Whose side are the fans on and who should turn heel, Styles or Ambrose?

[AegonTargaryen]

I've seen this for months, even though Styles is a clear-cut heel and often began his promos with insults to the live crowd, the "AJ Styles" chants recurred, sooner or later.

Now I understand that Styles is a favourite for the "Marks" and is unarguably one of the Top 5(or even 3) wrestlers in the world today, besides having been so thoroughly entertaining beyond the ring, since Summerslam. So the fans are inclined to cheer, whether he's a face or a heel.

But in the Styles-Ambrose-Ellsworth equation, and in the latest segment from Smackdown, I see fans boo after Ambrose's ringing "I'm gonna take back what's rightfully mine" and "AJ Styles" chants were evident.

Of course after Styles decimates Ellsworth with that supremely beautiful Styles Clash from the steel steps and unequivocally declares "I'm the man around here. It's me or nothing," the fans boo.

So in essence, Styles is unambiguously a heel, Ambrose is a face based on his support of an underdog, and his being "screwed" when Styles low-blowed his way to win the WWE title, and Ellsworth is a sympathetic underdog who nevertheless cockily declares "I've beaten him thrice, I can beat him again".

How should they carry this forward?


Ellsworth is a sympathetic underdog, who nevertheless has to be cocky, and is already disliked by many in the live audience or the IWC, as someone undeserving, unentertaining(Opinions may vary of course).

Styles can be funny and intense alternately, but he's at his absolute best being this cocky, smirking self, "I told you so!" .

Ambrose is a disgruntled, Joker-esque lunatic who nevertheless can be composed and casual, until of course, he's set ablaze.

IMO, Ambrose has the most potential to be a major heel/tweener and a reason for more fans to tune in on SDL, who goes around kicking Authority, which clearly it can be Shane McMahon, and leave a trail of rebellion and destruction behind.

But for Ambrose to achieve that, his character henceforward should cease to be this guy who laughs and is casual so often that it diminishes the Edge of the quintessential Lunatic. He must be "screwed" once more, for the last time, by Ellsworth in the TLC match, so that he never recovers, and begins a "Never Trust Anybody" reign of terror, much like Austin.

It benefits Ellsworth too, in that, half of the audience will never take him seriously or like him anyway, because he's not supposed to be liked. You can only elicit sympathy from fans by having an underdog being beaten up so many times, and Ellsworth was never an underdog with wrestling skills and potential to be any sort of champion in the long-run, unlike Rey Mysterio, Daniel Bryan, Eddie Guerrero or Kalisto.

If you think he's funny now, with Ambrose, watch him as a full-blown cocky heel with AJ Styles, and the pair (for the short-term) would leave us all convulsing with laughter on a weekly basis. I can't imagine how funny it'll be when Ellsworth tries to be cocky even as a subservient "lackey" to Styles, and Styles' staggered expression thus. It'll be hilarious.

The very entrance of James Ellsworth will elicit laughs, if they already don't, especially with him jumping around as Styles marches on, as the "face that runs the place".

Ambrose should be, and perhaps was meant to be, the Austin-esque Lone Wolf, and doesn't deserve the alternating boos, cheers, or indifference he may be getting now, but unequivocal and deafening cheers as the Guy the fans want to win the WWE Title again(much like Austin in '98).

Because right now, Ambrose declares "I'm gonna take back what's rightfully mine" but I hear a mixture of boos, and AJ Styles chants. If I'm not mistaken, I've heard this sort of a reaction for Ambrose since 2-3 months.

TLC needs to change the Ambrose-Ellsworth-Styles equation, so that it benefits everyone involved equally, especially the fans.

 

[Navi]

While I appreciate all the thought you've put into this, maybe the fans are booing for a number of reasons. Might it be the fact that as Bacon said on one of the LD threads, we are tired of seeing the former Shield members in the main event scene going for a belt or fighting each other.

If you look at them, since the Shield broke up, all three have held the title at some point in time, Reigns more than once. Also they have held the midcard belts as well. I think it's time for other's to be title holders, does anyone else agree?

Styles is one of the premier wrestlers in the world today. He has been called by some of the writers who know this stuff, the best active wrestler going today. Now I'm not sure about that as I don't know a lot of the indie guys, but Styles is pretty damm good in the ring and obviously the fans appreciate him.

And does anyone take Ellsworth seriously? He's more of a distraction in this feud, something to freshen it up. When he's not needed, he'll move down the card or leave the company completely. I don't think people hate him, but he is no Daniel Bryan underdog that's for sure. Daniel Bryan could actually wrestle.

