Some of the most beloved stars in wrestling are the ones whose smiles light up the room. These babyfaces have an infectious energy that gets the crowd invested. While some of the more skeptical fans have a disdain for “white meat” babyfaces, it’s hard to deny their popularity among younger fans and the more fun-loving.
RELATED: 10 WWE Wrestlers Whose Bad Attitude Cost Them A JobHowever, pro wrestling has a tendency to bring out the most brutal side of anyone, even the most wholesome people in the business. Sometimes these well-intentioned babyfaces are forced to dig down and bring out their anger in order to overcome their heelish opponents. Here are 10 instances of these wholesome babyfaces tapping into their brutality.
10 Bayley vs Charlotte Flair
Before she was the Role Model, Bayley was the Hugger. She wore a ponytail on the side pf her head, tassels on her arms, and a smile on her face. One of the hardest feuds the Hugger had to face was against The Queen of WWE, Charlotte Flair. It was also Bayley’s last feud before turning heel in 2019.
RELATED: 10 Best WWE Divas Of All Time, RankedBayley defended her Smackdown Women’s Championship against Charlotte at Clash of Champions. Toward the end of the match, Bayley did what was previously unimaginable; she ripped the turnbuckle pad from the corner and threw Charlotte into it, incapacitating the challenger and allowing Bayley to sneak away with the win.
9 Willow Nightingale vs Tay Conti & Anna Jay
Willow Nightingale is the most bubbly wrestler in AEW. She simply sparks joy wherever she goes. But her opponents would be fools to underestimate her. Fans saw a brutal side of Willow in a tag team street fight where she fought alongside Ruby Soho against the women of the JAS. The match featured kendo sticks, trash can lids, chairs, tables, and lots of blood.
8 John Cena vs Edge
There is arguably no bigger star in WWE history than John Cena. In 2006, Cena was at the top of his game. He was the top babyface in the company (though he did have more than his fair share of detractors), and was locked in a feud with the most despicable heel of the company, Edge.
One of the most surprising spots of their match at Unforgiven 2006 is when Cena hit Lita with the Attitude Adjustment, showing just how far he was willing to go to get his championship back.
7 Hangman Page vs Lance Archer
Adam Page is one of the most down-to-earth wrestlers today. That’s partially what makes him so beloved by the AEW faithful. His time as AEW World Champion often gets glossed over, but this is a big mistake. As champion, Page had to dig within himself and pull out brutality that fans had not seen from him before. In Atlantic City, Page faced Lance Archer in a hyper-violent Texas Death match that left him bloody, but victorious.
6 Candice LeRae vs Iyo Sky
When Candice LeRae arrived in NXT, she was the bright-eyed competitor ready to prove herself on the global stage. However, her rivalry with Iyo Sky (known in NXT as Io Shirai) brought out a ruthless side of LeRae that the WWE had never seen before.
Their most brutal encounter came at Halloween Havoc 2020, where the two fought for the NXT Women's Championship in a “Tables, Ladders, and Scares” match. Unfortunately, LeRae came up short, but she proved that she is no one to mess with.
5 Johnny Gargano vs Tommaso Ciampa
Candice LeRae’s husband, Johnny Gargano, was also a top babyface in NXT. His biggest rivalry (and one of the biggest rivalries in NXT history) was against his best friend-turned-rival, Tommaso Ciampa. Their unsanctioned match at NXT Takeover: New Orleans saw a violent, emotional side emerge from Gargano as he hit his former tag partner with all he had.
4 The New Day vs The Usos
The New Day and The Usos are two of the best tag teams to ever compete in WWE. The rivalry between them has spanned almost the last decade, but the teams still manage to keep fans hooked whenever they meet in the ring. Their most appraised encounter is their match at Hell in a Cell 2017, where the New Day, known for their love of breakfast food and belief in the power of positivity, unleashed a world of pain on their rivals.
3 Rey Mysterio vs CM Punk
WWE Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio is so beloved that even if he wanted to turn heel, it probably wouldn’t work. But just because he has a heart of gold doesn’t mean he can’t be ruthless when he wants to be.
CM Punk made the mistake of insulting and threatening Rey Mysterio’s family. This awoke a beast in the luchador, who soundly defeated Punk and shaved the heel’s head at Over The Limit 2010.
2 Kenny Omega vs Jon Moxley
When AEW first started, Kenny Omega was positioned as one of the company’s top babyfaces. His feud with Jon Moxley quickly became the hottest program in the company. Their match at Full Gear 2019 was the first Lights Out match in AEW history. It featured barbed wire, broken glass, mousetraps, and baseball bats, among other weapons of destruction. Despite a great effort, Kenny was ultimately too out of his element and lost the bout.
1 Cody Rhodes vs Seth Rollins
At WrestleMania 38, Cody Rhodes made his stunning return to WWE. Since then, he has been a squeaky-clean babyface and darling of the company; he comes to the ring with a toothy smile and undying optimism.
RELATED: 5 Wrestlers Cody Rhodes Gets Along With (& 4 That He Doesn't)Cody’s first feud upon returning was with Seth Rollins. Their match at Hell in a Cell was not only a display of Cody’s incredible grit (he competed and won with a torn pec) but was also awarded WWE Match of the Year for 2022.
