The Best New Heels and Villains in Sports
Heels and villains are necessary. Superman needed to feud with Lex Luthor. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin became a WWE megastar because of his wars against the "Mr. McMahon" character. Pete Campbell made Don Draper seem likable throughout the majority of Mad Men.
Sports are no different.
Fans tuned into NBA games to cheer for and root against the "Bad Boys" editions of the Detroit Pistons. Mike Tyson became the biggest heel in boxing of the time when he bit the ear of Evander Holyfield during a fight that occurred in 1997. Eric Cantona once legitimately attacked a fan while featuring for Manchester United.
As famous as those villains were, the sports world is filled with some fantastic heels in 2016.
UFC Featherweight title holder Conor McGregor has been compared to an all-time great professional wrestling heel. McGregor cuts some of the best promos in the business today, and he routinely matched that talk with victories inside of the cage until he suffered a defeat this past March to Nate Diaz. Expect that McGregor will, in interviews and upcoming advertisements, do his best to sell you on his upcoming rematch against the foe that downed him earlier this year.
Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green has apparently embraced a classic heel tactic. Brock Lesnar is on the verge of again becoming one of the best heels in the UFC. Chip Kelly and Cam Newton have emerged as two of the top heels in the NFL.
What must be remembered is that heels and villains in sports are not hated by all segments of fans. On the contrary, McGregor was spotlighted by ESPN as one of the most famous athletes in the world. Heels make for great entertainment for fans and for critics.
Without heels, there would be no heroes to swoop in and save the day.
Brock Lesnar
1 of 10
We saw this movie play out roughly eight years ago. We know the plot.
It is a story that was already set to once again play out in the UFC this summer. CM Punk/Phil Brooks, the former WWE Champion who announced in December 2014 that he had signed with UFC, is scheduled to make his debut in the promotion this August at UFC 202, according to Jeremy Bottter of FloSports. Odds are that some attending that show will boo Punk, in part because they see him as a "fake" fighter who was signed to the UFC because he made his name in pro wrestling and not because of any mixed martial arts skills he may possess.
We can say this because it's what happened to Brock Lesnar back in 2008 when he first fought in the UFC.
Lesnar played the role of the top heel of the heavyweight division during his first stint in the UFC. The former WWE champion who tried to make it in the NFL before beginning a MMA career was booed at multiple events, and he showed one specific finger to the crowd after he defeated Frank Mir at UFC 100.
Lesnar is now back in the UFC for at least a one-off, a fight against Mark Hunt at UFC 200 on July 9.
Don't assume that Lesnar's time as a performer who was cheered by WrestleMania crowds in the WWE has softened him. Lesnar recently discussed his return and also mentioned his motives for returning during an interview with Paul Heyman (h/t Fox Sports).
""I'm not doing this for fans," Lesnar said bluntly. "If there are fans that are excited that I'm getting back in the Octagon, great. But I'm not doing it for them. I'm doing it for me.
"This is for me."
"
Cam Newton
2 of 10
For the purposes of this piece, ignore the first several years of Cam Newton's professional career. Ignore the confrontations he had with teammates. Ignore Newton's inconsistent play on the field. Instead, focus on his performances during the 2015 season.
Newton's 2015 campaign unofficially began with the Carolina Panthers quarterback getting into a fight with cornerback Josh Norman during an August practice. That was one of the few down moments Newton experienced from the end of the summer up through January 31.
Newton enjoyed what is, to date, the best season of his career last year, matching 37 total touchdowns with only 10 interceptions. Carolina finished the campaign 15-1, and Newton earned Most Valuable Player honors for his efforts on the field.
Newton also danced. He danced a lot. Newton danced after scoring touchdowns. He, intentionally or not, taunted opposing players after earning first downs. The NFL MVP got under the skin of multiple players in the league, most notably some who played for the Denver Broncos last February.
Several members of the Broncos had some choice words for Newton after the Denver defense dominated Newton and the Carolina offense at Super Bowl 50. Cornerback Aqib Talib went so far to say that Newton "didn't want it," according to The MMQB's Robert Klemko (via Jon Breech of CBS Sports). Talib also laughed at the thought of Newton speaking with reporters after the Super Bowl, saying that Newton was "probably crying right now," per TSN (via Breech).
Newton didn't cry during his post-game press conference, but he also did not do himself any favors. Newton sulked, he barely offered answers to questions and he then abruptly left his chair.