Hopefully this feud will end at TLC, I mean shit it has to end somewhere. Let Styles go on and feud with someone else, and if Ambrose has to take out Ellsworth, then so be it. But Styles should at least hold the belt to Mania. I have no idea who will take it from him, maybe a surprise call up from NXT will happen you never know.

 

[Deoxyribonucleic A.C.I.D.]

While I appreciate all the thought you've put into this, maybe the fans are booing for a number of reasons. Might it be the fact that as Bacon said on one of the LD threads, we are tired of seeing the former Shield members in the main event scene going for a belt or fighting each other.

If you look at them, since the Shield broke up, all three have held the title at some point in time, Reigns more than once. Also they have held the midcard belts as well. I think it's time for other's to be title holders, does anyone else agree?

Styles is one of the premier wrestlers in the world today. He has been called by some of the writers who know this stuff, the best active wrestler going today. Now I'm not sure about that as I don't know a lot of the indie guys, but Styles is pretty damm good in the ring and obviously the fans appreciate him.

And does anyone take Ellsworth seriously? He's more of a distraction in this feud, something to freshen it up. When he's not needed, he'll move down the card or leave the company completely. I don't think people hate him, but he is no Daniel Bryan underdog that's for sure. Daniel Bryan could actually wrestle.

Hopefully this feud will end at TLC, I mean shit it has to end somewhere. Let Styles go on and feud with someone else, and if Ambrose has to take out Ellsworth, then so be it. But Styles should at least hold the belt to Mania. I have no idea who will take it from him, maybe a surprise call up from NXT will happen you never know.

Since Royal Rumbe 2015, every Shield member has been part of a world title match at every PPV involving a world title defense:

Royal Rumble 2015: Rollins vs Lesnar vs Cena
WM 31: Reigns vs Lesnar
April to November: Rollins was champ
November to May: Reigns on the ME scene
Battleground 2016: Shield triple threat
Since then, Ambrose has been in every world title match on Smackdown and Rollins on every world title match on RAW and now it's Reigns' turn.

So yeah maybe the fans would want a break from the Shield. For two years straight the Shield have been dominating the ME scene. I think December 2016 is the end of that.

On to the OP, I think for now nobody should turn heel. Ambrose hasn't really gotten stale yet and Styles is doing a great job. But out of the two, I would definately prefer Ambrose as the heel. But bear that in mind: it might not end up being what you expect. Every fan think that an Ambrose heel run would mean something like a Legder Joker walking around. Wrong. Not in a PG WWE, WWE won't go that far.

They won't even go back to 2009 Randy Orton, they think that it was extreme, so don't expect a lunatic insane Ambrose walking around. More like a corny cheesy losing all the time heel Dean Ambrose. That's what the E would do, because that's what Ambrose's character represents to them. Not someone who is dangerous and mentally unstable but someone who is stupid.

 

[Un-Bo-Lievable Jeff]

Sorry, but regardless of how the fans interpret it or your own opinions thus far, Styles is very much the heel in this scenario so there is no option for anyone to now 'turn' heel.

He gets cheers, but he is quite clearly a heel character right now

 

[Psykohurricane55]

While I appreciate all the thought you've put into this, maybe the fans are booing for a number of reasons. Might it be the fact that as Bacon said on one of the LD threads, we are tired of seeing the former Shield members in the main event scene going for a belt or fighting each other.

If you look at them, since the Shield broke up, all three have held the title at some point in time, Reigns more than once. Also they have held the midcard belts as well. I think it's time for other's to be title holders, does anyone else agree?

Styles is one of the premier wrestlers in the world today. He has been called by some of the writers who know this stuff, the best active wrestler going today. Now I'm not sure about that as I don't know a lot of the indie guys, but Styles is pretty damm good in the ring and obviously the fans appreciate him.

And does anyone take Ellsworth seriously? He's more of a distraction in this feud, something to freshen it up. When he's not needed, he'll move down the card or leave the company completely. I don't think people hate him, but he is no Daniel Bryan underdog that's for sure. Daniel Bryan could actually wrestle.

Hopefully this feud will end at TLC, I mean shit it has to end somewhere. Let Styles go on and feud with someone else, and if Ambrose has to take out Ellsworth, then so be it. But Styles should at least hold the belt to Mania. I have no idea who will take it from him, maybe a surprise call up from NXT will happen you never know.

not to disrespect your opinion about this but who is ready outside of these three to take their place in the title picture. On Raw, you got Jericho and the 2 part timers lesnar and goldberg. On Smackdown, you've got orton, wyatt, miz, ziggler & Cena and that's pretty much stretching this. My point is that WWE shot themselves in the foot when they decided to not invest in their future and create new main event stars now they need them badly but they don't have them so they use the 3 guys that are still over and are still making money in the 3 shield members.

