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Being a good 'bad guy' is often viewed as being easier than being a good 'good guy' - if that makes any sense whatsoever.
On the WWE and AEW rosters right now there are quite a few fun babyfaces that the fans enjoy getting behind, but in addition to that, we've also got some heels that are changing the game at the top of their respective divisions.
Some are viewed as more 'well-rounded' than others, but on the whole, these guys have been able to take their stock to a whole new level.
In pieces like this we're always going to see quite a bit of room for debate, and such is the nature of the pro wrestling community. However, while there may be a few exceptions to the rule here and there, we're confident in saying that these five are amongst the best of the best.
5) Brock Lesnar
The best thing about Brock Lesnar is that he's got the kind of legitimacy you just can't manufacture. In addition to how much he's been protected in the ring over the years, he's also a former UFC Heavyweight Champion.
While he's had his ups and downs in WWE, one thing remains true: a win over Brock Lesnar means that the company clearly sees something in you.
The value of that simply cannot be understated, and neither can the character work of Brock. His "I don't care" attitude allows him to thrive in a variety of different settings and storylines, and he's able to draw an emotional reaction out of the fans from matches that aren't really all too diverse.
If Drew McIntyre is able to beat Brock at WrestleMania 36, he'll become the star we all know he can be.
4) Seth Rollins
A few months ago, it's safe to say that Seth Rollins was in a tricky position. After holding the Universal Championship twice in a matter of months, beating Lesnar twice to do so, the fans had begun to turn on him as a babyface. Some believe that was due to his attitude on social media, whereas others feel like he just wasn't booked in the right way.
Regardless of what you believe, it's safe to say that he came out swinging when he eventually turned heel. He turned into the Monday Night Messiah, bringing Murphy and the Authors of Pain into the mix in order to build himself quite the faction.
From his in-ring work to his promos, Seth is able to draw some natural reactions from the crowd - proving why babyfaces can switch fairly seamlessly over to being effective heels, completely reinventing themselves in the process.
Seth may not be everyone's flavour even to this day, but he's got a great platform to build on in the next few weeks and months.
3) Chris Jericho
He may no longer be the AEW World Champion, but Chris Jericho's impact with the title will be felt long after he has hung up his boots for good.
We're not sure there is anyone in pro wrestling today that is capable of reinventing themselves in the manner that Jericho has been able to over the years. Just when it looks like he's drifting away from relevancy, he pulls you back in with the sort of character shift that reminds us why he's been so successful.
It's not just his general aura - it's the way he gets phrases over on the mic, the way he changes up his attire, the way he keeps fans guessing and so much more.
He also has a little bit of that arrogance in the real world, too, which we think you need if you believe in your abilities at the highest level. When it's all said and done, Jericho will be viewed as one of the best of the best and we can't see a scenario in which that stops being the case.
2) Randy Orton
Many fans and pundits had probably forgotten about the kind of impact that Randy Orton had as a heel back in the day. From his early Evolution days to The Legend Killer to quite literally turning into a psychopath, Orton evolved with his character and transformed into the sort of heel that is considered to be amongst the greatest of all time.
Alas, we were all given a quick reminder as to what Randy could do when he brutally attacked his former friend Edge earlier this year. After the initial attack he proceeded to go after Matt Hardy and Beth Phoenix to go alongside his fantastic explanation, completing a really, really fantastic turn.
Between now and WrestleMania, the aim for WWE should be to let these two do whatever they want in order to get this angle even more over than it already is. The fans are hooked and the media is clearly hooked, and most of that comes down to the work of Randy Orton - and that shouldn't be forgotten.
1) MJF
Maxwell Jacob Friedman was a name that very few fans recognised just a few short years ago, and yet now, he's considered to be the best heel in professional wrestling.
All Elite Wrestling saw something in him, and because of what they saw, he was given the time and space to expand his work and grow into a performer that you'd think has far more experience than MJF actually does.
He sticks with his gimmick outside of the ring, he cuts fantastic promos, and he's getting some of the best heel reactions from the crowd that we've seen in years.
MJF tends to blur the lines between fiction and reality quite nicely, as we saw when he flipped off a young child at a signing recently - gaining the attention of mainstream media around the world.
It's realistic to think that he could be a huge part of this industry for the next 15-20 years and if that's the case, then this is almost certainly just the beginning of his rise to prominence.
Teddy Long snaps when Swerve Strickland's race is brought up HERE
