Who are the best faces and heels in wrestling?
One of the main keys to success in professional wrestling is how well the face and heel characters are played. Many wrestlers have mastered their character roles. While some are known to be better as faces, others are more comfortable as heels. The best wrestlers are the ones who are exceptional in both roles. Of the many talented performers in the industry today, 10 current wrestlers are great both face and heel.
10. Bobby Lashley
When Bobby Lashley first arrived on the scene in 2005, everyone knew he was destined for greatness. The former Olympian took advantage of his opportunity. WWE quickly pushed him to become a top superstar. In 2007, his stardom was recognized by winning the ECW World Heavyweight Championship, his first major championship.
The feud with Vince McMahon in 2007 easily made Lashley a top babyface. Everyone was rooting for Lashley especially since McMahon was such a ruthless authoritarian. Playing the face role was light work for Lashley.
During his Impact Wrestling run, Lashley continued to shine as a face and heel. No matter the role given, Lashley understood the assignment, generating the appropriate response from the crowd.
After Lashley’s long absence from WWE, he returned in 2018, continuing his role as a face. Many have longed for Lashley’s return so it made sense for him to start out as a face which worked out well.
As with all superstars, Lashley could not remain a face forever. When it was time for a heel turn, Lashley seized the moment by aligning himself with manager, Lio Rush. That alone attracted great heat from the audience.
Even after the Rush pairing, Lashley continued to draw heat by being involved in a romantic storyline with Lana which started out as an affair. Lana leaving her husband Rusev for Lashley brought great disdain from the audience. Lashley played the role to perfection. It was a brilliant move to make him one of the top heels in WWE at the time.
Lashley’s alliance with MVP and The Hurt Business also enhanced his heel character with MVP being one of the best heels in the business. MVP’s influence easily made Lashley the bad guy.
When the timing was right for Lashley and MVP to split, WWE made a solid move with MVP turning on Lashley. Once again, Lashley would be a face. The moment MVP turned on Lashley by sending Omos to take him out, sympathy was immediately felt for Lashley which was the intention.
Transitioning from face to heel and heel to face comes instinctively for the All Mighty, Bobby Lashley which is why he plays both roles so well.
9. Saraya
British sensational wrestler Saraya, also known as Paige in WWE, has changed the landscape of women’s wrestling.
In WWE, she demonstrated her ability to rise to the occasion as a face and heel. Going up against the biggest heel in the women’s division, Divas Champion AJ Lee, being a babyface was a piece of cake for Paige. Winning the Divas Championship sparked a huge pop from the crowd. During her championship reign, she found great success as a babyface.
Paige’s heel turn in WWE went as expected. Paige’s excellent storytelling brought out the best in her new character. By turning on her former tag team partners Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair, Paige instantly drew heat. Becoming one of the best heels in the women’s division was the ultimate accomplishment for Paige.
Debuting in AEW using her real name Saraya was an inspiring comeback moment. Being told by doctors that she would likely never wrestle again is what made the moment so special as she overcame the odds.
Saraya continues to showcase her ability to play multiple roles. When she first arrived in AEW, she was a babyface. Coming back from a gruesome injury, it was easy to get behind Saraya as everyone was excited to see her back in action. Being a face was appropriate for her.
Recently, Saraya and her tag team partner Toni Storm turned heel by attacking Willow Nightingale after the match on Dynamite. Saraya sold the story very well. Many were not expecting Saraya and Toni Storm to turn heel so suddenly but it paid off for them as they are doing an outstanding job.
Saraya is bringing it all to the table in AEW by effectively dominating as both a face and heel.
8. Charlotte Flair
The Flair legacy continues to grow at the hands of the SmackDown Women’s Champion, Charlotte Flair. One of the many qualities of The Queen is perfecting both face and heel roles.
Charlotte is one of the best storytellers in the business today. From her debut as a babyface with Becky Lynch to her over confident heel antics, Charlotte has been a top superstar in both roles. Many of her championship reigns have been as a heel. Heel championship reigns draw major heat, and everyone was wanting Charlotte to be dethroned. With her father Ric Flair being known as ‘the dirtiest player in the game’, it is no surprise that Charlotte plays the heel character very well.