As for the topic at hand, like somebody else wrote, Cheered or booed, AJ styles is the heel in this feud no matter what and you're not in a scenario where either of them need to turn right now. The only heel turn i could see would be ellsworth turning on ambrose this sunday and becoming AJ Styles lackey

 

[Azane]

Every Since Stone Cold, the people the fans get behind has been the "heel" and the one the fans can't stand has been the face, for about 90% of the main event since the Attitude Era died.

Not entirely sure if it's that fans are thickle and like to cheer "The bad guys", but it sure seems like WWE likes to turn popular superstars heel, and force the most booed stars to be face.

AJ was going to be over, super over, WWE at first questioned if anyone would even know who he was when he jumped ship from Japan, but from his TNA tenure and New Japan stint, he was going to be really over. AJ was turned heel AFTER Wwe saw the WWE universe (I feel dirty typing that term) saw the respect and response the fans had for him.

It's never a coincidence.

Dean Ambrose feels more like a Tweener most the time, doing his crazy crap for no reason, he's 1 step above a comedy jobber in a way.

As someone mentioned, in Kayfabe land, Styles is the bad guy and Dean is the good guy. The fans cheering the heel doesn't change that he's heel, it just makes it cringey to watch.

 

[kadroan]

I've seen this for months, even though Styles is a clear-cut heel and often began his promos with insults to the live crowd, the "AJ Styles" chants recurred, sooner or later.

Now I understand that Styles is a favourite for the "Marks" and is unarguably one of the Top 5(or even 3) wrestlers in the world today, besides having been so thoroughly entertaining beyond the ring, since Summerslam. So the fans are inclined to cheer, whether he's a face or a heel.

But in the Styles-Ambrose-Ellsworth equation, and in the latest segment from Smackdown, I see fans boo after Ambrose's ringing "I'm gonna take back what's rightfully mine" and "AJ Styles" chants were evident.

Of course after Styles decimates Ellsworth with that supremely beautiful Styles Clash from the steel steps and unequivocally declares "I'm the man around here. It's me or nothing," the fans boo.

So in essence, Styles is unambiguously a heel, Ambrose is a face based on his support of an underdog, and his being "screwed" when Styles low-blowed his way to win the WWE title, and Ellsworth is a sympathetic underdog who nevertheless cockily declares "I've beaten him thrice, I can beat him again".

How should they carry this forward?


Ellsworth is a sympathetic underdog, who nevertheless has to be cocky, and is already disliked by many in the live audience or the IWC, as someone undeserving, unentertaining(Opinions may vary of course).

Styles can be funny and intense alternately, but he's at his absolute best being this cocky, smirking self, "I told you so!" .

Ambrose is a disgruntled, Joker-esque lunatic who nevertheless can be composed and casual, until of course, he's set ablaze.

IMO, Ambrose has the most potential to be a major heel/tweener and a reason for more fans to tune in on SDL, who goes around kicking Authority, which clearly it can be Shane McMahon, and leave a trail of rebellion and destruction behind.

But for Ambrose to achieve that, his character henceforward should cease to be this guy who laughs and is casual so often that it diminishes the Edge of the quintessential Lunatic. He must be "screwed" once more, for the last time, by Ellsworth in the TLC match, so that he never recovers, and begins a "Never Trust Anybody" reign of terror, much like Austin.

It benefits Ellsworth too, in that, half of the audience will never take him seriously or like him anyway, because he's not supposed to be liked. You can only elicit sympathy from fans by having an underdog being beaten up so many times, and Ellsworth was never an underdog with wrestling skills and potential to be any sort of champion in the long-run, unlike Rey Mysterio, Daniel Bryan, Eddie Guerrero or Kalisto.

If you think he's funny now, with Ambrose, watch him as a full-blown cocky heel with AJ Styles, and the pair (for the short-term) would leave us all convulsing with laughter on a weekly basis. I can't imagine how funny it'll be when Ellsworth tries to be cocky even as a subservient "lackey" to Styles, and Styles' staggered expression thus. It'll be hilarious.

The very entrance of James Ellsworth will elicit laughs, if they already don't, especially with him jumping around as Styles marches on, as the "face that runs the place".

Ambrose should be, and perhaps was meant to be, the Austin-esque Lone Wolf, and doesn't deserve the alternating boos, cheers, or indifference he may be getting now, but unequivocal and deafening cheers as the Guy the fans want to win the WWE Title again(much like Austin in '98).

Because right now, Ambrose declares "I'm gonna take back what's rightfully mine" but I hear a mixture of boos, and AJ Styles chants. If I'm not mistaken, I've heard this sort of a reaction for Ambrose since 2-3 months.

TLC needs to change the Ambrose-Ellsworth-Styles equation, so that it benefits everyone involved equally, especially the fans.

