Anti-American Heels

[Y 2 Jake]

Anyne else think it was a mistake to not push La Resistance more? It's such an easy way of making a team or singles wrestler into a really good heel. We'll exclude Vladimir Kozlov because WWE appear to have forgotten that as a big Russian he really needs to have a manager, and talk about Americans in a nasty way. Hassan got over by talking the truth, even when it came to his poor in ring ability it didn't really matter.

Sgt Slaughter wouldn't be remembered half as fondly if it wasn't for his early 90's run. It was tasteless but it had the desired effect. I can't remember the exact time of his heel turn, but you can't imagine a wrestler today not being a main eventer late in the year then going on to main event Mania.

Why did Earthquake debut as The Canadian Earthquake?

 

[Mighty NorCal]

Slaughter turned at SummerSlam 90, during a bro love chapel.


And yes, Anti American heels are the best, and will never stop working. especially during times of war, when everyone feels this silly necessity to be fake patriotic. Shit, Kozlov has never said SHIT about america, or anything disrespectfull at all, or, well ANYTHING, but the fact that he is russian, and dominant, you get "US-A US-A" chants for nothing LOL. Its so simple, and proven and easy. Boggles the mind how we havent gotten that fat British heel stable on RAW.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

American is the fat nation Norcal. It's a fact.

But an Anti-American British stable would be awesome. It's probably the closes thing we could get to a Hart Foundation now. Heels in America, faces everywhere else. It would work purely because everyone hates Americans. Imagine the heat they could generate if they started off SummerSlam with the American national anthem, the British stable interrupts. So simple, and you then have uber heels.

 

[HBK-aholic]

Amazing way to get heel heat on someone in a matter of minutes. They could be brand new, and they'd already be hated across America, with one "America sucks" promo. I think a new faction is in order. A new Anti-America, Anti-Americans gimmick. I think it's what WWE needs right now. A heel faction. And there is no better, easier way than to make an America joke. They're the largest audience for the WWE so therefore the easiest target. They are all also strangely patriotic when it comes to foreigners, and this would be an epic thing for them to do. New main eventers practically straight away.

 

[BigDaddyT]

Amazing way to get heel heat on someone in a matter of minutes. They could be brand new, and they'd already be hated across America, with one "America sucks" promo. I think a new faction is in order. A new Anti-America, Anti-Americans gimmick. I think it's what WWE needs right now. A heel faction. And there is no better, easier way than to make an America joke. They're the largest audience for the WWE so therefore the easiest target. They are all also strangely patriotic when it comes to foreigners, and this would be an epic thing for them to do. New main eventers practically straight away.

I couldn't really see this taking off without a rival faction, and naturally it would have to be a pro america faction. And with that, the leader would have to be a guy like Kurt Angle, which WWE no longer has on the roster. Also, didn't TNA have a pro canadian faction whose gimmick resembled this idea? Idk. Great idea but i just dont see how it could take off without a pro america faction.

 

[My$terio_Fan]

I agree anti-american stables or indivdual wrestlers usually get a ton of heat. Americans are very protective of their country so when wrestlers from different countries slam their nation, the fans give them major heat. I still think the WWE should get another anti-american stable together. On raw you have Regal/Burchill/Katie Lea and they could make a great anti-american stable and it would be a good way of getting Burchill more over. A canadian stable would also work with DH Smith, Natayla, Jericho, or someone else, and Jericho could help Smith get over. Also are these anti-american groups only getting "cheap heat" and does that mean they are "less" than other heels? And are only over because of the "cheap" heat they get.

 

[Father:_Polley]

The anti-american angle has been done over and over and over (repeat until you get bored). Yes, it's a great way of getting heel heat for the non-Americans, but it's only temporary. Eventually, WWE will go on to pull the classic 'Our country rules' play, and have the wrestlers involved look ridiculous.

That being said, it's damn effective. Look at The UnAmerican stable, Team Canada (TNA and WWE), Hart Foundation, Regal, Sheik and Volkof. All classic examples of hated overseas superstars. Yet, as Jake pointed out, no-one boos them in their home country. Regal could defaecate on the Queen's head and fans would cheer him for it.