Since her return from injury, Charlotte is now the SmackDown Women’s Champion as a face. Being one of the greatest women’s wrestlers today, it’s easy to rally behind Charlotte while she is a face because her energy is contagious. Being one of the hardest working individuals helps her win the affection of the crowd. Feuding with some of the biggest heels in WWE like Sonya Deville is also notable in her current role.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see why Charlotte Flair continues to be the face of the women’s division. Superb storytelling will keep the reigning queen relevant for years to come.
7. Becky Lynch
Irish Lasskicker. The Man. Big-Time Becks. Some of the many names of one of the all-time greats, Becky Lynch. But what makes Big Time Becks so big-time? It’s simple. Her phenomenal storytelling both face and heel has brought her to the holy grail of her career.
One of the skills that particularly stands out is her superior presence on the mic. Face or heel, Becky Lynch can derive the appropriate reaction from the crowd by cutting solid promos. Whether the crowd cheers or boos her, she is effectively doing what needs to be done.
Like Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch has been the top champion as both a face and heel. Being a fan-favorite in 2016, it was inevitable that she won her first SmackDown Women’s Championship as a babyface. With the fanbase behind her, being a face was light work.
As a heel champion, the entire women’s locker room was coming for her. With so much animosity shown towards Lynch for her dirty antics and fiery presence on the mic, everyone was eager for her to lose the championship. This is how a heel is supposed to be.
Becky Lynch is a rare gem in the wrestling world. Put her as a face or heel and it is guaranteed that she will sell the story, and attract people to the product.
6. Brock Lesnar
The Beast Incarnate Brock Lesnar has been relevant for over two decades. Being a once-in-a-lifetime athlete, Lesnar has maintained his status as a household name in both UFC and WWE. Character development has worked well for Lesnar, given his larger than life persona.
Brock Lesnar has primarily been a heel throughout his WWE career. Associating himself with Paul Heyman in his debut in 2002 was enough in itself to draw heat, considering Heyman is one of the greatest heels of all-time. With Heyman by his side for most of his WWE career, Lesnar’s heel character was effortless.
Feuding with some of the most beloved superstars has also elevated Lesnar as a heel. Breaking The Undertaker’s streak at WrestleMania 30 infuriated many fans. At that point, Brock Lesnar was the most hated wrestler in the entire industry as breaking the legendary streak was a heartbreaking moment for many. It was a classic heel moment.
Taking down other fan-favorites like John Cena, The Rock, Hulk Hogan, Goldberg, and many others also riled up the fans which was the motive for Lesnar. After tearing John Cena apart for the WWE Championship at SummerSlam in 2014, the fans were disgusted. What a sight to behold as Cena was out of his misery. Brock Lesnar brought out ‘The Beast Incarnate’ at that moment with no better way to take his place at the top.
Because of Lesnar’s ruthless aggression as a heel, many wondered whether he would be able to succeed as a face. In 2021, Brock Lesnar returned to WWE with a new gimmick. Influenced by his natural country-like personality, the ‘Cowboy Brock’ gimmick went over well with the fans. To this day, Lesnar embraces his new role as a face. While Lesnar performed well as a face in 2003, his current character surpasses that. Surprisingly, this character has made Brock Lesnar a huge fan-favorite. Not all beasts are bad, and Brock Lesnar is doing a superb job proving that.
To go from being one of the most hated to beloved superstars in a short amount of time takes real skill. Brock Lesnar obviously possesses that talent. Besides being one of the most dominant forces in professional wrestling, understanding how to adapt both face and heel makes Brock Lesnar one of the greatest of all-time.
5. Bully Ray
Brother Ray. Bubba Ray Dudley. Bully Ray. However people remember him, the one quality that makes him stand out is showmanship. This icon is one of the smartest performers in wrestling today because of his deep understanding and importance of character development.
Bully Ray’s character development really took off when he started his solo career in Impact Wrestling. It is well noted that Bully Ray never aspired to be a single’s competitor. Nevertheless, he became a star. Being the legend that he is, of course he found success as a face.
