In WWE, most wrestlers transition between babyface (hero) and heel (villain) roles at some point in their careers. Some superstars thrive in both personas, while others shine brighter in one role over the other. It’s common for championship reigns to receive drastically different reactions depending on whether the champion is a beloved fan favorite or a despised antagonist.
However, not every heel champion is met with jeers—take Brock Lesnar, for example. When he decimated John Cena at SummerSlam 2014 to reclaim the WWE Championship, the audience erupted in cheers despite his heel status. Conversely, some wrestlers had championship reigns that resonated more strongly with the crowd depending on whether they were playing a face or a heel. Here are some superstars who have held gold on both sides of the spectrum.
Michelle McCool – A Trailblazer in Women’s Wrestling
Michelle McCool made history at The Great American Bash 2008 by defeating Natalya to become the first-ever WWE Divas Champion as a babyface. However, after dropping the title to Maryse, McCool embraced her villainous side. As a heel aligned with Layla in LayCool, McCool captured the Unified WWE Divas Championship at Night of Champions 2010. She remained dominant until Natalya dethroned her at Survivor Series 2010 in a handicap match.
Bobby Lashley – Dominance in Multiple Eras
Bobby Lashley’s first major title win came in 2006 when he defeated JBL for the WWE United States Championship as a babyface. It took him 14 years to reclaim the title, this time as a heel aligned with The Hurt Business, by defeating Apollo Crews at Payback 2020. He later won the championship again as a face in 2022, overpowering Austin Theory at Money in the Bank.
CM Punk – Master of the Money in the Bank Cash-In
CM Punk’s first two World Heavyweight Championship wins came via Money in the Bank cash-ins. In 2008, he capitalized on Edge as a face, but in 2009, he did the same to Jeff Hardy, displaying heelish tendencies before fully turning villainous. His feud with Hardy cemented him as a top heel, and his SummerSlam 2009 TLC victory over Hardy solidified his reign as a villainous champion.
Bayley – From Hugger to Role Model
Bayley won the SmackDown Women’s Championship for the first time in 2019 as a beloved babyface, cashing in Money in the Bank on Charlotte Flair. However, after losing the title at Hell in a Cell 2019, Bayley turned heel days later by sporting a new look and attitude. She reclaimed the title and held it for a record-breaking 380 days until losing to Sasha Banks at Hell in a Cell 2020.
Chris Jericho – A Record-Setting Intercontinental Champion
Chris Jericho holds the record for most WWE Intercontinental Championship reigns at nine. His first four came as a fan-favorite, but he turned heel by his fifth reign, winning the title from Rob Van Dam. His transition to a villain saw him win the championship multiple times, including a victory over Rey Mysterio at Extreme Rules 2009.
Trish Stratus – A Star in Both Roles
Trish Stratus was an iconic Women’s Champion, winning the title seven times. Her first four reigns came as a babyface, but her fifth win at Bad Blood 2004 marked her first as a heel. Stratus later reclaimed the title as a fan-favorite, culminating in her retirement match at Unforgiven 2006, where she defeated Lita in front of her hometown Toronto crowd.
The Undertaker – A Phenom in Both Roles
The Undertaker first won the WWE Championship as a heel at Survivor Series 1991 by defeating Hulk Hogan. His next reign came in 1997 as a babyface. Over the years, he fluctuated between both roles, winning his third title as a heel in 1999 but turning face mid-way through his fourth reign in 2002 after a classic ladder match with Jeff Hardy.
Batista – The Animal’s Short-Lived WWE Title Reigns
While Batista is more associated with the World Heavyweight Championship, he also had two WWE Championship reigns. His first came as a face in 2009 when he defeated Randy Orton, but an injury forced him to relinquish the title. His second reign, as a heel, came at Elimination Chamber 2010 when he defeated John Cena. However, it lasted only five weeks before Cena reclaimed the title at WrestleMania 26.
Liv Morgan – Making History with Raquel Rodriguez
Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez captured the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship twice in 2023 as babyfaces. However, after aligning with Judgment Day in 2024, they won the titles again as heels on the February 24, 2025, episode of Raw, becoming the first three-time WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions.
Roman Reigns – The Dominance of The Tribal Chief
Roman Reigns’ first Universal Championship win in 2018 came as a babyface when he finally overcame Brock Lesnar. However, after returning in 2020 as a heel, Reigns reclaimed the Universal Championship at Payback and embarked on a record-breaking 1,316-day reign. His dominance extended to WrestleMania 38, where he unified the WWE and Universal Championships by defeating Lesnar, until Cody Rhodes ended his reign.
Final Thoughts
WWE history is filled with superstars who have won championships as both faces and heels. Some thrived in one role more than the other, while others seamlessly transitioned between both. Regardless of alignment, their championship reigns left an undeniable mark on the industry, proving that gold isn’t just about winning—it’s about the story told along the way.
