They just won't work! Fans just won't buy into it! These are among the sentiments that fans will hear when the possibility of heels facing off against one another is proposed. To some extent, in order to be emotionally invested in a match, you have to have a character you care about in there. In order for them to tell a compelling story.
Typically in WWE matches, one combatant will be a heel and the other will be a face. In a heel vs heel match up, the challenge is to keep true to themselves and be as dastardly as possible. It would certainly be a case of who would could out heel the other.
However, if given some thought, a match could be constructed to be a case of the bad squaring off with the worst. What meetings of villains would fans consider to be effective battles?
Fans can be assured of one thing: all involved in these proposed match ups are talented workers who are extraordinary at what they do. Here are the 5 of the best heel versus heel matches in the WWE.
#5. Brock Lesnar vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
One is an artist and the other is a beast. While they haven't met in WWE before, these two men squared off against one another during their time in New Japan Pro Wrestling.
The constant low blows that Nakamura has resorted to of late could prove to be an equalizer against the clearly bigger Lesnar; The Undertaker certainly used that strategy effectively in the past.
How would these two heels face-off against one another? If they remain true to their characters and allow their heelish tendencies to take over, it could be a very interesting contest. Nakamura's weaselly nature could definitely get the ire of Lesnar. Would that make Lesnar a face or simply a provoked tweener hell-bent on revenge?
Lesnar is just as capable of taking advantage of a situation and using whatever means necessary to get the lead in a match. This could also prove to be one of the hardest hitting matches in the company's history.
For it to be anything less than violent would be a surprise.
#4. Kevin Owens vs. Samoa Joe
This pairing is intriguing. We have two men that deliver incredibly focused and driven promos to make their point. They are also two of the fiercest competitors in the ring. When Joe initially arrived in NXT, it was to make the save on behalf of a beaten Sami Zayn. This resulted in a face-to-face confrontation between him and Owens, but that was all that materialized.
This would be a battle between two men that don't play nice if they keep true to themselves and dig a little deeper into their history. Could Owens say in a promo that he once replaced Joe in a place where they have honor after he couldn't cut it anymore?
It doesn't need to be steeped in truth, it needs to be steeped in animosity, and both men are certainly capable of creating animosity in any exchanges they participate in.
#3. Kevin Owens vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
These two are no strangers to one another. While fans once saw battles between them on Smackdown Live when Owens was in the role of heel and Nakamura was in the role of the face, it actually goes beyond that.
They previously faced one another during Owens' time in Ring of Honor, when Nakamura made an appearance as part of a crossover with New Japan Pro Wrestling. However, now these men are on rival brands, and for Nakamura and Owens to face each other again would seem like a peculiar match-up considering both are heels.
Fans are already aware that Owens will cower and cheat to succeed, and they are now seeing Nakamura do the exact same thing.
A match between them could be absolutely ruthless. If we can be assured of anything, it is that there will be several superkicks and stiff kicks.
#2. Samoa Joe vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
This will look familiar, as these two had a lengthy rivalry during their time in NXT, and their feud saw the NXT championship change hands-on multiple occasions. At that time Nakamura was in the role of the face and Joe was the ruthless heel. Now, Nakamura is as deceptive, cunning heel, while Joe is still a no-nonsense, never back down, right in your face heel that says what he means and means what he says.
This could be an exchange where both men hold true to themselves and demonstrate how ruthless they can be. A Nakamura low blow would be just as effective as an out of nowhere Coquina clutch by Joe. Both men have a martial arts background, and you can be assured of one thing: if someone's chest cavity doesn't have a hole in it by the end of the battle, they didn't do their job. Who walks away from this train wreck? Fans can only speculate.
#1. Tommaso Ciampa vs. Kevin Owens
These men are no strangers to one another. They competed in Ring of Honor at the same time, with Owens as a face and Ciampa as a heel character in the mold of 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin. Fans are witnessing something very special with the emergence of The Blackheart in NXT.
His ruthless and unrelenting nature have brought his heel nature up a level, and he has not only beat down Johnny Gargano but also disappointed fans when he has succeeded through underhanded means, always a great quality for any heel.
Owens, on the other hand, has been guilty of some of the most stunning betrayals ever, with his turns on Sami Zayn and Chris Jericho. In both cases, Owens showed how soulless he could be. This may be a battle of who is the least trustworthy man in the ring.
Fans have seen what they will do to people they were friends with. Could fans only imagine what they would do to one another now that they aren't friends? This would be another one for the ages between these two fiendish heels.