, 1996 (Bash at the Beach) - long-time face Hulk Hogan turns on Randy Savage, Lex Luger, and Sting and joins Scott Hall and Kevin Nash to form the nWo. The nWo angle was critical in helping WCW gain dominance over the then-WWF.
- November 11, 1996 - Long-time heel Negro Casas had turned face while his opponent, El Hijo del Santo was taking a break after the CMLL anniversary show. Bestia Salvaje, who was feuding with Casas at the time, claimed he was going to have a little surprise for him at a show at Arena Mexico. The match was Casas, El Dandy, & Héctor Garza on the face side vs. Bestia Salvaje, Scorpio Jr., & Felino. Felino just watched as the match commenced and when Salvaje and Scorpio were attacking Casas, the fans begged Felino to help his brother. Felino removed his cape and his mask to reveal it was actually El Hijo del Santo. This shocked the Lucha Libre world as Santo had been a face his entire career and his father, the original El Santo, was the most iconic face in the history of Mexican Wrestling. A near riot broke out in the arena, with fist fights and pushing matches between fans. The feud sold out the Arena Mexico (17,687 seat capacity) three weeks in a row and rejuvenated a rebuilding CMLL.
- March 23, 1997 (WrestleMania 13), Stone Cold Steve Austin becomes a face during his match with Bret Hart by impressing the crowd with his determination and drive to win, even passing out from pain and blood loss rather than submit to Hart's signature hold, The Sharpshooter. Bret subsequently becomes a heel by ruthlessly attacking Austin while he is unconscious. This match, and its included double-turn, is held up by wrestling fans as being one of the finest examples of in-ring storytelling in recent memory.