Wrestling: Heels Who Have Stepped Up Lately

They are the background of any established wrestling promotion. Heels are the main reason we tune in each week to watch and see the soap opera unfold.

We watch to see what antics R-Truth is gracing us with. We stand in excitement when Christian and Sheamus banter back and forth while Teddy Long laughs at the comedy of it all.

When a pay-per-view event is announced, we all quickly reach for our laptops to see who is headlining the event or what type of match it is.

It is the heel in all of us that drives us to continue to watch, hope, and cheer like children. We have our favorite "faces," but the heels get more attention.

We boo, we hiss, we yell, and we scream. And if for some reason you do not believe what I speak, then look at it this way: Triple H, Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels and The Rock were loved as heels, and while they were great "faces," their true claim to fame began as opponents from the dark side.

We loved the Four Horsemen and cheered the NWO. And to this day, we would rather see Ric Flair as the "60-minute man" rather than the crusty man we see today.

These Heels are doing a great job of making wrestling exciting.

Cody Rhodes

He has taken on a dark persona. And we like it.

Rhodes may finally have found his niche as a heel in a dark, almost Silence of the Lambs kind of way. His monotone voice and his expressions lead us to believe he is so very dark.

Rhodes is also stepping up his game and competing with a higher intensity than he has since joining the WWE. Let's see if this carries him to WWE gold.

Mark Henry

Henry is getting back in the ballgame.

Since he took a face turn (again), he is picking up steam. His battle with Big Show and then Kane is proof that he is trying to be a serious player on Smackdown.

He may never be a contender for the world title, but his size and strength play a big role in harming those who have a chance at what could be his.

Mr. Anderson

He is the lead dog of TNA IMPACT and he will continue to get better.

Anderson will feud with Sting, Kurt Angle, and Gunner. And along the way, he may meet up with AJ Styles, Matt Morgan, and anyone else who gets in his way.

He is a loner who likes it that way, and benefits from the style of competition in IMPACT.

He could not have been this successful in WWE.

Dolph Ziggler

He said he would win the U.S. Heavyweight Championship and did so at Capital Punishment.

Ziggler is now back in the middle of the title picture (the bigger picture), and will look to capture the world title.

The challenges for this title still lie with Kofi Kingston. Maybe Evan Bourne and Sin Cara?

It looks to be an awesome time to be chasing the title holder.

Christian

He looks even better than Randy Orton at times. The face change works for him.

The Orton/Christian feud looks to heat up more in the summer months, and with heels like Sheamus or a Mark Henry jumping into mix, this could be a great story for Smackdown fans to follow.

Christian will win gold again. He is too talented not to do so.

Bully Ray

He has the ability to be a great singles wrestler.

Bully Ray is the boy at school you hated to look at because you knew he would kick your butt.

He is willing to wrestle anyone, which makes him that much more appealing. Since people still love him from Team 3D, he still has a host of fans—whether he is a heel or a face.

R-Truth

The man is crazy, and he knows it.

Is there a better story line than an angry black man working to get over?

R-Truth will capture gold, but may have to go through CM Punk, Christian, or John Cena to do so.

ODB

I know this is a little strange, but she is keeping the women's division in TNA afloat with Velvet Sky.

She is the classic female bully and her assaults on her competition shows she means business.

She is more brutal than Chyna and more dominant than Beth Phoenix—a mad for television mean girl.

Alberto Del Rio

He beat Big Show.

His style is something of a classic. His intensity is somewhat unconventional. And all this means momentum.

Del Rio proves that he can beat anyone and be involved in matches that have meaning. He is still chasing gold.

He will challenge for the WWE title if he continues this path during the summer months.

Sheamus

He could and should be world champion.

He is in the middle of the dog fight between Christian and Randy Orton, knowing full well he has a stake in the future of the title.

He is strong, powerful, and menacing. And the Irish-born superstar is just as deserving as anyone else.

CM Punk

Until he leaves—if he does—he will cause problems for the WWE fans and roster.

He holds all the cards right now, and with a threat like he made to win Money in the Bank and then take the world title with him when he leaves the company that night speaks volumes about his confidence...and his ability to stir the pot and keep fans in suspense.

Gunner

Beat Sting. Check.

Beat Mr. Anderson. Check.

Win Eric Bischoff's approval. Check.

He is doing everything right at the right time and will be in the Bound for Glory tournament. If he wins the whole thing, then the world title should rightfully be his.