5 WWE Superstars who must turn heel in 2026

Several WWE Superstars are in need of a character change. For some, it is because their current gimmick isn't working, and for others, the story calls for it. 2025 has been a mixed bag for the Stamford-based promotion in terms of booking and fan perception.

To ensure fans are excited again for the product, the Triple H-led creative team needs to change the character of several babyfaces. In this listicle, we will look at five WWE Superstars who must turn heel in 2026:

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#5. Jey Uso

After suffering multiple setbacks, Jey Uso teased a massive character change this year. However, there hasn't been any significant development in Jey's character, and he is back in the tag team division with his twin.

Jey displaying shades of Roman Reigns was intriguing. Many believed it would lead to The YEET Master embracing the dark side to reach the top, much like his cousin did in 2020. While the storyline seems to be heading in a different direction at the moment, the Triple H-led creative team must pull the trigger and turn Jey Uso heel next year.

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#4. Bayley

2025 has been disappointing for Bayley. She hasn't been featured in a prominent role, and her booking has been confusing. The Role Model debuted a new split personality character, but it never reached its full potential, and was quietly dropped.

Babyface Bayley has her own charm, but she is arguably not as successful as her heel character. The former Hugger must revert to being a villain in 2026 and establish herself as the top woman that she is.

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#3. LA Knight

LA Knight's booking has been frustrating this year, and that's an understatement. Despite hovering around the title picture, The Megastar has lost every major match that he has competed in.

Knight has been vowing to win his first world title in WWE, but when it comes to matches, he always falls short of the finish line. The former United States Champion is at risk of losing popularity due to constant losses in major bouts. A character change could do wonders to ensure he regains momentum. Therefore, LA Knight must turn heel in 2026.

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#2. Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns has significantly reduced his WWE schedule. The OTC has made only sporadic appearances this year, but he remains one of the company's biggest stars. While he is an anti-hero babyface, Reigns showed the colors of his previous self during his brief storyline as Jey Uso's advisor.

The Head of the Table advised Jey to be more selfish and prioritize their family over everyone else. That said, even Reigns, who has been habituated to being in the championship picture, hasn't tasted any gold this year. Compared to what he accomplished as a heel, his babyface run hasn't been fruitful for the OTC. In 2026, Roman Reigns should turn to the dark side once again and regain his position at the top.

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#1. Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes

Cody Rhodes regained the Undisputed WWE Title by defeating John Cena at SummerSlam. However, his second reign as champion has been underwhelming thus far.

Rhodes' current character is at risk of getting stale soon. He has added more edge to his character lately in his feud with Drew McIntyre, which has been exciting to witness. The American Nightmare must pull the trigger on his highly anticipated heel turn in 2026 to further establish his position as the QB1 of WWE.

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Edited by Parth Pujara