Author Topic: Greatest heel of all time? (Read 8281 times)

leonp1981 · « **on:** August 11, 2009, 06:05:32 AM »

Come on then, who's it gonna be? Someone old school who led the way for the stars of today, like Roddy Piper, Iron Sheik, Ric Flair or Bobby Heenan? Or someone more recent, Chris Jericho, Edge, Randy Orton? Maybe even Vince McMahon?

Montague · « **Reply #1 on:** August 11, 2009, 06:57:19 AM »

The Sheik fit in with what was going on at the time with the Ayatollah
and the Iranian hostages. He was more of a contextual heel. Every worker is a product of the times, but I think Sheik lost some of his momentum after that ordeal was resolved.

Piper will tell you he was the man fans loved & paid good money to hate, the top guy only behind Hogan, and that he drew WM I.
Well, Roddy always was and still is one of my favorites, but… Back when he worked for Don Owens in Portland and even Crockett’s NWA, yes – great heel (even though he did fluctuate between heel & face a bit). And his first couple of years with Vince he was also a despicable antagonist.
But he spent a lot more time as a face in the Fed. and he missed an awful lot of time at that.
To me, he was the original “Stone Cold.” He was the type of heel that played by his own rules, and who the fans eventually cheered. A true heel would’ve kept the fans turned against him. Piper could probably have done this; I believe he chose not to.

I find Orton & Edge to be extremely annoying, though I feel that way about the business in general at the moment.

I consider the greatest heel to be a tossup between Flair & HHH.
Hunter may be starting to overstay his welcome, but between 99-03 he was a true heel. He didn’t go for cheap pops with catch phrases like his buddy Hall. He played the bad-ass while maintaining the fan’s hatred.
Flair, too. He had his followers, but he always made sure that – when making that heel move – EVERYBODY booed him.
That's a good heel - someone you love to hate. You love watching them, you hate what they do, and you can't wait to see what's next.

Playboy · « **Reply #2 on:** August 11, 2009, 07:34:08 AM »

Quote from: leonp1981 on August 11, 2009, 06:05:32 AM

Come on then, who's it gonna be? Someone old school who led the way for the stars of today, like Roddy Piper, Iron Sheik, Ric Flair or Bobby Heenan? Or someone more recent, Chris Jericho, Edge, Randy Orton? Maybe even Vince McMahon?

Of all time?

Manager - Bobby Heenan

Female wrestler - Fabulous Moolah

Male Wrestler - Roddy Piper (WWE mid eighties) Drew more heat then the sun itself.

leonp1981 · « **Reply #3 on:** August 11, 2009, 08:48:36 AM »

What about others like Million Dollar Man, Perfect, or Andre?

Montague · « **Reply #4 on:** August 11, 2009, 09:03:41 AM »

Quote from: leonp1981 on August 11, 2009, 08:48:36 AM

What about others like Million Dollar Man, Perfect, or Andre?

DiBiase was technically a heel, but he always wrestled by the book, as in a good, solid technical style.
He would rarely do something like poke someone in the eyes or pull their tights.
His character was heel, but his ring work wasn't very dirty & despicable.

But anyway, yeah - I always liked him as a heel.

Perfect was versatile enough that he could play any part from both a character standpoint AND ring style.

Andre was a natural heel because he genuinely did not like people.

Playboy · « **Reply #5 on:** August 11, 2009, 10:22:37 AM »

When Sgt Slaughter did his Iraqie sympathiser gimmick he had recieved several death threats.

LurkerNoMore · « **Reply #6 on:** August 11, 2009, 10:55:19 AM »

For most fearsome monster heel, no one beats Abdullah the Butcher.

For most frustrating heel, it is Flair. He entered every single match as the underdog and you just wanted to see him get pounded so badly. But he squeeked by and ran out with the title each time pissing you off so bad.

For the overall best heel of all time, I would say Rick Rude. He had the mouth on the microphone, the cocky attitude the technical skill to back it up, the physique, the fearsome finishing move, and could generate heat by doing nothing more than blowing a kiss.

Playboy · « **Reply #7 on:** August 11, 2009, 12:11:17 PM »

Between 1984 - 1986 Roddy Piper was hated with passion. He couldn't walk to the ring without getting eggs, cups, etc chucked at him. He had the crowd in the palm of his hand as far as wiring them up goes.

njflex · « **Reply #8 on:** August 11, 2009, 12:26:59 PM »

Quote from: Playboy on August 11, 2009, 12:11:17 PM

Between 1984 - 1986 Roddy Piper was hated with passion. He couldn't walk to the ring without getting eggs, cups, etc chucked at him. He had the crowd in the palm of his hand as far as wiring them up goes.

EXACTLY.him and rude as mentioned above,i saw in the early ninties rude get pelted with item after item for just saying those 1st words "what i would like is all you "such and such new jersey swamp "and had his chin pointed high in arrogance.wrestmania 1 piper,mr t ,mr wonderful was cool match,rowdy was awesome when he would stare in disgust at the fans or oponent then attack and throw his kilt over there heads and beat them,guy was a classic.don muraco was good villian till they kinda flipped him towards end of his career,ken patera pissed people off with the olympic sweat suit and they whistle as he took it off then pull it back up till they stopped whistling.

The Showstoppa · « **Reply #9 on:** August 11, 2009, 01:07:49 PM »

Quote from: LurkerNoMore on August 11, 2009, 10:55:19 AM

For most fearsome monster heel, no one beats Abdullah the Butcher.

