Written by Kevin James (Feedback can be provided at [email protected])
Behind the success of a great babyface are the workings of an even greater heel. Austin had McMahon, Bret had HBK, Hogan had Andre. These were heels who relished the hatred of a crowd, who could easily manipulate the crowd into booing them and cheering the faces who battled them, regardless of whether or not the face was stale.They brought out the best in their opposing faces, and helped them draw sympathy and support from the fans through their constant heinous acts whilst drawing the ire of the fans for themselves. Their contributions are essential in putting together captivating TV, and helping maintain that despite the fact that some superstars are portrayed as superheroes, they are indeed fallible. (Except Cena, apparently.And Orton. And Sheamus. Dammit this is ruining my column)
Although heel quality in the WWE has indeed dipped in the last few years, there are a few pretty good heels left. In this column, I will write about who I feel are the 3 greatest heels in the WWE today, and why I feel that way.
#3: The Shield
Okay, I know I'm cheating a little here by using a stable instead of an individual superstar, but you cant deny that in less than a year, they have made a larger impact than some wrestlers who've been with the company for ages. Their warped sense of justice and how it should be administered has made many in the WWE Universe despise them. Their constant 3-on-1 attacks also have fans booing them relentlessly, but the Shield is definitely one of the best heels factions in a long while. Beating all-star teams after all-star teams, this dominant trio has defeated some of the biggest names in the WWE today. Guys like Cena, Sheamus, Orton, Jericho, and Ryback have all fallen victim to the shield at one point or another. The Shield even managed to incapacitate The Rock, a bona fide legend in the industry, before the Royal Rumble 2013. Hell, we haven't seen The Undertaker, perhaps the greatest sports entertainer alive, since The Shield took him out. Along with the long list of guys they've beaten, all 3 members of The Shield has developed their own personas and characters, in a way that makes all of them complement each other perfectly. Dean Ambrose is the passionate and charismatic mouthpiece of the group, Seth Rollins is the high-flyer and most hardcore member (some of the bumps he's taken are just painful to watch), and Roman Reigns is the enforcer, the muscle of the Shield. All 3 guys are entertaining, and seem poised to rise to the top even after the inevitable breakup of the Shield. Despite being one of the better stables in the last few years, there are a few problems I have with the Shield.
They've laid waste to great teams teams like Daniel Bryan and the Brothers of Destruction, and destroyed legends like the Rock...but lost to Christian and The Usos last Raw. I'm not taking a dump on Christian and the Usos, I'm actually pretty big fans of them and see them as vital parts of WWE's future, but they're just not on the level of guys like Undertaker and the Rock. The fact that the Shield could take out legends yet not handle them creates inconsistency in the Shield's legitimacy. Another more minor problem I have with the Shield (actually, more with the creative writers) is that they never followed up with the video showing The Shield attacking Brad Maddox under Paul Heyman's orders. If the Shield are indeed an independent faction, why were they listening to and obeying Heyman? One more of the storylines WWE discarded midway...as if we needed another of those.
These problems are not the Shield's fault, but rather the way they have been used by the creative department. They are undoubtedly the best stable the WWE has seen in years, and I sincerely hope WWE doesn't screw them up.
#2: Mark Henry
Mark Henry is perhaps the most well-rounded heel in the WWE today, with a perfect mix of scary strength, great acting ability, and pretty good wrestling talent (for a man of his size and age). Whilst many heels nowadays take the cowardly "hit and run" route, Mark Henry has a more in-your-face attitude, which is reminiscent of heels back in the attitude era. He talks trash and is perfectly capable of backing it up in the ring. A couple of weeks ago, he had many of us on the verge of tears from his bogus retirement speech, shedding crocodile tears in an incredible acting display before attacking John Cena and making his intentions of a WWE title run known. (By the way, if Henry wins the WWE title, he'd be the only man besides Big Show to have held the major titles of WWE, WCW and ECW.) His acting was amazing, and he seemingly easily convinced many (myself included) that he was retiring. Also, who would willingly get into a fight with a man dubbed "The World's Strongest Man" (which isn't just a gimmick, by the way. Henry still holds many unbroken records in weightlifting and at one point truly was the strongest man in the world), and is possibly the best monster wrestler in the business today. Mark Henry has all the tools, but I don't think the WWE knows how to utilize him properly.
We all witnessed Mark Henry's tremendous acting abilities in his false retirement. The man is extremely talented, so why is it that we are only learning of his talents now? Mark Henry has been in the WWE for nearly 20 years, but was not given a major push until recently, when he opened the doors to the Hall of Pain. Had he been used by WWE management properly through all these years, we could have seen a lot more intriguing storylines and rivalries. Why wait till now, when Mark Henry is clearly past his prime, to give him the push he deserved a decade ago? Had WWE not used him as enhancement talent for the likes of Goldberg and Batista, Mark Henry could have become the best monster wrestler of all time. Sadly, given Henry's age, we are likely seeing the last years of this career. Hopefully, WWE lets him go out with a bang and doesn't hold him back the way they've done for so many years. Henry truly is a great entertainer, an amazing athlete, and is one of the last guys from the attitude era. The least WWE could do is to give the WWE title run he deserves.
