10 Most Effective Wrestling Heels Of The 21st Century
7. The Miz
The Miz occupies a heel role both classicist and postmodern.
He has been widely criticised for his in-ring work ever since he emerged as a singles star towards the end of the 2000s, operating in a style Daniel Bryan referred to on Talking Smack last year as the hackneyed, "safe" approach from which WWE had to distance itself to capture the wider sentiment of the coveted independent scene.
The Miz was booed, almost indirectly, for his perceived inability between the ropes. The new heel, to a more savvy 21st century audience, wasn't the cheater, the foreign menace, nor the arrogant one percenter - but someone who failed to put on great matches.
But he reinforced his position by being equally adept at generating old-fashioned heat. His line at SummerSlam 2010 - in which he claimed that was the Shawn Michaels of his tag team with John Morrison, "only better," was fabulous. Even better was his later "When my hand goes up, your mouth goes shut!" catchphrase. Obnoxious and overbearing, The Miz was practically made for an industry few thought he actually belonged in. Even during 2016, his second breakthrough year - in which he made massive strides as a worker - Miz still retained his heat by breaking the fourth wall and slut-shaming Renee Young on an episode of SmackDown. He remains the best segment on RAW, post-Superstar Shake-Up.
Just when you start to like him, he makes you hate him that much more.