10 Most Effective Heel Heat Magnets In Wrestling Today

Whilst heel heat may not be a lost art just yet, it sure doesn't exist in the same quantity that it did during decades past.

The heels of today's wrestling can be awfully generic. Not necessarily bad, just generic - even those at the very top. A perfectly charismatic wrestler in villainous garb can often fall into the trap of preaching the same tired gospel to fans and competitors, whilst swapping various keywords to churn out identical promos week in, week out.

Or they simply become too entertaining to be hated.

This is easily done, as wrestling's been around for a long time now, and it's therefore harder to find a mantra that is compelling, original, and capable of truly riling people up.

But not impossible. Those who draw serious heat in this day and age are the ones who drink in the hate and channel it through their act, with a seemingly natural ability to antagonise audiences in a way that subliminally says "I've got your attention now, what happens next is on you."

Here's a shout out to those who'd be jeered out of the building if not for the modern era's restrictions...

Love to hate? Hate to hate?

The cleverness in Baron Corbin's persistent self-promotion, with that ridiculous f*cking crown and cape, is that the gimmick should have stagnated a long time ago. His King of the Ring status is completely and utterly irrelevant and has been for a long time, yet he continues to wear it as a symbol of prowess.

Here's the catch: he doesn't care, and he knows you know that. Week by week, Corbin keeps his presence known and deliberately does nothing to alter or improve the characteristics that he's fully aware irritates the sh*t out of you. Corbin wears villainy as a badge of honour. When speaking out of the realms of kayfabe, he assures audiences that irritating f fans is a job description, and he is a man who gets up and goes to work.

Corbin excels in his role as a bad smell that won't go away. So next time you complain that you're sick of him, just remember, he's watching, and you're making him smile.