I think the time has come for another anti-USA stable in WWE. It has the stars, it has the option of British and Canadian stables and it can't make them any worse than the last national stable who rode Juan Deeres! Regal and Burchill could make it work, and help propel lesser names to the bigger leagues. True, eventually they will get decimated and feud among themselves, but at least you'd get good matches in the meantime

 

[TomSmithUK]

One of the best fits for this would be Regal. I absolutely loved his promo at Armageddon 2000, when he's poking fun at the Alabama crowd, and then when King joined in.

King:"When we were in the UK, did you see any people chewing tobacco?"
JR:"No but..."
King(interupts):"Look here's two in the front row! And they're both Women!"

 

[TheWeasel]

Hassan was great because he was what Americans hated the most at the time. I think they went a little too far with the terrorists in masks, but he was a really hated guy who received major heat from the crowds. It's not just an anti-American stable, but I think it also has to be someone we are in conflict with. That why Slaughter and Hassan worked; we were at war with people of their 'ilk', whether or not they spoke the truth is another matter

 

[FoleyIsGod]

Anti American angles dont really work anymore, because noone gives a shit about wrestling anymore over the water. Sure, you get the youngsters and some of the grizzly oldies, but after WCW/ECW died, mainstream kinda forgot about the rasslin industry.

So now the main market for the WWE is outside the US, hence why they are always over in the UK(we are WWF starved,so every tour is a huge sell out).

But like it has been said, the anti american storyline has been done too much. Likewise with the authority vs rebel babyface star. Its just the same old, same old.

And with the net, people nowadays can see where people are from. So if a guy says hes from Iraq etc, they jump on wikipedia and find out he is from Inndianpolis, it kinda spoils the fun a bit

Hassan was great because he was what Americans hated the most at the time. I think they went a little too far with the terrorists in masks, but he was a really hated guy who received major heat from the crowds. It's not just an anti-American stable, but I think it also has to be someone we are in conflict with. That why Slaughter and Hassan worked; we were at war with people of their 'ilk', whether or not they spoke the truth is another matter

Hassan would have been an okish gimmick. But aorund that time the London Bombings happened and it was deemed in the wrong taste.

Plus the guy didnt get any heat from beating up Hogan and HBK, and if you cant get heat from doing that your pretty much dead in the water.

 

[Monkey_Mania]

Oh hell yeah. Anti-American heels work best. We need some right now in the WWE. Kozlov would be perfect in a gimmick like that, it would most likely get him mega over as a heel. I realize it's been done over and over again. But there is never a time when it doesnt work. We are in dire need of this on RAW right now as Birchall and Regal NEED to team up and use the Anti-American gimmick. Same with Kozlov. Ahh well, maybe its just me but I love these gimmicks, they always work and they always produce heat so why not utilize it.

 

[TheOneBigWill]

While I must admit that the Anti-American heel-heat is one of the quickest ways to get yourself a top spot and thousands of angry Americans against you.. the fact is it's too one dimensional. What I mean by that is, look at all the individuals that are being praised so greatly for their work.

Sgt. Slaughter: The guy was literally nothing until he turned on America. Sure, he won a World Heavyweight title.. but he was transitional in the greatest way possible. He was never Championship material, and he didn't even win it in a anti-american heel way, he had another feud interfere to create itself and the title fell into his lap.

He cut anti-american heel promos in the best time to do it.. when America was at war. And what was he? HE was the guy siding with the enemies we were at war with, which was perfect for creating the quickest and nastiest heel heat possible.. but when it was all said and done, once Hulk Hogan defeated him he was nothing again.

So in the end, you didn't create anything that was long lasting with him. You created something that lasted until he was defeated roughly one or two times. I recall Hulk Hogan taking the title, then Warrior and Hogan ending them a Pay per view later. After that, I went back to forgetting who Sgt. Slaughter ever was.. because he faded into being a nobody again.

Muhammad Hassan: Another great example of taking a gimmick, and using it at the best time possible. Hassan was so hated the company ultimately had to release the guy mainly because of a segment that was pre-taped before it's accidental real life counterpart.