For most frustrating heel, it is Flair. He entered every single match as the underdog and you just wanted to see him get pounded so badly. But he squeeked by and ran out with the title each time pissing you off so bad.

Totally agree on Abdullah and Flair.

It's tough to judge because during the kayfabe days wrestlers were stabbed and often fought back to the dressing room. Modern guys switch on a weekly basis to the point of it not even mattering....and add that many "faces" wrestle exactly like heels now.....thanks to the "attitude era" for that.

leonp1981 · « **Reply #10 on:** August 11, 2009, 01:55:01 PM »

Quote from: Playboy on August 11, 2009, 10:22:37 AM

When Sgt Slaughter did his Iraqie sympathiser gimmick he had recieved several death threats.

Wasn't there a problem with one of the WM's, cos of the death threats?

mass 04 · « **Reply #11 on:** August 11, 2009, 04:09:08 PM »

Wwe claimed WM 7 was moved due to bomb threats, but the real reason was they couldn't sell out the much bigger LA coloseum.

leonp1981 · « **Reply #12 on:** August 11, 2009, 07:07:06 PM »

Quote from: mass 04 on August 11, 2009, 04:09:08 PM

Wwe claimed WM 7 was moved due to bomb threats, but the real reason was they couldn't sell out the much bigger LA coloseum.

Ah right, I thought I'd read something somewhere, but couldn't find it again.

chaos · « **Reply #13 on:** August 11, 2009, 07:27:04 PM »

Flair/Piper although Hogan caught alot of shit when he joined the NWO.

Hulkster · « **Reply #14 on:** August 11, 2009, 08:47:06 PM »

I think hogan as Hollywood hogan was a pretty damn good heel, surprisingly.

Andre was good, so was Savage as a heel.

also Honky Tonk was a GREAT heel. the fans wanted to tear him apart.

leonp1981 · « **Reply #15 on:** August 12, 2009, 06:29:40 AM »

leonp1981 · « **Reply #16 on:** August 12, 2009, 06:40:47 AM »

leaky_frog · « **Reply #17 on:** August 12, 2009, 11:07:58 AM »

I've gotta go with Flair- arguably all-time greatest, and a heel the majority of the time to boot. Savage played the heel as well as anyone I've ever seen- remember how he'd take five minutes before ever locking up with a guy? Stalking the ring, putting his head through the ropes, you could feel the frustration of every guy he faced.

I do love Honky Tonk Man as a top heel as well, though. I just met him with my kids at Comic-Con in San Diego. I was on the main floor, turned around, and there he was, right behind me. I have to say he was one of the most gracious, courteous guys I've ever met, and seemed really gratified when I told him how much my kids were enjoying his matches with Savage on the new DVD set. BTW, he looked EXACTLY the same as in 1989- it was almost eerie how he hadn't aged.

Playboy · « **Reply #18 on:** August 12, 2009, 11:49:39 AM »

Quote from: leaky_frog on August 12, 2009, 11:07:58 AM

I've gotta go with Flair- arguably all-time greatest, and a heel the majority of the time to boot. Savage played the heel as well as anyone I've ever seen- remember how he'd take five minutes before ever locking up with a guy? Stalking the ring, putting his head through the ropes, you could feel the frustration of every guy he faced.

I do love Honky Tonk Man as a top heel as well, though. I just met him with my kids at Comic-Con in San Diego. I was on the main floor, turned around, and there he was, right behind me. I have to say he was one of the most gracious, courteous guys I've ever met, and seemed really gratified when I told him how much my kids were enjoying his matches with Savage on the new DVD set. BTW, he looked EXACTLY the same as in 1989- it was almost eerie how he hadn't aged.

Flair was loved as much as he was hated especially in his prime between 1983-1989 during the horsemen era in the NWA.

Piper was hated with a passion. Youtube some of the old Piper's Pit segments from 1984-1986 when he was heel and see the crowd reaction he gets as far as boos are concerned.

Skeeter · « **Reply #19 on:** August 12, 2009, 03:12:44 PM »

Jake the Snake played a good heel when he had the feud with Macho Man Randy Savage.

Playboy · « **Reply #20 on:** August 13, 2009, 04:48:00 AM »

Quote from: Skeeter on August 12, 2009, 03:12:44 PM

Jake the Snake played a good heel when he had the feud with Macho Man Randy Savage.

Jake was a great heel both times. I love how he ddt'd steamboat on the floor....that drew major heat from the crowd. Even in his later heel run with savage when he introduced the cobra and was talking with the erie music in the back ground while slapping the back of the cobra's neck.

Ruffneck · « **Reply #21 on:** August 13, 2009, 06:22:33 AM »

Doctor D David Shultz for me..........the original Stone Cold!

Playboy · « **Reply #22 on:** August 13, 2009, 07:18:47 AM »

Quote from: Ruffneck on August 13, 2009, 06:22:33 AM

Doctor D David Shultz for me..........the original Stone Cold!

I'll never forget when he smacked out John Stossel for saying wrestling was "fake". Fuck did he ever crack him one.

Hulkster · « **Reply #23 on:** August 13, 2009, 06:25:58 PM »

yeah, what a famous slap that was.

mass 04 · « **Reply #24 on:** August 13, 2009, 06:56:43 PM »