Faces vs Heels, Pro Wrestling 101

[BestWrestlingOpinions]

Pro wrestling is built mainly on one simple rule. One "good" guy faces one "bad" guy in the ring. It has been going on ever since it started and it has been working really well over the years.

After seeing Raw today, in particular the "beat the clock" series, this came to my mind. WWE goes with the rule almost every time. You have a tournament for a #1 contender's spot against a face champion? The heel will win it. It takes the suspense factor away from the tournament, at least at the final match.

I realize that this is the basic formula and it has worked for so many years and that why it is kept there. I enjoy it too, its dynamic is great, sure. But, sometimes, you need to change it up. Over the years, you will see that some of the biggest moments in pro wrestling have come from not following this golden rule. Example: Wyatts vs the Shield. Both factions at that time were heels (even though Wyatts were more heelish). It didn't stop the match from happening and what a match that was. There are so many other examples.

Sometimes, you need to go against the rule to create something different. I enjoyed the beat the clock challenge, it offered something new. I could say the same if faces didn't face heels all the time. I don't mean to have it overplayed, but they should do that slightly more often, simply because of the unpredictability. Once it is established that the winner is not a default option, just to follow the faces vs heels rule, then unpredictability and suspense will come back.

 

[Fisheatppl]

I'm not really sure what you're asking as far as this seems more like a statement instead of a forum topic. However I would agree with you in that arguably one of the biggest WM Main Events was WrestleMania 17, face Rock vs face Austin. Granted Austin turned heel, but the build to that match was all face vs face, and it was AMAZING.

However a problem with doing face vs face, moreso than heel vs heel, is that you wouldn't want to. Because you are telling us who is better.. barring a heel turn or something. Face CM Punk vs face Daniel Bryan (assuming Punk returned) would not be something you would want to book. Who would you have win? Whoever that is would take a clear step back. Not so much a problem with heel vs heel because they can always just cheat to win anyway.

 

[BestWrestlingOpinions]

I'm not really sure what you're asking as far as this seems more like a statement instead of a forum topic. However I would agree with you in that arguably one of the biggest WM Main Events was WrestleMania 17, face Rock vs face Austin. Granted Austin turned heel, but the build to that match was all face vs face, and it was AMAZING.

However a problem with doing face vs face, moreso than heel vs heel, is that you wouldn't want to. Because you are telling us who is better.. barring a heel turn or something. Face CM Punk vs face Daniel Bryan (assuming Punk returned) would not be something you would want to book. Who would you have win? Whoever that is would take a clear step back. Not so much a problem with heel vs heel because they can always just cheat to win anyway.

Well, I was indirectly asking if people actually want to see faces vs faces or heels vs heels more often, because recently I had a discussion with someone that never wanted something like that, because the basic rule of pro wrestling is faces vs heels.

To your reply, this is the problem with pro wrestling sometimes. You can't let someone look weak against someone else. But sometimes, maybe it should happen. Sometimes, someone needs to look better than someone else. It happened for almost 2 years with Punk and Cena. Punk got the better of Cena for like 20 months, until Cena beat him on Raw. They can always run these kind of stories between faces and I can't see the problem why. Someone just has your number or something. Heels vs heels is easier to book for the reason you mentioned, but I believe that faces vs faces can be booked just as easily. After all, if creative is so afraid of making someone look weak, they can have them feud once again and trade wins or something. What I would do? Something similar to Punk and Cena. Have one guy dominate the other in wins etc, then, a long time later, the "loser" gets one up.

 

[theblasterkid]

I agree with BestWrestlingOpinions. It would make more openings for storylines and make some of them more interesting. Why can't you have a face stating in a promo to another face that he is simply better than he is?