Now not withstanding the guy who played the role never had a great deal of love for being a Pro Wrestler.. the fact is, this is another reason why Anti-American gimmicks don't work for you in a good way.

Sure, you create massive heat from the instant. But you never get over that heat, and in the end.. the fans go from wanting to see someone beat you.. to wanting to see you fired in general and not caring about anything else.

You can't repackage these people. You can't reuse them. Davari is in T.N.A. STILL using a "terrorist" type gimmick, because he can't be repackaged since being known as "a terrorist".

Sgt. Slaughter is somehow getting over again as a good guy, but I think that relates more to the fact that A.) A Decade passed. And B.) Wasn't he a big part of the cartoon G.I. Joe? I can't recall if it was before, during or after.. but I'm pretty sure most people came to realize that Slaughter wasn't a terrorist, he was a traitor that felt in the end he "made a mistake" and as a "loving" (I laugh) country, they accepted him back.

So, in the very end.. Anti-American gimmicks work for heel heat in a quick, instant way. But once they're done with the angle.. you're fucked for Career growth.

 

[48.7 is Approximately 49 Times Better Than You]

I love the idea of having a new heel, anti-American stable. It would generate heat that would rival Vickie Guerrero. That's saying something. When they draw that much heat, they are like, instantly credible.

I think it'd be terrible though, because you know who would be against them? John frickin' Cena. Ugh. I really don't want to ever hear one of his patriotic speaches again. And if he ever needed a tag partner, it'd be Mr. Never-Was himself, Jim Duggan. That'd be gross.

It'd be interesting, I think, if John Cena cut an America sucks promo and turned heal, then led an anti-American stable.

 

[Starchild]

I just have two words when it comes to anti-American heels:
Muhammad Hassan

This guy was pure gold in my opinion. Great talent, great look, great mic skills, and maybe the hardest thing to come by...natural charisma. He came in at the perfect time and was instantly hated. Remember when he came into the Royal Rumble and everyone in there teamed up to throw him out immediately? He was great at it, but due to unfortunate circumstances it didn't get to continue. The London bombings happened to occur around the time of the "terrorists" attacking Undertaker. Hassan was in line for a main event push, but had to be sent down due to pressure put on WWE by this event. In my view, he could have been great and still be a top heel in the business today if it weren't for that one segment.
I would love to see this guy come back in the same role and see how over he can really get, even as a heel. As long as WWE doesn't push it too far, he could be a main eventer for years. I know he didn't have the passion for the business that some do, but if he should decide to come back, WWE would be fools to not give it another shot and learn from past mistakes.

 

[Savage1]

Anti-American heels definitly work. There are times when they work better than others, like when we are at war, but they always generate a decent amount of heat. I agree that Sgt Slaughter wasn't a great talent or championship material but the spots he did during his fued with the Warrior and Hogan were priceless. In my opinon the most effective anti-American story line was when Bret Hart turned heel and reformed the Hart Foundation. It worked so well because he was so over for so long as a babyface and his interviews and anti-American rants made you hate him with a passion, which was unthinkable for so long. That was a great time to watch wrestling!

 

[thisisatest]

Yes, sadly I don't think we'll ever see another good anti-America stable or storyline. One reason someone stated above was that you can easily find out where somebody is actually from. Growing up I love watching the Kansas Jayhawks, or the Windhams, Dusty Rhodes, Magnum T.A. or Hogan going up against the likes of the Koloffs, Nikolai Volkoff, Vladimir Petrov (an insane monster heel who actually broke Tony Zane's neck in the ring), Iron Sheik and Krusher Krushev. Just seeing those guys walk out with a chain, CCCP on their tights, or waving an Iranian flag immediately wanted me to jump up and root on the guys from the US. Alas, I'll never forget the day I learned that Nikita Koloff is from Minnesota....

 

[waylonmercy]

Bret Hart anti American was awesome being that I was Canadian. The fact that they were doing some shows in the USA and some in Canada really made the storyline fun. Unfortunately RAW can't be broadcast every 2nd week outside the USA and be financially feasible.

I REALLY liked Muhammed Hassan.