Critics had the ammo they needed to label Newton a "crybaby," per Tim Brown of the Oregonian.
Bryce Harper
3 of 10
"Why is it so easy to dislike Bryce Harper?" This question was asked in the title of a piece penned by Tom Verducci for Sports Illustrated in March 2015.
For starters, Harper is a special talent. The 23-year-old already has numerous personal accomplishments, including an MVP award, on his resume. Assuming Harper continues on his current path and is not slowed by injuries, he will one day be among the highest-paid players in Major League Baseball. Fans of the Washington Nationals have to love that Harper plays for their favorite team.
This is not to say that Harper has been a Boy Scout during his pro career. Harper joked about wanting his ring for the 2015 season while speaking with reporters in February of that year. Harper and his teammates received no rings, however, as the New York Mets won the National League East, while the Nationals failed to make the playoffs. That embarrassment was capped off by Harper and Washington relief pitcher Jonathan Papelbon getting into a fight in the dugout during a game in late September.
In May of this year, Harper was ejected from a game for "arguing balls and strikes" from the dugout, according to NESN.com's Pat Bradley. Harper emerged from the clubhouse to celebrate a Washington walk-off victory later that night, and cameras caught Harper yelling a naughty word at the umpire during that joyous occasion.
This incident and Harper's subsequent one-game suspension, per Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post, led to ESPN Radio host Danny Kanell criticizing Harper.
"I'm finding myself more and more not liking Bryce Harper, this heel that he's become. But I don't think it's a role he's playing; I think he's being who he is, unapologetically. "So what, I'll get fined, who cares." And I just look at him, and he does a lot of things I don't like. I think he's a jerk. Like, I think that's who he is, and he doesn't care what people think, which can be very good, and can be very refreshing to live your life that way. That's great. But I think he has a lot of growing up to do, because I think he's the best player in Major League Baseball, but I don't think he's anywhere near being the best teammate.
"
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Cris Cyborg
4 of 10
Cristiane Justino, commonly referred to as Cris "Cyborg," possesses the goods to be the top heel in the UFC.
Cyborg's unique look sets her apart from the other competitors in the UFC women's bantamweight division. The powerful strikes Cyborg is able to unleash, such as the shots she put on display when she quickly defeated Leslie Smith at UFC 198, make her must-see TV and terrifying. Like any good fighter who knows how to promote, Cyborg has her eyes on a future big-money bout.
For Cyborg, that fight is against Ronda Rousey.
Rousey, the biggest name in women's MMA today, has not officially confirmed a date for her return following her loss to Holly Holm last November. This has not stopped Cyborg from repeatedly calling Rousey out over the past couple of months. Cyborg stated to Power 106 in early May that Rousey "always runs from me" (h/t Damon Martin of Fox Sports). Later that same month, Cyborg took to social media to taunt and also challenge Rousey (h/t CBS Sports).
Like a classic heel, Cyborg also wants to play only by her own rules.
Rousey, current UFC Bantamweight Champion Miesha Tate and others in the bantamweight division fight at 135 pounds. Cyborg fought Smith at 140 pounds, though, and Cyborg told Marc Raimondi of MMA Fighting last January that she "no longer has any plans to drop to women's bantamweight." The previously mentioned Holm, meanwhile, stated to 102 Sports' Dave Ross last month that she would fight Cyborg at 140 pounds (h/t Raimondi).
Cyborg has knockout-power. She isn't afraid to cut promos. She wants to be treated like a special occasion and participate in "super-fights."
What more could a promotion want in a villain?
Draymond Green
5 of 10
Throughout the spring of 2016, Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors repeatedly violated a written and unwritten rule of the NBA, pro sports and just being a guy, in general.
Athletes talk trash while on the figurative field of battle. We love it, even if sometimes we pretend that we don't to claim some moral high ground. It is because of this that Green, according to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated, calling Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James a certain word that begins with the letter "b" is, on its own, not all that newsworthy, nor is it why Green is a heel.
Green is a heel because he landed shots to a certain body part that is never supposed to be on the receiving end of such a shot.
Green twice delivered blows to the groin of Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams during the 2016 Western Conference Finals. One of those incidents occurred while Green was driving to the rim. The other involved Green making a distinct kicking motion as he attempted a shot.
