4 current heels who are cheered by the WWE Universe

Pro wrestling has changed a lot over the last 30 years. WWE stars who would have been booed long ago are often cheered by today's fans. The industry and how it is experienced have also changed.

Social media has given fans a look into the real life of pro wrestlers. They can follow developing stories and rumors as they unfold in real time.

Because of how the dynamic has changed, certain stars who should be booed can sometimes elicit loud cheers from the crowd. During the 1980s, Hulk Hogan's constant winning soured some fans on his act. They often opted to cheer for Hogan's opponents.

Things have changed a lot since the early days of Hulkamania. Cheering for the bad guy is one big alteration since some current WWE heels are incredible at their job.

They're so good at the job, however, that a large portion of the audience cheers them. Here are four current WWE heels who are cheered by the fans.

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#4. Iyo Sky has a crowd-pleasing style

Iyo Sky's popularity has slowly grown since Damage CTRL debuted last summer. Her high-flying ability and technical savvy have made her a fast-rising star on the main roster.

When Damage CTRL does finally split, it seems like Sky could be the face. She was heavily cheered over Bianca Belair during their title match at Backlash. Belair was even booed loudly.

The EST of WWE has been one of the more popular female stars lately, so fans booing her is a sign that they are buying into Sky. She may be a heel, but she's too good to boo.

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#3. Roman Reigns is treated as the biggest star in WWE

Roman Reigns has been atop WWE for the last two years.

You may not know it by now, but WWE really wants everyone to consider Reigns the greatest superstar of all time. Having an extremely long title reign may accomplish that in their eyes, but he still needs many standout wins by himself to be truly dominant.

The Bloodline angle has been one of the best storylines in history, and it dominates SmackDown. Most of that is due to Reigns' spot atop the roster. Some may have already tired of his death grip on his titles, but a good portion of the crowd loudly cheers The Tribal Chief.

He has done the best work of his career as The Head of the Table, and a lot of fans have acknowledged him for that work. He might be a domineering heel that isn't for everyone, but some of the crowd loves Reigns no matter what he is doing.

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#2. Rhea Ripley gets a lot of cheers from the WWE Universe

Fans love to cheer for their Mami.

Even though the current WWE Women's World Champion is a part of the dastardly Judgment Day group, she's one of the members who fans seem to like. Despite being aligned with heat magnet Dominik Mysterio, the fans routinely chant "Mami" when she and/or Mysterio are in the ring.

Some fans like Ripley because she is what she appears to be - a dominant powerhouse. Other fans like that she's a newer star who has been pushed as a big deal under Triple H.

She may have won the RAW Women's title a few years ago, but she quickly lost it to Charlotte Flair. A good portion of fans like different flavors rather than the same old vanilla they're served.

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#1. LA Knight is one of today's most popular stars

Even though he cheats, fans can't get enough of LA Knight.

Few stars have become as popular as quickly as LA Knight has over the last few months. He was one of the few stars who was willing to work with the returning Bray Wyatt.

Knight participated in the Pitch Black match at the Royal Rumble, and he has become even more popular since that event. The WWE Universe cheers when his music hits. They also chant "Yeah!" as he is introduced before matches.

Knight's popularity has been organic and not manufactured, and he hasn't been shoved down the fan's throats. Despite being a bad guy, fans just can't help but cheer The Megastar. Will it lead to any success, like winning Money in the Bank? Only time will tell.