In the storyline with Hulk Hogan’s daughter Brooke in 2012, Bully Ray fared well as a face by marrying the legend’s daughter. When Bully Ray turned heel on Brooke Hogan, it shocked many, leading to a huge uproar from the crowd. To add insult to injury, he began a storyline with Brooke Tessmacher. Betraying Brooke Hogan and her father Hulk Hogan was a solid heel move in Bully Ray’s career, given that Hogan is an all-time fan-favorite.
A year after that storyline, Bully Ray became a face by standing up to Dixie Carter for her tyranny as the owner of Impact. Everyone hated Dixie Carter. So it didn’t take much for the crowd to get behind Bully Ray. From the beginning of the feud all the way to putting Carter through a table, Bully Ray played the role to perfection.
Bully Ray is currently wrestling for two companies, Impact Wrestling and NWA. His extraordinary talent is really being showcased as he plays a heel in Impact Wrestling and a face in NWA, and is doing a terrific job in both roles. Not many performers can pull that off. To be able to generate love from one crowd and hate from another is an impeccable talent. Bully Ray deserves more praise for what he’s doing now.
While he may not have the most polished wrestling skills, Bully Ray’s ability to tell a story makes him a valuable gem in this industry.
4. CM Punk
There’s a reason why people chant the name CM Punk! Whether it’s his amazing wrestling style or relatability, CM Punk has resonated well with the fans. Given the outstanding performer he is, it is no surprise that CM Punk has excelled as both face and heel throughout his career.
Debuting as a babyface was the right call in 2007. Being the ultimate underdog in WWE, it was easy to get behind the straight edge superstar. As he quickly became a fan-favorite, WWE knew that a heel turn needed to happen to see what he was truly made of.
CM Punk’s first heel turn came about in a solid feud against Jeff Hardy in 2009. One of the most notable characteristics of his heel persona is his ability to spit fire on the mic which easily generates ‘boos’ from the crowd. Not only did it work in the Jeff Hardy feud, but it also worked in other heel roles including leader of the Straight Edge Society and his WWE Championship reign in 2012-2013.
CM Punk’s best heel run was during his championship reign. Associating with Paul Heyman is enough to anger the crowd. Then, humiliating fan-favorites like AJ Lee, Jerry Lawler, Jim Ross, Bret Hart, and countless others leaves a huge sting on the fans. CM Punk knew how to infuriate people and wasn’t shy about it. He will forever go down as the most relentless, outspoken WWE Champion in history.
Punk’s transformation from a ruthless heel to a fan-favorite was carefully planned. For this to succeed, Punk and Heyman would have to split. The move was orchestrated perfectly at Money in the Bank in 2013 when Paul Heyman prevented CM Punk from winning the Money in the Bank match. Feeling empathy for CM Punk made him a face. Everyone was rallying for Punk to get his revenge on Heyman, standing behind him throughout the entire feud. From the face turn to his departure from WWE, CM Punk was one of the most beloved superstars.
Magic filled the air when CM Punk made his debut in AEW in 2021, making it extremely easy for him to shine as a babyface. CM Punk has proven that he can still adapt to any face or heel turn. If he returns to AEW, it will be interesting to see the feuds that will develop and how the roles will be played out.
3. Eddie Kingston
The road to AEW has not been easy by any means for Eddie Kingston. Despite the challenges he has faced throughout his career, Eddie Kingston is living his lifelong dream wrestling for a top-tier wrestling promotion. With hopes of being the AEW World Heavyweight Champion in the future, Kingston’s strong understanding of character development will take him there. Face or heel, Eddie Kingston is a natural at captivating the audience.
Even on the independent scene, Eddie Kingston has shown major strength in both face and heel roles. This has also been evident in his run with Impact Wrestling. While his time with Impact didn’t last very long, he made the most of it by generating the appropriate response from the fans, face or heel. Impact Wrestling set him up for bigger opportunities.