Unless Green admits to purposely attacking that area of Adams' body, Green's intent will forever be a matter of opinion. It is a fact, however, that the NBA did not consider Green lashing out toward James' groin during Game 4 of the NBA Finals necessary. That moment earned Green a one-game suspension, and Green was a spectator when the Warriors lost Game 5 to the Cavaliers at Golden State.
Mistakes happen. Even top-tier athletes become clumsy now and again. These types of blows are now a trend for Green, and it is a safe bet that players around the NBA will be on the lookout for Green and his style of play throughout next season.
Chip Kelly
6 of 10
"You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain." This well-known quote from The Dark Knight Rises could be the title of a future book about Chip Kelly's time as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Kelly's first season with the Eagles went better than some pessimistic Philadelphia fans probably would have guessed when Kelly was formally introduced by the club in January 2013. Quarterback Nick Foles was a revelation and enjoyed the best season, to date, of his career in Kelly's offense, and the Eagles secured a playoff berth after going 10-6.
Kelly earned the benefit of the doubt because of his initial success, and thus he did not become public enemy No. 1 among Philadelphia fans when the Eagles cut talented wide receiver DeSean Jackson in the spring of 2014. Later that year, the Eagles finished with a 10-6 record for the second straight season, and Kelly remained a popular figure among the Philadelphia faithful even though the Eagles failed to qualify for the postseason.
Then came January 2015. Kelly was named head of football operations and essentially given control of the Eagles, and Kelly responded by executing some puzzling transactions. Kelly dealt Foles to the St. Louis Rams for often-injured QB Sam Bradford. The Eagles also sent All-Pro running back LeSean McCoy to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for linebacker Kiko Alonso.
Kelly's plans, whatever they were at the time, blew up in his face. The Eagles won six of the team's first 15 regular season games in 2015, and the club did not even wait until the end of the campaign to fire Kelly.
Kelly apparently made more than a few enemies while with the Eagles. Nate Scott of For The Win named seven former players who have spoken out negative about Kelly from the time of his firing up through February 23 of this year. Nick Kayal of Philly.com wrote this past March that Kelly suffered from "a case of trying to be the smartest man in the room."
Kelly currently serves as the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers. Will he be a hero or a villain while out west?
Yordano Ventura
7 of 10
Yordano Ventura is a different kind of villain, in that he may not know he is a heel. The Kansas City Royals starting pitcher, who recently turned 25, may just lack maturity.
Jake Lourim of the Baltimore Sun provided a timeline of on-field incidents involving Ventura through June 7 when Ventura kick-started a brawl by plunking Manny Machado of the Baltimore Orioles with a pitch. Included in that timeline are multiple occasions of Ventura sparking confrontations.
The Royals were at the Orioles on June 7 when Ventura nearly hit Machado in the second inning of that affair. Ventura left little doubt about his intentions in the bottom of the fifth when he drilled Machado in the ribs. Machado, understandably, did not take kindly to this, and he rapidly approached Ventura rather than take his base.
Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star chronicled the events.
"First, catcher Sal Perez didn't do much to stop Manny Machado from charging the mound and punching Ventura after the hardest pitch of the night went straight into the ribs of the Orioles star. Then, Ventura sat mostly by himself in the dugout, his teammates tired of telling him how to act like a professional. Afterward, manager Ned Yost admitted his team was irritated with the pitcher.
"Probably," Yost told reporters. "There's a little frustration when things like this happen, yeah."
"
Ventura's talent and potential may no longer be worth the headaches he has caused for Kansas City. Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reported earlier this month that the Royals could put Ventura on the market before the upcoming trade deadline.
Conor McGregor
8 of 10
"He reminds me when he is all dressed up of Ric Flair in his ability to provide a compelling sound bite." This is what legendary pro wrestling announcer Jim Ross had to say about UFC Featherweight Champion Conor McGregor when Ross spoke to Michael Stets of MMA Mania for a piece that was published this past March.
The similarities between McGregor and Flair are easy to spot. Both men possess unique skills as it pertains to interviews and to cutting promos. McGregor, like Flair, is known to wear custom-made suits for press obligations. Jason Gay of the Wall Street Journal wrote last December that McGregor sometimes even parks like a heel.
"Outside the gym is McGregor's newest car, a midnight-black Mercedes S500 AMG Coupe, which he has parked diagonally, across two spaces, the kind of aggro-alpha maneuver you can only get away with if your name and face are on the building, which McGregor's are. The S500 AMG starts above $150,000, and it's safe to assume McGregor's is not the starter model.
