Column: On The “Face” Of It
It seems some wrestlers are just created to be baby faces, while others thrive as heels.
One of those who perform better as a heel is the newly turned Batista. Personally, I was bored with his face character the moment he became one. While I will say that being a “good guy” certainly helped Batista create a fan base and get him over as one of the biggest stars the WWE has today, he’s just not naturally gifted on the mic and in his characterisation skills to warrant being a face. I’m really looking forward to seeing where he will go from here, and hopefully this new injection of heel attitude can reignite Rey Mysterio’s ultra-boring gimmick.
Another star who performs much better as a heel is the ever-entertaining Chris Jericho. When he returned to the WWE at the end of 2007, he ultimately came in as a face, to please the “Jerichoholics” who’d missed him during his two year absence. When I first started watching WWE programming in 2001, Jericho was a face and was one of the most entertaining and loved characters in the company. However, I feel like he often wears out his welcome as the good guy, and always reverts back to the character he plays best, the selfish, arrogant and conniving heel.
The same can be said about Randy Orton. As a hormonal teenager, I went crazy when Orton turned face in late 2004, after being kicked out of Evolution. I thought it was the best decision that could come from the demise of Evolution, as definitely built the tension between he and Triple H, whom he would go on to feud with for the World Heavyweight Championship. But that wasn’t Orton’s “destiny”, as he returned to the heel way of life in early 2005, just in time for his WrestleMania feud with The Undertaker. Someone as good looking and physically gifted as Orton suits being a heel, because the fans just love to hate him.
In my opinion, the greatest heel of modern wrestling times is Triple H. His personal life is the most obvious catalyst for heel heat, and he played on that for much of his four-year run as the company’s top bad guy. Especially around the time of the DX reunion in mid-2006, which showed that his marriage to Stephanie McMahon could be used for comedic face purposes also. Triple H, I think, is one of those rare enigmas who are talented inside the ring as well as being able to craft and strong and relatable character. His onscreen persona hasn’t really changed much since he shed the “blueblood” gimmick that surrounded his WWE debut to now, but it’s one of those that work regardless of the heel/face tendencies. (Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock and The Undertaker are also great examples of this.)
On the other hand, there are some Superstars who should never even attempt to stray from the persuasion that made them famous. CM Punk is one of those. While I do think his “straightedge” lifestyle is fantastic material for his heel turn, it looked good on paper, not so good in practice. John Cena, who the majority of fans hate anyway, is someone I could never imagine going heel. His character has been built up so strongly over the past six years, it would most likely be a disaster should he ever stray from his current character. I think The Rock’s heel turns weren’t as successful as they could have been but, like Cena, than fans love to hate him for selling out to Hollywood. As I mentioned above, though, essentially his personality stayed the same. Jeff Hardy has that oddball, otherworldly aura surrounding him that makes him instantly likable as a face, while his brother Matt sways more to the other side of the spectrum.
But wrestling fans get bored easily, and we certainly make it known when we are. The easiest way to shake things up is to turn a big star. Earlier this year, they did it with CM Punk, which elicited more interest in the SmackDown brand because of it (at least for me). And this time around, it’s with Batista, who’s been stale for awhile now and, for me, it’s been a long time coming…
This is my first column back after a several-month hiatus. Let me know what you think.
[Remember you can follow us on Twitter and Youtube]
SUBSCRIBE TO WRESTLING NEWS FEED!
Categories: Columns and Editorials
Back To: Wrestling News
Good article.
The one thing I’ve been thinking for a long time is how they could turn Cena back into a heel. I’d love to see it, and him reverting back to his “thug life” entrance music, but it’s hard to see him doing it.
Some wrestlers are destined to stay in the same character for their entire careers, some aren’t. Only the select few can excel at both like Triple H.
Great article. I agree with you here on all the counts.
I’d love to see Rey turning heel, but he is too likeable. I wouldn’t mind seeing a face Jack Swagger either, but I wonder if he really could pull it off. The turn of John Morrison is on Smackdown has been great (he has charisma and good mike skills – definitely a benefit to his character… as do I hope the turn of Shelton Benjamin will prove to be on ECW.
Yeh that was a good little read. I’d totally agree that Batista is more cut out to be a heel, but I think they needed to turn him face originally for people to gain an interest in him, thus making his heel turn more effective.
I don’t see the point in turning Cena heel. If you turned him heel, the fans would clearly cheer for him. I just think that’s how it works with John Cena.
I would like to see someone like edge turn face and team up with christian again like the good old days and I would LOVE to see triple H or undertaker turn heel because it just suits them so well.
another person who didnt really work well as a heel was austin and thank god they finally turned batista heel his babyface act lost its flare after a couple of moths this should have happened years ago
Nice to see you back Scarlett. good little read also.
Cena would be a huge heel in my opinion, his ring repitoire and his mic skills are much more heel than they are face. If anyone remember him when he first started the white rapper gimmick he was a excellent heel, it masked his inabilities in the ring.
Orton would be a great anti-hero in my opinion like Austin.
But I do agree certain characters are born to be heels and some faces… C.M. Punk I disagree with you about.. He was born to be a heel. He hasn’t quite established his heel persona yet he is coming into the character every week he will be one of the best heels.
Good article.
What they need to do is have triple h turn on shawn michaels.
Cena needs to turn heel too. he’s just an annoyance at this stage.
Christian needs to join raw and become a main eventer. he’s wasted on ECW and has proved he has the ability to headline
Cena dont need to be heel, cuz his thug life gimmick was gold. he was a tweener any way, he dident give a damn who u were, ur ass was his. people liked that, and his free styles was funny as hell. he needs to become the Docter Of Thuganomics again period.
Batista is old news to me. I can see where he fits the whole ripped and huge image that wrestling fans love. How he got that is another thing. His wrestling is terribly boring aside from the raw power aspect with, what, one or 2 “moves”(if you want to call them that). I figure on him getting hurt pretty soon. Again. That’s probably my lasting memory of him and his career.
I enjoyed reading your article. Welcome back!
Yea Cena was better as a heel far more entertaining and good on the mic. His character now is so cheesy and lame.
Bring back the old Cena and theme music.
great article, and i agree with most of it but i think cm punk turning heel worked really well. sure, he was built up a face but his heel turn didnt feel out of place. i think his mic work is great as a heel