With WWE WrestleMania 42 season squarely underway, there may be some big character changes in store for the Las Vegas event.
From the already teased turns to others that could come out of nowhere, there are some intriguing possibilities who may leave Las Vegas having leaned into their dark side.
Here are six potential heel turns at WWE WrestleMania 42.
6. Sami Zayn
A WWE star that may not make it all the way to WrestleMania 42 before turning heel is Sami Zayn.
With a recent shift in demeanor, it certainly seems as though there could be a dark persona coming soon for the beloved Underdog from the Underground.
Able to certainly lean in to more emotionally based character work, Zayn may have a crisis on conscious on his Road to WrestleMania, only to end up turning heel at the big event.
Possibly interfering in a major title match or even attacking another beloved babyface, Sami Zayn seems set for something intriguing in 2026 that may launch at WrestleMania 42.
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5. Bayley
While Bayley has been in a bit of a holding pattern since WrestleMania 41, it could be time for her character to really shake things up.
Potentially even turning heel on the Road to WrestleMania, it could be that Bayley has some certifiable frustrations leading to a big turn.
Able to channel another frustrating loss into a big moment of betrayal, it could be that Bayley ends up taking out her rage on Lyra Valkyria or even IYO SKY.
After SKY and Bayley reminded fans through a brief moment on WWE Raw on March 4 that there was still bad blood between them — perhaps there is a feud brewing.
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4. Carmelo Hayes
Although he just became a babyface, there could be a solid case to be made for Carmelo Hayes to take a bit of a shift towards the dark side.
Certainly able to rule any brand if re-aligned with Trick Williams, the pair could become a modern duo of anti-heroes similarly to Shawn Michaels and Triple H in the past.
While their antics in the ring would lean more towards heelishness, their character’s charisma and connection to the fans would still endear audiences to their brash and bold behavior.
With Trick Williams occupying the space already, all he needs is Melo to join him in order to entirely rule the WWE SmackDown roster.
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3. Matt Cardona
While fans have enjoyed seeing Matt Cardona make his return to WWE, he may be a more compelling character when playing heel.
Able to bring his more dastardly and sarcastic persona from his wildly popular indie run back to WWE, Cardona would be the perfect opponent for several babyface stars.
Able to prove foil for the likes of Nathan Frazer, Axiom or even Damian Priest — Cardona could bring brand new life into the division.
Just as scathing on the mic as his actions can be in the ring, it would make sense to see a little bit more personality from Cardona after making a big return at the beginning of 2026.
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2. Alexa Bliss
While Charlotte Flair has seemingly leaned into a more fun-loving albeit a bit goofier version of her character than in the past, Alexa Bliss on the other hand has remained relatively flat.
With her tone and demeanor often the firmer or colder presence compared to Flair, it may be that if the duo find themselves in a split, Bliss will be the heel.
While their tag team has been an enjoyable one overall, there is still a chance the duo could remain together if both were to turn heel at WWE WrestleMania 42.
Possibly staying united but with a renewed commitment to being as evil as necessary to get their goals accomplished, the pair could take on new challengers as heels after leaving Las Vegas.
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1. Randy Orton
With Aleister Black looking to tease Randy Orton’s darker tendencies out of him, it could be that by the time the dust settles on WWE WrestleMania 42, The Viper will be truly back.
Looking to claim his 15th World Championship and to break his current tie at 14 with Triple H, Randy Orton has solid motivation to do whatever it takes to capture the gold.
Although his Elimination Chamber victory over Rhodes can be spun as seizing the moment, Orton’s later actions could begin to unravel a heelish new persona for Orton.
While there are vague rumblings that potentially a Cody Rhodes heel turn has been considered in WWE, it would make far more sense to launch into a rivalry between Orton and Rhodes with Orton as the heel.
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