"
McGregor knows what Flair, Muhammad Ali and so many before him knew: Fights don't sell themselves. Fans want to believe that two combatants who step into a cage or a ring truly dislike each other and aren't just playing roles. Even before McGregor first touched UFC gold in the summer of 2015, he embraced a villain persona that ultimately made him one of the biggest draws in the promotion.
McGregor's 2016 was flipped upside-down in March beginning with his loss to Nate Diaz via submission at UFC 196. In the spring, McGregor retired via Twitter, but he then rescinded that retirement in a post that was shared on his official Facebook page. Not long after McGregor's famous tweet, UFC boss Dana White removed McGregor from UFC 200 after McGregor no-showed press events.
McGregor and Diaz are currently scheduled to meet for a rematch at UFC 202 this August.
McGregor's supposed obsession with avenging his loss to Diaz, per comments White made to ESPN (h/t MMA Fighting), could be his professional undoing, particularly if he loses sight of the title of he holds and of championships he may want to win in the future. Then again, August 20 could prove to be McGregor's finest hour.
Whatever happens, the McGregor interviews leading up to UFC 202 will be must-watch TV.
Cristiano Ronaldo
9 of 10
Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is hardly a new heel. Ronaldo's place as one of the greatest players of his generation was cemented even before he hoisted the Champions League trophy a third time earlier this spring. You may also remember when Ronaldo claimed back in 2011 that fans jeered him during matches because he is "good-looking, rich and a great soccer player," according to Marca (h/t Ben Hayward of Goal.com).
Ronaldo makes the list for 2016 because his heel personality ages like a fine wine.
Ronaldo decided that his third Champions League title would serve as another opportunity for him to remind us all about his overall greatness. Per Laurie Whitwell of the Daily Mail, Ronaldo stated during Real's official post-Champions League celebration that "only the jealous" would not appreciate all that he has accomplished during his club career.
Ronaldo took it even further when speaking with Italian magazine Undici for a piece that was published earlier this month (h/t Chris Davie of Goal.com).
""Where would I rate myself amongst the top players of the last twenty years? Thinking positively, then I believe with what I've achieved, I'm the best of the lot," Ronaldo told Italian magazine Undici.
"The best athletes always influence their sport, so I think I've had an important impact. I can't say how much, but if you can run faster, jump higher than the rest, be consistently strong and agile, then you can make your talent as effective as it can be."
"
You may not love Ronaldo's boasts. It may annoy you that he rips his shirt off and flexes whenever he scores as a massive goal as he did when he buried the final ball from the spot to clinch the Champions League title for Real last month. Ronaldo is arguably world football's top villain of the past decade.
Enjoy Ronaldo while he his still at his best.
Roger Goodell
10 of 10
I know what you're thinking. "Roger Goodell isn't a new heel. He's been a heel for years!" That may be the case, but all would do well to remember that the NFL commissioner is not necessarily an advocate for the fans. Goodell works for NFL franchise owners. While we don't have access to Goodell's official contract, it can be assumed that "do whatever you can to always please the fans" probably isn't included in the wording.
With that said, it could be argued that Goodell's actions over the past several years have, to steal a phrase from WWE television, been best for business. It is Goodell's job to protect the NFL however he can and ensure that the league earns boatloads of cash. Whatever you think of his handling of certain matters, it cannot be denied that the NFL has enjoyed unprecedented financial success with Goodell serving as commissioner, per Daniel Kaplan of SportsBusiness Daily.
Goodell likely won't be remembered as the most popular commissioner in NFL history. It is a tradition for fans who attend the annual NFL draft to boo Goodell just about every time that he steps onto the main stage. Goodell, to his credit, usually ignored these jeers and boos.
That wasn't the case during the third day of the 2016 NFL draft.
For whatever reason, Goodell decided to embrace his heel role and allow the fans to have their fun. He even encouraged the fans at one point. "C'mon, bring it on. There you go! There you go!" Goodell stated (h/t Complex).
Perhaps Goodell wanted to have a quick laugh, or maybe the Chicago crowd truly irked him. For whatever reason(s), Goodell purposely portrayed the villain at that particular moment.
At least Goodell made the final day of this year's draft memorable.
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