Heel-Face Mismatch in the WWE?

[SD619]

If we look the top faces and heels currently in the WWE, it is obvious that the faces have significantly more starpower than the heels. The most heat is generally received by Laurinitis/Cole/Vickie. Even Cena gets more heat than most of the heels.

Comparing this to TNA’s top guys (Roode, Storm, Dudley, Hardy, Sting, Angle) both the heels and faces have almost equal starpower.

On the other hand, if we look at WWE's current mid-card, most of them are heels (Barrett, Ziggler, Rhodes, Swagger, Miz). The faces (Kofi, Ryder and Truth) are all on RAW and Smackdown has no mid-card face.

Considering this years announced Wrestlemania card, there are 7 faces and only 3 heels (Considering Cena as a face) . Among the 3 heels (Cody, Bryan, Jerico), no one is even close to the level that the faces are.

WWE could take many means to solve this problem. The mid-card should not be that tough considering that Big Show is likely moving to the mid-card and Mysterio is scheduled to return soon. As for the main-eventers, WWE needs atleast one main-event heel. They could either turn one of the faces heel or push the returning heels (Christian, del Rio, Barrett) as main eventers. Also, if they have Kane defeat Orton, it would give him a lot of credibility and he could be WWE’s top heel.

Do you think that WWE has a heel-face mismatch? If so, how would you fix it?

 

[AwesomeRko]

I think your right to a degree in that the 3 top stars in the company in Punk Orton and Cena are all face.

Yet I don't necessarily agree that their are no main-event heels, I acknowledge that there is as of yet no dominant heel megastar of this generation largely because Orton filled that role for such a long period and he is now face. Yet I would definently include Miz and Jericho in the main event category, the big 3 aside they are arguably the two biggest stars in the company, whilst you have Daniel Bryan who is growing into his role as a heel WHC. Whilst guys like Ziggler, Rhodes and Barrett are doing great just now in the upper mid-card and look to be heading to the main event soon.

I'd say you actually touched on the real problem when you said that there is a lack of upper mid-card faces. There are so many good heels with great potential in the company just now with no faces on their level to have a good fued with. Miz, Y2J, Barett, Rhodes, Ziggler, Bryan, Christian, Henry, ADR, hell even Swagger are simply on another level to evrery face who isn't Punk, Orton, Cena, Show, Kofi or Sheamus displaying a major discrepancy in talent. I think the issue is that great upper mid-carders with Ziggler certainly have the talent but simply put unless they are involved in the title picture or thereabouts there are no mid-card faces to work with who are capable of truly pushing them upto the main event.

 

[ProWrestlingFan]

Yes WWE has Heel-Face mismatch. WWE has done it all wrong. Many Wrestlers who should be faces are heels and many who should be heels are faces.

Wrestlers who should be faces :

Christian : Christian will be much better as a face.

Chris Jericho : Chris Jericho should have returned as a face IMO. Jericho as a heel has become stale. He is doing the same schtick which he was doing in 2008 and 2009...being a whiny heel.

Jack Swagger : Can be good as a "Goofy" face.

Wrestlers who should be Heels :

Randy Orton : Randy Orton always is good as a heel. As a face he is limited and single dimensional. Orton was always a great heel. From 2005-2007 as an arrogant heel and from 2008-2010 as a badass heel.

Big Show : Big Show has always worked better as a heel. As a matter of fact Giants should never be faces.

CM Punk : Punk was much better as a heel. Well not so good in the SES gimmick. But after the "Shoot" Promo on Raw he should have stayed as a heel. As a face he is bland.

Sheamus : Very stale as a face. Sheamus was much better as a heel and should have stayed a heel.

 

[xoxo French Kiss xoxo]

Yes WWE has Heel-Face mismatch. WWE has done it all wrong. Many Wrestlers who should be faces are heels and many who should be heels are faces.

Wrestlers who should be faces :

Christian : Christian will be much better as a face.

