AEW and WWE's Best Heels Today

Being a successful professional wrestler is about so much more than being a great wrestler. Character work and performance skills are vital in making an impact, hitting the record books, and going down as an all-time great. Over the years standout characters including the likes of the Undertaker, Stone Cold, and The Rock have become icons for their charisma and throughout history heel figures in the industry have been incredibly important! We have seen some phenomenal heels over the years but in today’s world of pro wrestling it can be incredibly difficult to make an impact as a true heel and so today we are going to be taking a look at some of the best heels in pro wrestling’s biggest promotions right now!

THIS POST WAS PRE WRITTEN A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO

Baron Corbin

What makes being a successful heel so difficult today is the amount of likable heels in pro wrestling. From the likes of Chris Jericho to the Miz it can be hard for someone to come across as a legitimate heel we genuinely dislike but someone who does it so incredibly well is Baron Corbin. This is a man fans genuinely don’t like, and he knows it and owns it. The former King of the Ring winner may not be the best promo cutter in the world, but he has a way of getting under the skin of fans like no other current WWE superstar. His lack of remorse he shows his opponents alongside the lack of interest he has in the fans and their opinion comes across so real that he naturally picks up heat and his presence online (particularly twitter) further showcases the depths of character work.

Randy Orton

Randy Orton is just one of those guys who work better as a heel. Far more entertaining and interesting to watch in the role of the bad guy this feels like the most natural position for the viper as we have seen proven time and time again. More recently, his attack on Edge has reminded us all just how strong and convincing of a heel Orton is. In the early days, his image and alliances backed up this character and role but he has always had a unique way of working as the villain. The nastiness, the sly and manipulative ways, the timing, Orton has an aura like no other and his intensity is as impressive now as ever was. There are no moral barriers for Orton and the effortless way he does things and the careless selfish attitude he possesses means his role on this list ways clear from the get-go.

Chris Jericho

I know I mentioned him in the intro as the type of heel we still love but can we really deny that Jericho is one of the best bad guys in pro wrestling today? I think not. The master of re-invention, Jericho has been at the top of his game for many years but what we are seeing from him now is some of the best of his work…ever. Becoming arguably the face of AEW, leading the inner circle, and cutting some of the best promos of all time Jericho is a key figure in the industry today and has some of the best character work I have ever seen! A natural heel everything he says just roll off his tongue and comes out effortlessly and so convincing that it leaves you completely hooked and entertained not knowing if to boo or cheer. The future Hall of Famer is the master of getting the heads of his opponents, complimenting their strong points while breaking them down and finding a comedic angle with the right balance that leaves us all still taking him incredibly seriously.

Shayna Baszler

In terms of women’s wrestling today I honestly do not believe there is a stronger more convincing heel than the former NXT Women’s champion herself, Shayna Baszler. Her bad ass attitude comes across incredibly well and real. She showcases herself as a bully we can all genuinely believe and her no fucks attitude is most certainly entertaining to watch. She isn’t a woman that needs to do a lot of talking and lets her actions send the message she wants to be sent. When given the chance to talk however, Baszler gives off the same energy as current WWE Champion, Brock Lesnar in the sense she doesn’t hold back and throws away the PG ruling. Her actions hold no remorse and she doesn’t give a seconds thought to her opponent nor the WWE Universe. Here we have one of the best heels of today but also one of the best if not the best and most convincing female heel in pro wrestling history.

MJF

It’s got to be said, I believe there can be no denying that MJF is the best heel in professional wrestling right now and will go down as one of the best of all time. Facial expressions, mic work, the way he performers in the ring, and even his twitter all scream “man you wanna punch in the face”. His delivery is so convincing and natural that its hard to believe he could actually be a decent guy. Every rivalry he enters and every promo he cuts is so incredibly personal that it crosses the line and can leave viewers uncomfortable and genuinely pissed off. Man, woman, child, MJF does not care, and even when the cameras are cut he remains in character as we have seen from fan footage which just adds to what he is about the interest he creates. Still so young and so early into his career it's crazy to see just how damn good or in this case bad he is already,

Of course, AEW and WWE are not the only promotions with fantastic heel characters on their roster but the names above sure do stand out as some of the best on the scene overall. I of course would love to know what you guys think so leave a comment below or tweet me telling me who you believe is the best heel in pro wrestling today.

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