WWE: Where Have All the Bad Guys Gone?

What is the one thing that wrestlers like Mr. Perfect, Rick Rude, and Mr. Fuji all have in common? They, like several others of their generations, were some of the most arrogant, narcissistic, and downright despised heels in all wrestling history.

Heels used to mean one thing: terror.

The memory of seeing Jake the Snake with Damien used to send me screaming behind the settee in absolute fear, scared of what would happen to the poor guy in the ring at the time.

When I was a bit younger than I am now, Brock Lesnar's maniacal attacks were the things nightmares were made of for me. Why was this?

This was because they were complex, creepy wrestlers who you absolutely loved to hate. They knew how to play the game, what needed to be said, and who the target was.

In short, a few years ago, the heels used to be the cornerstone of wrestling. However, that was a few years ago.

With the release of Umaga, one of the last few remaining monster heels, it got me to wondering: Where have all the bad guys gone?

Look back about four or five years ago.

The WWE was dominated by heels like Lesnar, Triple H, Chris Jericho, and Eric Bischoff. They would be everywhere, from the announcer's table to the general manager's office. They used to be at the forefront of everybody's viewing.

Look at Kane. A few years ago, he engaged in a feud with everyone after he was unmasked. He threatened to torch RVD, he set alight JR, and he tombstoned Linda McMahon. This made him incredibly good during the feuds he had with others.

Look at early Randy Orton. He used to be so hated that even the mention of his name sent "boos" throughout the arenas. His feud with the legends of yesteryear was an absolute classic that made people seek out his blood. They wanted his comeuppance.

Wow, what a difference a few years make.

Everywhere you look now, fan favorites and soft heels are what dominate the viewing, with kid idols like John Cena being thrown at you from every direction.

What happened to those awe-inspiring monsters?

They started to disappear.

Only a small handful of them are still in WWE today. Jericho with his superior smugness, Randy Orton with his brutish attacks, and hopefully CM Punk with his sense of pureness. They are the last of a dying breed, snuffed out by the producers who'd rather sell merchandise than matches.

At Extreme Rules, one of the greatest heels in the past couple of years was squashed in what must be the most disrespectful manner possible. Why? That basically undid months of building up for Orton, who was first on his way to becoming one of the most hated men of all time.

But look around—it is happening everywhere in the WWE. What they don't see is the future.

What happens when there are no more heels? What happens when fans lose the patience of dealing with perfect solutions every time a match happens?

I'll tell you what happens. The WWE will suffer. Feuds lose their fire, as there is no egomaniac destroying half the roster. Fans lose their voices, as they have no one to "boo" during the matches. Viewers disappear, end of story.

Is that really the right way to honor those legends who built their careers on intimidation and hatred?

Think of what they must be feeling now, seeing their style of wrestling being pushed further and further away into the depths of history. Think of the insult to the classic feuds that wrestling was created from if modern fans watch them now and go "What's that guy doing? That's not nice."

Heels need their time in the light again. For more than a burial, but for a legacy and lifelong wrestling tradition that needs to be preserved to ensure its future survival.