A ring heel, in professional wrestling, is a wrestler who embodies the role of a villain or "bad guy."
Here's a breakdown:
- Heel Definition: A heel deliberately acts in a manner designed to generate negative reactions from the audience. They are the antagonists in wrestling storylines, opposing the "faces" (the good guys).
- Purpose of a Heel: Heels serve a crucial purpose: they create conflict, build drama, and give the audience someone to root against, thus amplifying the popularity of the faces. A good heel can make a face wrestler look even better.
- Heel Tactics: Heels employ various tactics to elicit boos, including:
- Breaking the rules: This might involve illegal moves, interference from other wrestlers, or ignoring the referee's instructions.
- Disrespecting the fans: Insulting the local area, the audience's intelligence, or their favorite wrestlers.
- Arrogance and boasting: Displaying an over-the-top ego and constantly bragging about their accomplishments.
- Cowardly behavior: Avoiding fair fights, running away from opponents, or attacking from behind.
- Synonyms: Other terms for a ring heel include "rudo" (in Lucha Libre), "villain," "bad guy," or "rulebreaker."
- Example: A classic example of a heel is a wrestler who constantly cheats to win, complains about the referee's decisions when they are caught, and then blames the fans for not appreciating their "genius."
