In a recent chat with AceOdds, wrestling notable Wade Barrett shared his take on fan-favourite heels, shedding light on why he’s not their biggest supporter.
Here are some of the stand-out moments from the interview:
On the idea of “exciting heels”, Barrett expressed an interesting viewpoint: “To me, ‘exciting heel’ sounds like an oxymoron. The issue with such heels is that they get roars of applause the instant they step into the ring. This immediately shatters their ‘heel’ persona because they’re being cheered on. They transform into the good guy, the ‘baby face’. Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson from the late ’90s serves as a perfect example. Taking into account my long years as a fan, I vividly recall him pulling out all stops to insult cities and audiences and do all sorts of outrageous things. Yet, the audience absolutely loved him.”
Discussing the way WWE has manoeuvred LA Knight after he won over fans, Barrett stated: “More recently, the case of LA Knight exemplifies the same. Initially, the plan was to cast him as an antagonist, someone who’d ruffle feathers. However, his sheer dynamism and electrifying presence melted all such plans. His overwhelming popularity fundamentally altered his ‘heel’ character. For both The Rock and LA Knight, while the ‘exciting heel’ persona may not have lasted, they used it to their advantage, contributing to their popularity and T-shirt sales.”
The following thrilling face-offs have been confirmed for the upcoming episode of WWE NXT Level Up:
• A showdown between Cutler James & Dion Lennox and the team of Kale Dixon and Uriah Connors.
• Drake Morreaux squaring off against Harlem Lewis.
• A tag team clash featuring Tyra Mae Steele & Layla Diggs versus Lainey Reid & Kali Armstrong.
The official synopsis for the new WWE NXT Level Up episode is as follows:
“Cutler James & Dion Lennox are set to take on the audacious duo of Kale Dixon & Uriah Connors. Furthermore, Drake Morreaux is up against Harlem Lewis while Tyra Mae Steele and Layla Diggs aim for a huge victory over Lainey Reid and Kali Armstrong.”
The preview also highlights the antagonistic behaviour of Dixon and Connors, commenting that victories have been elusive for them.
In a struggle of brawn against power, Morreaux and Lewis are expected to demonstrate their impressive striking skills. And in a high-drama tag team action, Reid and Armstrong face off against Steele and Diggs.
Don’t forget to tune into NXT Level Up, streaming this Friday at 10/9 C on Peacock in the U.S. and on WWE Network elsewhere.
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