Good post. Yeah, Ambrose needs to turn heel. He's stale. He's been a face since 2014. It's only so much you can do with him as a face. He's feuded with Rollins, Bray, HHH, Brock, Ziggler and Owens. Won the MITB Briefcase, won the WWE Championship and Intercontinental Championship.

Turn him heel. It'd be fresh. Meanwhile Ambrose could be like Hollywood Rock.

 

[kadroan]

not to disrespect your opinion about this but who is ready outside of these three to take their place in the title picture. On Raw, you got Jericho and the 2 part timers lesnar and goldberg. On Smackdown, you've got orton, wyatt, miz, ziggler & Cena and that's pretty much stretching this. My point is that WWE shot themselves in the foot when they decided to not invest in their future and create new main event stars now they need them badly but they don't have them so they use the 3 guys that are still over and are still making money in the 3 shield members.

As for the topic at hand, like somebody else wrote, Cheered or booed, AJ styles is the heel in this feud no matter what and you're not in a scenario where either of them need to turn right now. The only heel turn i could see would be ellsworth turning on ambrose this sunday and becoming AJ Styles lackey

RAW - Sami Zayn, Cesaro, Rusev

Zayn - He's popular with the fans. Got the huge win over Owens this summer. He just needs a chance. Fans would buy into Zayn vs. Owens again. If they don't want to give him the chance on RAW, SDL would be perfect. Him vs. AJ would tear the house down.

Cesaro - He's been popular for years. He just never won the big one. He consistently puts on great matches but like Zayn, WWE has never gave him the chance.

Rusev - He could be a monster heel. They're just so inconsistent with him when he doesn't have the US title. I can understand the anti-American gimmick may be played out but let him be a legit monster he'd legit.

The Miz - He's been world champ before. He can draw heat. Him and Maryse are gold together. He's outgrown the IC title and he knows how to get talent over.

Bray - When healthy, he's solid. He should have been turn face by now.

 

[Psykohurricane55]

RAW - Sami Zayn, Cesaro, Rusev

Zayn - He's popular with the fans. Got the huge win over Owens this summer. He just needs a chance. Fans would buy into Zayn vs. Owens again. If they don't want to give him the chance on RAW, SDL would be perfect. Him vs. AJ would tear the house down.

Cesaro - He's been popular for years. He just never won the big one. He consistently puts on great matches but like Zayn, WWE has never gave him the chance.

Rusev - He could be a monster heel. They're just so inconsistent with him when he doesn't have the US title. I can understand the anti-American gimmick may be played out but let him be a legit monster he'd legit.

The Miz - He's been world champ before. He can draw heat. Him and Maryse are gold together. He's outgrown the IC title and he knows how to get talent over.

Bray - When healthy, he's solid. He should have been turn face by now.

First of all, Zayn & Cesaro are popular with the crowd but then again it depend on the crowd, their not very big merchandise movers either so i would say that they are mid card level popular at best.

Rusev is a good option when the champion won'T be a heel like it is right now.

As for miz and Bray, i did included then in my comment so i don'T know why you brought them up anyway.

So again on smackdown, they do have a lot of options one way or the other. On Raw it's a complete different story right now. You got Rollins, Reigns, the 2 part timers and jericho for now and if owens keep the champions until his return, you got finn balor, that's about it as main event level talent right now on raw because the 2 options you gave me for raw needs a lot of work before being considered main event draws.

 

[BestSportsEntertainer]

It's the cool thing to do nowadays. "Let's cheer heels even after they insult us because we're smarks!"

It really makes no sense to me, but that's how wrestling is today.

Ambrose should definitely face. He will be a great heel, but they should wait because there's no one to take his place as the top face of SD.

 

[kadroan]

First of all, Zayn & Cesaro are popular with the crowd but then again it depend on the crowd, their not very big merchandise movers either so i would say that they are mid card level popular at best.

Rusev is a good option when the champion won'T be a heel like it is right now.

As for miz and Bray, i did included then in my comment so i don'T know why you brought them up anyway.

So again on smackdown, they do have a lot of options one way or the other. On Raw it's a complete different story right now. You got Rollins, Reigns, the 2 part timers and jericho for now and if owens keep the champions until his return, you got finn balor, that's about it as main event level talent right now on raw because the 2 options you gave me for raw needs a lot of work before being considered main event draws.

Where are the numbers for merchandise movers? I keep seeing people throwing out numbers.

 

[ShinChan]

AJ Styles is a heel and should remain one. He gets cheers just like Owens gets sometimes.

He won the title using a heel tactic and should be treated as a heel since his promos and activities are heelish.

Ambrose is a face. I would love him to turn heel but now isn't the right moment for a heel turn.