#1: Brock Lesnar
Brock Lesnar is an uncontrollable beast. Brock does what Brock wants for Brock's reasons. Anyone who questions Brock or gets in Brock's way will get Brock'd up by Brock. As evident when Lesnar attacked McMahon for trying to fire Heyman or when he attacked CM Punk 2 raws ago, even Lesnar's closest friend, Paul Heyman, cannot control the "beast incarnate". No one knows what Lesnar is going to do simply because he does not wish to share his thoughts with anyone, making Brock Lesnar a huge, unpredictable threat to anyone he is facing. A true freak of nature, Lesnar possesses uncanny strength and is capable of destroying more than 1 man at once (remember, 3MB?). The most legitimate wrestler in WWE due to his UFC title win and NCAA Championship, Lesnar is on a whole different level than other heels. Whilst other heels strive for championships and whatnot, Lesnar does what he does simply because he wants to do it. Strength, legitimacy, unpredictability, and an overall badass attitude make Brock Lesnar the best heel the WWE has today.
I feel the main reason why Lesnar is so successful as an on-screen personality is because his TV character is simply an extension of himself. It is no secret that Lesnar dislikes human company and would rather be on his farm with his animals than in front of 50,000 screaming fans or haters. He incorporated this into the Brock Lesnar we see on TV by only associating himself with 1 man, Paul Heyman (his real life best friend). As Paul Heyman once said (non-kayfabe) "Brock Lesnar hates human beings. Period. That's it. Doesn't like people. He lives on a compound in what I like to call Texas Chainsaw Massacre Minnesota. You cannot find his address on a GPS. He lives off two dirt roads and it's a compound. His mail is delivered to his attorney's office in Minneapolis, they sort through it and then when they see him they hand him the rest of his mail. That's it. He does not like people and he wants to be left alone and that's what drives him. That's what makes him Brock Lesnar. There's a lot to be afraid of with Brock Lesnar. He's a violent man living in a violent society and it's a society that couldn't handle him if he decided to conquer it." No one could have said it better.
There it is, the three top heels in WWE today. Before I end off, I'd like to give honorable mention to Paul Heyman, AJ Lee, and to a smaller extent, Zeb Colter. They are the other heels I feel are doing well in WWE today, and if they keep up their fine work, could lead to many interesting angles. The role of a heel can never be overlooked or neglected, and WWE should be working to make their heels seem more legitimate,threatening, and captivating if they want to maintain their spot at the top of the sports-entertainment mountain.
Although heel quality in the WWE has indeed dipped in the last few years, there are a few pretty good heels left. In this column, I will write about who I feel are the 3 greatest heels in the WWE today, and why I feel that way.
#3: The Shield
Okay, I know I'm cheating a little here by using a stable instead of an individual superstar, but you cant deny that in less than a year, they have made a larger impact than some wrestlers who've been with the company for ages. Their warped sense of justice and how it should be administered has made many in the WWE Universe despise them. Their constant 3-on-1 attacks also have fans booing them relentlessly, but the Shield is definitely one of the best heels factions in a long while. Beating all-star teams after all-star teams, this dominant trio has defeated some of the biggest names in the WWE today. Guys like Cena, Sheamus, Orton, Jericho, and Ryback have all fallen victim to the shield at one point or another. The Shield even managed to incapacitate The Rock, a bona fide legend in the industry, before the Royal Rumble 2013. Hell, we haven't seen The Undertaker, perhaps the greatest sports entertainer alive, since The Shield took him out. Along with the long list of guys they've beaten, all 3 members of The Shield has developed their own personas and characters, in a way that makes all of them complement each other perfectly. Dean Ambrose is the passionate and charismatic mouthpiece of the group, Seth Rollins is the high-flyer and most hardcore member (some of the bumps he's taken are just painful to watch), and Roman Reigns is the enforcer, the muscle of the Shield. All 3 guys are entertaining, and seem poised to rise to the top even after the inevitable breakup of the Shield. Despite being one of the better stables in the last few years, there are a few problems I have with the Shield.
They've laid waste to great teams teams like Daniel Bryan and the Brothers of Destruction, and destroyed legends like the Rock...but lost to Christian and The Usos last Raw. I'm not taking a dump on Christian and the Usos, I'm actually pretty big fans of them and see them as vital parts of WWE's future, but they're just not on the level of guys like Undertaker and the Rock. The fact that the Shield could take out legends yet not handle them creates inconsistency in the Shield's legitimacy. Another more minor problem I have with the Shield (actually, more with the creative writers) is that they never followed up with the video showing The Shield attacking Brad Maddox under Paul Heyman's orders. If the Shield are indeed an independent faction, why were they listening to and obeying Heyman? One more of the storylines WWE discarded midway...as if we needed another of those.