Chris Jericho : Chris Jericho should have returned as a face IMO. Jericho as a heel has become stale. He is doing the same schtick which he was doing in 2008 and 2009...being a whiny heel.

Jack Swagger : Can be good as a "Goofy" face.

Wrestlers who should be Heels :

Randy Orton : Randy Orton always is good as a heel. As a face he is limited and single dimensional. Orton was always a great heel. From 2005-2007 as an arrogant heel and from 2008-2010 as a badass heel.

Big Show : Big Show has always worked better as a heel. As a matter of fact Giants should never be faces.

CM Punk : Punk was much better as a heel. Well not so good in the SES gimmick. But after the "Shoot" Promo on Raw he should have stayed as a heel. As a face he is bland.

Sheamus : Very stale as a face. Sheamus was much better as a heel and should have stayed a heel.

All of this is wrong.

Christian has been one of the best Heel workers on Smackdown in the past 5 years since turning heel to face Randy Orton last year. That feud wound not have worked at all if their roles were reversed and Orton was the Heel with Christian as the face.

Jericho is a natural heel, you may want to cheer him, but he doesn't need or want you cheering him. He's back to be the guy that you hate, because he's that good, he doesn't need fans, that's his MO. Make people hate him and help someone get over in the process.

Swagger needs to turn face, and has needed to turn face, but making him some goofy fucktard character isn't the way to do it. He's an All American, American, American, American, American. Build him up like they built Angle up in the past, or break him away from Vicki and Dolph.

Orton isn't exactly what I would call a straight forward face at this point in time, he's not exactly a heel either. But its pretty well known on Smackdown that Orton does not care about anyone who isn't Randy Orton. He's not out to make friends, to be in tag matches and whoever pushes him the wrong way is going to be at the receiving end of an RKO, his character is similar to Austins.

Show needs to not be on TV at all, because he keeps injuring people. Show also isn't a good heel, hell he's not a good face either. Pairing him up against a young heel like Rhodes is good for Rhodes because he gets to face a GIANT at WM and go over him.

Punk was much better as a heel, but he's playing off of how the crowd is reacting to his character, they cheer him so he honestly has no choice but to be a face right now. He's also stepped into the role as I want to be head of the company, and be in Cena's position so he has to play face.

Sheamus is on a roll and has been since turning face. You must be blind and/or a complete ****** to no realize that. I wont even go any further

 

[Pedigree1]

Yes WWE has Heel-Face mismatch. WWE has done it all wrong. Many Wrestlers who should be faces are heels and many who should be heels are faces.

Wrestlers who should be faces :

Christian : Christian will be much better as a face.

Chris Jericho : Chris Jericho should have returned as a face IMO. Jericho as a heel has become stale. He is doing the same schtick which he was doing in 2008 and 2009...being a whiny heel.

Jack Swagger : Can be good as a "Goofy" face.

Wrestlers who should be Heels :

Christian is a way better heel than face!! Honestly do you think his feud with orton would have worked if the roles were reveresed? I dont think so at all. Christian is a solid heel and IMO he shouldnt turn face anytime soon.

Y2J: He is the best in the world at what he does!! He does not need your mine or anyone else opinion. He is the ultimate heel he doesnt suck up placate to anyones needs or wants and really he doesnt care what you think of him. He is the ultimate heel... His character wont ever be stale he keeps changing it up and i also disagree he has not been doing the same schtick at all.

Jack Swagger: Maybe a face turn could help him but not as a goof ball!! Have him IMO be the kurt angle 2.0. He has the fucking credentials and really is a wrestling machine. Have his ability do the talking for him.

Randy Orton : Randy Orton always is good as a heel. As a face he is limited and single dimensional. Orton was always a great heel. From 2005-2007 as an arrogant heel and from 2008-2010 as a badass heel.

Big Show : Big Show has always worked better as a heel. As a matter of fact Giants should never be faces.

