5 Best Anti-heroes in the WWE
The lines between a heel and a babyface have been blurred so much over the past few years that it has become almost impossible to distinguish between the two. If one takes a closer look at today's independent wrestling scene, the concept of a heel and a babyface has almost become redundant. These promotions rely more on the story arc leading up to the match and actual in-ring action than the heel-babyface dynamic. It would be difficult to name a pure heel in today's independent circuit although people like Tama Tonga and Sam Adonis are despised by the fans for their actions, they are few and far between.
The WWE, on the other hand, relies heavily on the heel-babyface dynamic. The WWE product caters more to the casual fans and is more entertainment oriented. While an ROH or New Japan looks to put on classic matches, the WWE relies more on the great moments created during a show. So, for this to happen they need a clear-cut babyface and a cocky and arrogant heel. The babyface finally managing to beat the heel despite his underhanded tactics is what makes a great moment.
WWE still continues with the heel-babyface dynamic in their weekly programming. Whether it is actually working in today's environment is a debate which we can have later. Over the years, there have been some Superstars who cannot be categorized either as a heel nor as a face. These Superstars had the attributes of both a face and a heel and are universally adored by scores of fans all around the world. They were rebellious and never tried to be a holier-than-thou character which attracted fan attention to them. They can be best described as an anti-hero.
Here are the top five Anti-heroes in WWE history :
#5 Dean Ambrose
How can you like a person who is unstable, unhinged and borderline crazy? Well, Dean Ambrose is all of the above and much more but that hasn't stopped the fans from cheering on the man known as 'The Lunatic Fringe'. The Shield member is one of the most decorated Superstars of the current generation and was the first Shield member to become Grand Slam Champion when he along with Seth Rollins defeated the Bar (Sheamus and Cesaro) for the RAW Tag Team Championship.
Dean Ambrose has been a babyface for a major part of his career but to categorize him as a true-blue babyface would be a huge mistake. The Ohio-native attacked his opponents from behind, a trait not associated with a babyface. His in-ring style is that of a brawler which again is not conducive to a babyface character. In spite of all of this, Ambrose's grit, determination and never say die attitude has made him one of the most beloved superstars of this generation.
Ambrose recently returned to in-ring action after almost 9 months and it looks like he hasn't missed a step. In fact, he looks leaner and meaner than his previous self. With the Shield reuniting once again to take down the Monster Among Men, Braun Strowman, expect Dean Ambrose to reek havoc upon the entire RAW roster alongside his Sheild Brethern