When Kingston first hit the scene in AEW, he established himself as a top heel by going up against some of the biggest faces including Jon Moxley, Lance Archer, Cody Rhodes, and others. Spitting venom on the mic elevated his heel status. Not many performers are on Kingston’s level as demonstrated during promo battles. Kingston knew the right things to say to draw heat from the crowd.
Once Kingston teamed with former foe Jon Moxley, his face run officially took off. Kingston and Moxley became the most hyped tag team in AEW. How could fans not get behind such genuine performers? Authenticity has put Kingston over. So many wrestlers today lack originality which is a quality that radiates in Kingston. His advocacy for mental health has also won favor from the fans. Mental health is a topic often kept in the dark. Struggling with mental health himself Kingston has brought it into the light, conveying the importance of it as well as reaching out to those battling mental health issues. Fans respect him for that. Getting behind a performer who has a genuine interest in the community is a no brainer.
Eddie Kingston deserves a lot more time in the spotlight, largely due to his talent of captivating the audience, cheers or boos. When his time comes to be the AEW World Heavyweight Champion, he will carry the company well.
2. Kenny Omega
From New Japan to AEW, the ;Best Bout Machine’, Kenny Omega, has made his mark in the wrestling industry. Omega has taken character development to a whole other level. Love or hate him, Omega knows how to drive a reaction from the crowd.
Starting off Omega as a babyface in AEW was the right move, given his rising stardom. Some of his biggest feuds as a face against Chris Jericho, Pac, and Jon Moxley will forever be cherished as Omega had no problem getting over with the fans. His alliance with Hangman Page and The Young Bucks put him over even more. Forming The Elite with the Bucks made for a sensational faction. Even to this day, the Trios Tag Team Champions have mesmerized the fans with their iconic entrance, vibrant energy, and exceptional ring skills. Considering Omega’s all-around greatness as a wrestler, rooting for him comes easily.
That same energy was also put into his heel run after aligning with Don Callis to win the AEW World Heavyweight Championship from Jon Moxley. Even without fans in attendance due to the pandemic, Omega’s heel turn still drew heat as fans were triggered. Social media was the place for fans to express their distaste with Omega’s actions.
With Don Callis, The Young Bucks, and The Good Brothers, Kenny Omega became one of the most hated wrestlers in two promotions, AEW and Impact Wrestling. Don Callis put Omega on a pedestal as champion much to the annoyance of the crowd. And of course, Omega fed off Callis’ cocky energy. Nearly everyone wanted his championship run to end. Given the way everything played out, Omega’s first run as AEW World Heavyweight Champion as a heel made perfect sense.
Returning from injury was one of the most anticipated moments of 2022. After much time being a top heel, it was only appropriate for Omega to return as a face with his faction, The Elite. Since Omega’s return, the fans continue to stand behind The Elite as expected.
Being the ‘Best Bout Machine’ has taken a toll on Omega throughout his career. As one of the best all-around performers in professional wrestling today, Omega’s storytelling and character development is most impressive.
1. Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho has mastered this industry. Staying relevant for multiple decades is very rare in wrestling, but Jericho has managed to do so. An important component in Jericho’s household name status is his exemplary performance in multiple character roles. Face or heel, Jericho owns the crowd. Both WWE and AEW have witnessed some amazing moments from the Winnipeg sports entertainer.
Even in his early days in WWE, Jericho was operating on another level. Picking up his craft quickly, he immediately rose to the top, winning over the fans. His vibrance and animation made for some of the most entertaining segments in professional wrestling. Incorporating wordplay and slapstick comedy into his craft was an innovative move for his character. Still, to this day, his comedic ways are much anticipated. With face and heel turns being well executed, Jericho became one of the greatest storytellers in WWE history.
Being one of the pillars of AEW, Jericho’s legacy continues. Generating the desired response from the crowd remains a huge strength so much so that Jericho has become a teaching tool in that regard. Many of the younger wrestlers embrace his guidance. It would be foolish for young competitors not to learn from him as he has a lot to offer. By all means, Jericho is nowhere near finished. He will remain a top star for AEW for many years to come. When it comes to storytelling and character development, Chris Jericho is the ‘Best in the World’.