CM Punk : Punk was much better as a heel. Well not so good in the SES gimmick. But after the "Shoot" Promo on Raw he should have stayed as a heel. As a face he is bland.

Sheamus : Very stale as a face. Sheamus was much better as a heel and should have stayed a heel.

Viper: Really he is not a badass face i do. Orton has the ability to do anything he wants and his character allows him no bounds. Yes he was a great heel but also he is a great face! He still is kinda of arrogant but in a good way.

Big Show: Ehhh really he wasnt that bad as a heel but as a face i am enjoying it. Why cant giants be faces? ude is strong as all hell!! He is friendly super nice to the kids and people love him. As a face yes im enjoying it and he will give cody all he can handle at WM. People cheer him keep him as face.

Sheamus: Yes he was great as a heel but better as a face. Really can you think of anyone hotter right now? His face turn so far is career changing and it will reflect when he wins at WM!!

Punk: OH boy IMO remember when SCSA was a heel but people cheered him? Punk is so good that technically he is a heel but is so over with the crowd on his promos, matches that people cheer him anyway so punk has no choice but to roll with it

 

[theBec2101]

I am thinking this person just wants to see some of his favorit wrestlers face. Thats were the people get lost when people go for what they like to what can be achived and needed. Example Jericho can be face and we can cheer him but why, when he still wrestles the same when he either friend or foe. CM Punk was a good heel yes, but I dont think he was as hot as a heel as when he first came in as a face. remember Servivor Series 2006 with team DX, people were going nuts for him. Yes they need heels. But why make people faces just because you like them better and make people heels cause you dont like like them as much.

Mark Henry was a good heel. Alot better then his earlier gimmicks, some of them were just gross. I think Daniel Bryan is a good heel. Kinda like an edge type of gimmick (I said KIND OF). He has that opportunistic character, that cheats and lies to not win but just to RETAIN the belt. I did like R-truth as a heel, but I like his character now too.

Then you got the neutral . People like SCSA, Kane, Undertaker, HHH, and now Orton. They can help you out one moment then do thier finisher on you the next. They are faces but have heel action and tendencies. The roster will never even itself out until they sove the problem with stacking raw with the draft, or a better idea would be to end the split then you have a combined more heels and upper card players.

 

[MarcusNevermind]

Yes WWE has Heel-Face mismatch. WWE has done it all wrong. Many Wrestlers who should be faces are heels and many who should be heels are faces.

Wrestlers who should be faces :

Christian : Christian will be much better as a face.

Chris Jericho : Chris Jericho should have returned as a face IMO. Jericho as a heel has become stale. He is doing the same schtick which he was doing in 2008 and 2009...being a whiny heel.

Jack Swagger : Can be good as a "Goofy" face.

Wrestlers who should be Heels :

Randy Orton : Randy Orton always is good as a heel. As a face he is limited and single dimensional. Orton was always a great heel. From 2005-2007 as an arrogant heel and from 2008-2010 as a badass heel.

Big Show : Big Show has always worked better as a heel. As a matter of fact Giants should never be faces.

CM Punk : Punk was much better as a heel. Well not so good in the SES gimmick. But after the "Shoot" Promo on Raw he should have stayed as a heel. As a face he is bland.

Sheamus : Very stale as a face. Sheamus was much better as a heel and should have stayed a heel.

Christian as a face only worked well when he was tagged with Edge... solo the heel persona is a definite yes

Jericho I agree with.. even though the only thing different about Jericho, no matter face or heel, is the way he returns to the WWE.

Swagger could go either way... his heel status would be more credible if Vicky's "stable" were more dominant

Orton I agree with 100%.. though great as a face, he was excellent as a heel... if WWE were smart, they would work the same "embrace the hate" concept with him and Kane with Kane being "successful"

Big Show should never be heel... He plays to all groups, though a "giant" is entertaining.

CM Punk... I guess the only reason you can call him a face is due to who his programs are with, he recently started playing to the fans.. what makes him such a face is that what he does in promos is different but understood by long time true wrestling fans... in actuality, he's a liked neutral...

