Babyface or Bust?

Babyface or Bust?

After watching TNA’s Bound for Glory PPV, I had originally planned that my next column be about them dropping the ball and a certain Hulkster being an outright A hole. However, upon hearing the spoilers about Impact, I have decided to hold off on it, as it could potentially all be a part of a bigger story. 

So my wrestling Column this week is about something that has bothered me for a long time. It might even be my biggest gripe about the WWE today. I just don’t like how they book Babyface talent anymore.

 I grew up in the ‘Attitude’ Era of wrestling so I probably have taken for granted what was the pinnacle of sports entertainment as the norm. But, when watching wrestling as a kid, I naturally rooted for the Babyfaces. 

This probably had something to do with my moral compass as a youngster, wanting the good guy to prevail and the person who had done wrong, to be punished. 

However, looking back, it also had something to do about how the Babyfaces were booked at the time. They were always the underdog.  Whether it is Stone Cold Steve Austin, fighting the Corporation, The Rock getting screwed by Vince McMahon, or Mankind being screwed over continuously. The Babyfaces were the ones most likely to lose, as they so often did. 

This made it ever so sweeter if they won and made it easier to invest in them as characters. They had flaws, and weaknesses. The more we can see ourselves as a character, no matter how distorted the vision, the easier it is to relate to said character. 

This is a direct contrast to the Babyfaces in the business today. The main event Babyfaces at least. The likes of John Cena, Randy Orton and HHH are more or less unstoppable. It’s not just that they hardly loose clean, but they very rarely look weak. 

It’s a very rare occasion when we see John Cena ending the show looking beaten and defeated. OK, Randy Orton has recently lost clean to Henry, Twice. But, he’s never sold a beat down by Henry and the next week he looks as good as ever. 

For me, that kind of good guy character just doesn’t work. I need a flawed protagonist to invest in. It’s the reason that I have never been a Superman fan. The man never looks weak, no matter what Lex Luthor throws at him. Even when faced with Kryptonite, he still bounces back relatively quickly. 

Don’t, get me wrong, Superman can be intriguing as a character.  As it was in the earlier Smallville seasons. But, the reason for this is that the writers took the time to find faults in his character and explore his weaknesses in other ways.  

I would have no problem WWE doing this with John Cena’s character. I have said in previous articles, that I would quite like to see Cena being restricted by a moral code. Someone, who is all powerful when it comes to physique, but can’t win due to his own morals. That is weakness and that would work. 

However, in today’s wrestling world it’s the Heel that is seen as week, not the Babyface. Bar the exception of Henry, who despite his lack of in ring ability is getting over, just for the fact that he’s something different.  

Every other heel in the WWE is exactly the same. They are weak cowards who cheat to win, but never truly beat the Babyface. Just look at the great Heels of the past, they won more than they lost. Not today. That being said, I’m not of the belief that Babyfaces have to be beaten clean. I often like it when Heels win by cheating. But, it needs to be defiant. 

Personally, I would have The Miz win every match by cheating, but purposeful cheating. If he got his ass handed to him ever match, but still managed to win, he would gain major heat and would seemingly be unbeatable. 

I know how the WWE would counter my argument as John Cena and Randy Orton are the two most popular Babyfaces in the company at the moment. So I imagine they think they’re doing something right. But, in years to come they will never be seen as good as the truly great Babyfaces like The Rock, Stone Cold, Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart. 

For me, if the WWE don’t change the Babyface, its product is a bust. 

What do you think? Am I right? Or do you like the way Babyfaces are portrayed in WWE? Let me know.

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Until next time, enjoy the show.

Daniel Morris.