Credit: WWE.com

Ranking the Most Likely Heel and Face Turns at 2021 WWE Elimination Chamber

Kevin Berge

The Road to WrestleMania is upon us, and some of the best wrestlers in the world are looking to make the impact necessary to compete at The Show of Shows. It is a special time for so many.

Every year, WWE promises huge twists ahead of its biggest show. That means dramatic heel turns and memorable face turns—swerves that no one could expect.

The first show on the Road to WrestleMania is the Elimination Chamber on Sunday. With this now-set card, WWE has the opportunity to pull many interesting moments that no one will forget.

Cesaro will be competing in the SmackDown Elimination Chamber match against top competitors like Daniel Bryan, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn and Jey Uso. In this field, anything could happen, but could we see The Swiss Cyborg embrace his inner hero?

Charlotte Flair and Shayna Baszler are women on the edge, relevant but lacking a clearly defined character. A fresh and dramatic turn could lead to both thriving, but will WWE pull that trigger?

Others on the brink of change at Elimination Chamber include everyone in The Hurt Business. The stable has been dominating but lacks direction. One potential move could well involve Keith Lee.

This show has so much potential, and WWE needs to do something for Road to WrestleMania pushes without any settled matches for the marquee event on April 10-11. Only time will tell what adjustment it does to create the greatest show possible. 

Here are some of the more likely heel and face turns at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view. 

4. Heel: Keith Lee

Keith Lee has not been thriving as of late in his role on Raw. His upcoming meeting with Bobby Lashley and Riddle is his first title match on pay-per-view since joining the main roster in August 2020.

The Hurt Business has been one of the red brand's best stables in recent memory. However, recent dissension in the ranks, especially involving Cedric Alexander, could set the stage for a change in membership.

What better way to start then bringing Lee into the fold? If WWE was feeling truly bold, MVP could even cost The All Mighty the title, helping The Limitless One win over him. This is the kind of Road to WrestleMania drama WWE is known for.

The company needs to do something big at Sunday's show, and Lee betraying Riddle would leave a lasting impact.

3. Heel: Charlotte Flair

Since her return at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs in December, Charlotte Flair has felt off, trying too hard to be someone she isn't.

She has always been better playing the heel, but it is more than that. Her current persona in WWE is unrefined and lacks the spark that made her one of the company's best.

What can help her fully reintegrate into WWE? She needs to make a dramatic change that reveals a new side of The Queen. One way to pull that off would be for her to turn against Asuka at Elimination Chamber, setting up a match at WrestleMania.

With Lacey Evans removed from contention after revealing on Monday she is pregnant, The Empress of Tomorrow has no announced opponent at the pay-per-view. This sets up the potential for Charlotte to challenge Asuka or attack her after the match.

Her story with Evans has been put on hold, and Charlotte has to be at her most volatile right now. And if Andrade is set to return and compete by The Queen's side, this is the right time for the setup.

Charlotte vs. Asuka is an easy match to sell, but it begins with The Queen turning heel. This would be an easy story to tell and is more likely than ever after her rivalry with Evans was put on hold.

2. Face: Shayna Baszler

This idea has come up ever since Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler first started working together last summer. It is unlikely to happen right away, but every small step pushes closer to that reality.

The Queen of Spades has played second fiddle to The Irresistible Force throughout their tag team run. Jax has been better protected and portrayed as the most dangerous. While Baszler has not outright played the face, she often pushes back against her teammate's more rash and aggressive decisions.

There has to be a part of WWE's backstage team that wants to book Jax vs. Baszler at WrestleMania 37 or near to it. The two have a ready-made story. They have never truly liked each other. The Queen of Spades does not have to change a bit to want to dissect her partner with technical offense.

If the two were to lose the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships at Elimination Chamber, it is unlikely they would stay together long. Baszler has always wanted the gold more than The Irresistible Force. Jax's arrogance and overconfidence will break them apart eventually.

It is just a matter of what WWE wants for WrestleMania, and it's not like the company to be patient with a storyline.

1. Face: Cesaro

Cesaro is wavering between heel and face. Before the Royal Rumble, he was clearly playing the villain, but he has found a new perspective with Daniel Bryan. The two are working together and thriving.

It helps even more that Seth Rollins arrived back in WWE on Friday and attacked The Swiss Cyborg. This seems to be a set up for a full face run almost immediately. It is just down to how the SmackDown men's Elimination Chamber match goes.

If Cesaro won clean over so many great competitors on Sunday, it would set the stage for a massive rise to the top as a hero of the blue brand. He could fight tooth and nail against Roman Reigns despite all the damage he suffered in the Chamber, losing with the respect of the fans behind him.

This could be the biggest story of the entire night. The world is watching Cesaro right now. He is on the precipice of greatness. However, no one knows for sure where it will lead, as The Swiss Cyborg has never been allowed to thrive for long on his own.

Even if this ultimately leads to Bryan and Cesaro as an alliance, it will be great to see The Yes Man working with another of the best wrestlers in WWE today. It would be a fresh spotlight for two all-time greats.

   

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