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For every hero, there's a villain. A plethora of wrestlers have come and gone, but not everyone could have an impact on the WWE Universe's minds. Whether it be a babyface or a heel, they generate specific reactions from the crowd.
Wrestlers like Daniel Bryan and AJ Styles have always been at the cheering end of the fans. The crowd loves them, and they become instant fan favorites.
On the other hand, performers like Edge and Rick Rude carved their journeys as supremely egotistical and obnoxious wrestlers who generated lots of boos from the fans.
Over the years, the dynamics of a "heel" have changed a lot, but a few wrestlers have perfected the art of portraying a particular image that draws bona fide heat from the WWE Universe.
2018 saw a few heels redefining the concept of portraying a villainous gimmick with each performer bringing in a different aspect to stand out amongst the crowd.
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Here are four such heels.
#5 Carmella
Carmella is not the most talented woman wrestler in WWE at present. But she makes up for it with her arrogance, trash talking, and egoistic attitude. Her mic work is second to none, and there's barely anyone else who can stand up to her in the gift of gab.
Ever since she cashed-in her MITB briefcase and won the SmackDown Women's Tile from Charlotte Flair, she has established herself as a top heel which has brought out a fresh side of her gimmick and provided a push in her career.
Carmella has been on the radar of many critics, but her heel work has got her organic heat from the fans, and you don't get to witness that very often.
From insulting fans in the crowd to bragging about herself and doing guest commentary spots, Carmella had a turnaround with her gimmick and fits with her snooty, "fabulous" persona.
#3 Jinder Mahal
Jinder Mahal was one such wrestler who was never taken seriously until last year. After performing as an enhancement talent and jobbing to fellow wrestlers for years, Mahal finally had his moment when he pinned Randy Orton to become the new WWE Champion.
However as expected, WWE couldn't manage to get fans to like him with his Anti-American heel persona. Mahal portrayed his gimmick to perfection and generated bonafide heat from the WWE Universe. Fans booed him out of the buildings everytime he would say anything negative about American people or culture.
After being drafted to RAW earlier this year, Mahal was booked in a feud against Roman Reigns to get the Big Dog some cheers from the crowd and is now currently serving as an enhancement talent in a "yogi" gimmick.
Getting booed is still better than getting no reaction at all, isn't it? Mahal is the perfect example of that.
#2 Kevin Owens
Kevin Owens is one of the most convincing heels in WWE today. The way he insults his fellow performers and the storytelling that he demonstrates during the matches make one want to hate him more and more. Since coming to WWE, Owens has successfully managed to generate a considerable amount of heat from the crowd.
Whether it was betraying Sami Zayn or Chris Jericho, his actions seemed so genuine, that you feel bad for the babyfaces, which further fuels the hatred for him. With undeniable charisma and unparalleled mic skills, KO is one of the best performers in WWE, and if booked correctly, he may even go on to become one of the most prominent heels of all time.
Currently involved in a feud with Braun Strowman, if KO manages to win the MITB contract from the "Monster among Men", the hate for him will escalate to a whole different level and would make him the top dog of the company.
#1 Tommaso Ciampa
Without question, Tommaso Ciampa is the most hated wrestler in WWE today. With every appearance, every hateful tweet, and every opportunity to screw Johnny Gargano over, Ciampa has managed to generate genuine heat from the fans.
Kayfabe is not the most prominent thing in WWE anymore, but Ciampa has managed to keep it alive, and his Twitter actions are a living testament to the fact. From refusing to do podcasts and giving movie spoilers, Tommaso is doing everything possible to make the fans despise him more and more.
One of the last real heels in WWE, the hatred for Tommaso Ciampa has made Johnny Gargano an instant fan favourite. While WWE may have hit the jackpot with this move, Ciampa has perfected the craft of how a heel should look like, and it's refreshing to see someone manage the hatred so well.
The current NXT Champion is set to defend his title against Gargano in a last-man match standing match at Takeover: Brooklyn III. While the match itself would steal the show, it will be interesting to see what heel tactics Ciampa has in his pockets to generate even more heat from the WWE Universe.