 

[IHW]

Randy Orton is the big one that comes to mind. This guy is amongst the top as a face, but he is boring IMO.

I loved his heel work, especially as the legend killer in his early SD! years.

If he turned, a lot of talk we be brought up, and the WWE needs a top heel right now.

 

[xavyer]

To make a star on the rising a top face or heel is doable, to do that use a big name on the verge of retirement but has enough juice for one last run, someone like Triple H and do what Mick Foley did for him, make a name, when Triple H beat Cactus Jack inside hell in a cell to retain the title, it cemented Triple H as the top Heel at the time, but is someone who is a face on the rise ( Sheamus ) or a heel on the rise ( Ziggler, Barret, Rhodes, Bryan ), could face Triple H during his last run, could definitly work wonders for whoever he faces, because Triple H is still relevant as a top star, and he's not goin for titles anymore, he can put someone over in a big way, the only other who can do that is the Undertaker, like i said, it's ovious that Trips and Taker don't have much more in the tank, but they have enough juice for one more run and they can use it to help someone make a name for themselves........

 

[The Incredible Mr. C]

Ah finally! A good reason to post for the first time in months...

See, the thing is, and I'm surprised that nobody has pointed this out yet - it's WAY easier to be a heel than a face. As a heel you can come out and say, "Boy, this town smells worse than the inside of a fake leg", "Your local college or pro sports team sucks," The women here look like warthogs", basically a myriad of things to get the people to boo you.

Trying to get somebody to like you? Well, that's different. Can't say your prayers and take your vitamins and grin. This ain't 1985.

I said that to say this... the reason there's so many more heels than babyfaces is simply that guys don't have the opportunity to do the things to get themselves over. Think about the number of heels of the past were turned "face" because the crowd really bought into them. Let's say Roddy Piper, Ric Flair, a fellow Texan that goes by the name of "Stone Cold,"... the list could go on. More recently, look at Zack Ryder. He used his youtube show to get himself over to the point that he was a near top of the card babyface... before the whole Kane fiasco anyway. Prior to that, he was nowhere to be seen. Kid has a "Jersey Shore" gimmick! That was heel all the way in the beginning.

I think what I'm getting at is that until we see the guys get opportunities to try to cut their own promos and show some of their personality, there will be a definite tipping of the proverbial scale to the heel side.

Remember that CM Punk, the Rock and John Cena, 3 of the main eventers of Wrestlemania, all got over as heels before becoming what they are today (Not gonna say faces, we all know the deal with Cena. Personally, I think he's a hard working guy who gets a bad rap. Ha, bad rap.) were heels who were given bullet points and allowed to speak for themselves.

I vote for unscripted promos. Allow these folks to sink or swim on their own, the heel-face gap will be closed.

Alright then. Point made. And just so it seems more like I was paying attention to the topic and not just going on a weed induced rant, put a mic in the hands of the Funkasaurus. You want an upper card face, let him say whatever he has to say. Maybe he could solicit advice from his old boss Snoop Dogg about saying things and sounding real cool. I've wanted to see this guy's personality since he debuted... when someone yelled, "Broadus, you suck!" and he said, "I'm sorry!" Give it a try, Vince.

And if it works, send me a case or two of those ice cream bars.

 

[OneTooManyPunts]

Babyfaces will always be placed on a pedestal above heels, for one simply reason...they sell more merchandise. Also, non IWC, and younger fans often tend to naturally gravitate to the babyfaces, especially if they haven't really developed an affinity for the 'bad guys', or appreciate the talent in ring over the character presented.

Look at Dolph Ziggler for instance. An incredible talent in ring, but will never match the merchandise sales of Zach Ryder, who while inferior in ring, is simply so over.

The art of building babyfaces to superhero proportions (Cena, Hogan, Rock...), is an art form, and it is an art form designed to paint a much richer picture at the merchandise counters night in and night out.