We just can’t forget the Summer of Punk!There isn’t an easier definition of a heel and babyface except the fact that the babyface being the face of all things virtuous is the fan favorite and supposed to be the one getting all the cheers; while a heel gets the boos. But throughout WWE’s history, there have been heels who were just too interesting, who just about managed to get the crowds happy because of them being present.Over the last two decades with the rising emergence of backstage workings of the business, fans got more than a touch of a wrestler’s life outside of kayfabe, that more or less affected their opinion of a particular superstar which may also be the reason for a positive reaction.Or maybe it’s all about how darn entertaining a performer he or she can be, by being someone who brings the level of the show up by a few notches with their presence.Here are the top 5 heels who got some massive pops.
#5 Triple H
Technically, after this particular night under discussion, Triple H became a babyface. The Game was the premier heel in the promotion before a legit career threatening injury sidetracked him for more than 8 months. So, when Triple H did return he got a hero’s welcome.
Not because the audience had forgotten all that he did before his absence, not because they had forgotten that he was still the boss’ son in law, that he was still Stephanie McMahon’s husband; no. They welcomed him in all this glory because he was just that darn good as a heel and his work was terribly missed.
Before this return, WWE had aired inspirational videos of his recovery. But Triple H himself mentioned that he was apprehensive to return to no ovation, to crickets actually. But the New York crowd erupted after his music hit the arena and it still is regarded as one of the biggest pops ever witnessed in pro-wrestling history.
#4 Dolph Ziggler
History may remember Ziggler as the man who never got the opportunity to sustain what he deserved. The man has had his moments, sure, but he was never quite allowed to relish in those moments all that much. He began his Showoff gimmick as a heel and remained a heel until slowly, yet steadily, the audience began appreciating everything that he did.
His promos improved, his tweets were awesome, and he was even part of Zack Ryder’s Youtube show. His selling was second to none to add to that, he was just too good in the ring.
That made everyone want to see him win the big one. So much so that his Money In The Bank victory and the eventual cash-in is particularly notable. On the Raw after Wrestlemania 29, heel Ziggler’s music hit an arena that eagerly awaited his cash-in and his victory came off giving the night’s biggest pop.
#3 Seth Rollins
There was no heel hated enough after Seth Rollins broke up The Shield. He claimed that he “bought into the evolution of Seth Rollins”, which led him to the most successful year of his young WWE career. Throughout, he was admired for his wrestling skills, but hated and vilified for what his gimmick was and that was well done given that he was a heel.
But come Wrestlemania 31 and his cash- in was probably the crown jewel moment of the PPV. Not many wanted Reigns to win and Rollins sprinting to the ring to take away the WWE World Heavyweight Championship was pro-wrestling storytelling done to perfection.
The audience erupted after he pinned Reigns and sprinted back with the title making what Cole perfectly put as the ‘heist of the century’.
#2 CM Punk
After that fateful night on June 27 – on which CM Punk changed the landscape of his career and the WWE with a promo – he was consequently suspended and returned to the hometown of the babyface John Cena to some massive cheers. In the narrative of WWE, CM Punk was still a heel.
Nobody wanted to see him leave the WWE with the WWE Championship except the audience. Throughout the lead up to Money In The Bank 2011, the pops he received went from being huge to massive.
CM Punk during his heel run as the longest reigning WWE Champion always got the massive pop from, what the announcers called, “a partisan Chicago crowd”.
#1 Vince McMahon
The biggest heel that the company has ever produced is the man they call ‘boss’. Vince Mcmahon is one of the greatest creations in the realm of the WWE. The atrocious, capitalistic, evil boss is a well played out character, but McMahon thrived in that role and accumulated quite a raging amount of disdain from the audience.
But till this day, a 70-year-old McMahon returning to raw to screw your career into oblivion is a moment to welcome. That was apparent when Roman Reigns briefly managed to get over and the Philly crowd was cheering every mention of his name.
Stephanie McMahon slapped the colour off Reigns’ face and then announced the Vince McMahon is on his way. The crowd erupted and when the boss finally did arrive, it was a sight to behold.
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