These problems are not the Shield's fault, but rather the way they have been used by the creative department. They are undoubtedly the best stable the WWE has seen in years, and I sincerely hope WWE doesn't screw them up.
#2: Mark Henry
Mark Henry is perhaps the most well-rounded heel in the WWE today, with a perfect mix of scary strength, great acting ability, and pretty good wrestling talent (for a man of his size and age). Whilst many heels nowadays take the cowardly "hit and run" route, Mark Henry has a more in-your-face attitude, which is reminiscent of heels back in the attitude era. He talks trash and is perfectly capable of backing it up in the ring. A couple of weeks ago, he had many of us on the verge of tears from his bogus retirement speech, shedding crocodile tears in an incredible acting display before attacking John Cena and making his intentions of a WWE title run known. (By the way, if Henry wins the WWE title, he'd be the only man besides Big Show to have held the major titles of WWE, WCW and ECW.) His acting was amazing, and he seemingly easily convinced many (myself included) that he was retiring. Also, who would willingly get into a fight with a man dubbed "The World's Strongest Man" (which isn't just a gimmick, by the way. Henry still holds many unbroken records in weightlifting and at one point truly was the strongest man in the world), and is possibly the best monster wrestler in the business today. Mark Henry has all the tools, but I don't think the WWE knows how to utilize him properly.
We all witnessed Mark Henry's tremendous acting abilities in his false retirement. The man is extremely talented, so why is it that we are only learning of his talents now? Mark Henry has been in the WWE for nearly 20 years, but was not given a major push until recently, when he opened the doors to the Hall of Pain. Had he been used by WWE management properly through all these years, we could have seen a lot more intriguing storylines and rivalries. Why wait till now, when Mark Henry is clearly past his prime, to give him the push he deserved a decade ago? Had WWE not used him as enhancement talent for the likes of Goldberg and Batista, Mark Henry could have become the best monster wrestler of all time. Sadly, given Henry's age, we are likely seeing the last years of this career. Hopefully, WWE lets him go out with a bang and doesn't hold him back the way they've done for so many years. Henry truly is a great entertainer, an amazing athlete, and is one of the last guys from the attitude era. The least WWE could do is to give the WWE title run he deserves.
#1: Brock Lesnar
Brock Lesnar is an uncontrollable beast. Brock does what Brock wants for Brock's reasons. Anyone who questions Brock or gets in Brock's way will get Brock'd up by Brock. As evident when Lesnar attacked McMahon for trying to fire Heyman or when he attacked CM Punk 2 raws ago, even Lesnar's closest friend, Paul Heyman, cannot control the "beast incarnate". No one knows what Lesnar is going to do simply because he does not wish to share his thoughts with anyone, making Brock Lesnar a huge, unpredictable threat to anyone he is facing. A true freak of nature, Lesnar possesses uncanny strength and is capable of destroying more than 1 man at once (remember, 3MB?). The most legitimate wrestler in WWE due to his UFC title win and NCAA Championship, Lesnar is on a whole different level than other heels. Whilst other heels strive for championships and whatnot, Lesnar does what he does simply because he wants to do it. Strength, legitimacy, unpredictability, and an overall badass attitude make Brock Lesnar the best heel the WWE has today.
I feel the main reason why Lesnar is so successful as an on-screen personality is because his TV character is simply an extension of himself. It is no secret that Lesnar dislikes human company and would rather be on his farm with his animals than in front of 50,000 screaming fans or haters. He incorporated this into the Brock Lesnar we see on TV by only associating himself with 1 man, Paul Heyman (his real life best friend). As Paul Heyman once said (non-kayfabe) "Brock Lesnar hates human beings. Period. That's it. Doesn't like people. He lives on a compound in what I like to call Texas Chainsaw Massacre Minnesota. You cannot find his address on a GPS. He lives off two dirt roads and it's a compound. His mail is delivered to his attorney's office in Minneapolis, they sort through it and then when they see him they hand him the rest of his mail. That's it. He does not like people and he wants to be left alone and that's what drives him. That's what makes him Brock Lesnar. There's a lot to be afraid of with Brock Lesnar. He's a violent man living in a violent society and it's a society that couldn't handle him if he decided to conquer it." No one could have said it better.
There it is, the three top heels in WWE today. Before I end off, I'd like to give honorable mention to Paul Heyman, AJ Lee, and to a smaller extent, Zeb Colter. They are the other heels I feel are doing well in WWE today, and if they keep up their fine work, could lead to many interesting angles. The role of a heel can never be overlooked or neglected, and WWE should be working to make their heels seem more legitimate,threatening, and captivating if they want to maintain their spot at the top of the sports-entertainment mountain.
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