What if WWE books more heel vs. heel matches?

WWE has claimed for some time that it no longer subscribes to the model of traditional faces and heels.

The point comes up in conversations of top stars like John Cena and Roman Reigns who weathered extensive boos from live crowds, despite being booked as top baby faces.

Is it possible these guys really were playing faces to the youngsters who believed in them, while consciously playing heel to older fans, in so doing undermining the whole concept of the good guy or bad guy narrative?

WWE pushed matters further in 2017 with programs between Brock Lesnar and Samoa Joe, as well as Lesnar vs. Braun Strowman before he had really turned face. In each case, WWE leaned into the story of two superficial heels going to war, relying on the immensity of the stars and their propensities for destruction to sell the matches.

What if WWE books more heel vs. heel matches? This article takes a look at what might follow.

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#5 The Undisputed Era vs. Daniel Bryan

The Undisputed Era waging war against Daniel Bryan could yield some great matches.

The Undisputed Era has been one of the most successful acts in NXT. They’ve had a lengthy run toward the top of the developmental brands and reigns with the North American and Tag Team Championships, besides Adam Cole being in the NXT title mix.

When it comes to acts that are main roster ready, there aren’t very many that come across as better prepared than this unit.

For as good as The Undisputed Era is, though, the transition to the main roster does come with significant questions in terms of whether their credibility will transfer against the bigger bodies on RAW and SmackDown.

Moreover, they work a style informed by their time traveling the world and working for companies like Ring of Honor and New Japan.

Daniel Bryan—particularly in his environmentalist persona, with the backing of Rowan, could be fun foe who would match size and technique with the stable. A heel vs. heel war, perhaps featuring Bryan vs. Cole, could be a lot of fun.

#4 Samoa Joe vs. Drew McIntyre

Drew McIntyre vs. Samoa Joe could be a stiff, quality match-up.

When it comes to big men who can work an exciting match, Samoa Joe and Drew McIntyre are two of the top guys on the WWE main roster today.

They’re each natural enough heels, particularly given how WWE has used them, that they’ll likely stay in those roles for the foreseeable future. If WWE were to start booking more heel vs. heel matches, though, this would be a natural one to go to.

Joe and McIntyre can both work sniff and snug, breaking out the heavy artillery for key signature spots.

A feud between the two of them could come across a lot like Joe’s war with Brock Lesnar from 2017, but with the added dimension of there being a less certain outcome and greater potential for McIntyre to go all in with for a stellar blow off match at the climax of the rivalry.

#3 Charlotte Flair vs. Lacey Evans

Lacey Evans has garnered a unique push on the main roster; she could ride this momentum to be a credible challenger to Charlotte Flair.

Charlotte Flair and Lacey Evans have been cast as two of Becky Lynch’s chief foils. There are ways in which their stories are opposite.

Flair entrenched as an increasingly veteran presence who has proved herself across multiple title reigns and big match scenarios. Meanwhile, Evans is a less known commodity set to work just her second televised, one on one main roster match when she challenges Lynch at Money in the Bank.

For all of these differences, Flair and Evans are both athletic, powerful women, tall in stature who could likely put on a heck of a war opposite one another if booked into each other’s crosshairs.

Flair would probably become the de facto face for fans being more familiar with her and her ability to sell, but the two stars could just as likely take turns being mean in this battle of top villains from the women’s ranks.

#2 The Viking Raiders vs. The Authors of Pain

The Viking Raiders could have a heel hoss war for the ages opposite The Authors of Pain.

The Viking Raiders arrived on the main roster as imposing big men with a resume that includes some truly great performances in NXT.

They’re not the first team to walk that path. While The Ascension were never necessarily a great team, they nonetheless came across as monsters in NXT before fizzling on the main roster.

The Authors of Pain were a more recent stab at a similar dynamic, with greater performances to their name in developmental, but who struggled with inconsistent booking and, most recently, injury issues.

While the Raiders get their footing on Raw, AOP is out of action. If Ivar and Erik stay on their dominant course, they’ll likely as not be Raw Tag Team Champions before long. The AOP could be fun challengers to come out of the wood work, particularly if booked as fellow monster heels, bent on all out destruction when these two teams clash.

#1 Bray Wyatt declares war on everyone

Bray Wyatt is starting a new run, and it's unclear what rules will apply to him.

There’s a lot we don’t yet know about Bray Wyatt’s new character. The sunny disposition and conservative attire he dawns as a faux children’s television host certain feels like a veneer for something less wholesome.

Will Wyatt be an off beat face character with a bit of a crazed edge? Or is this all a set up for his continued evolution as a heel character?

If Wyatt does return to the ring as a heel, we can expect for him to be a chaotic one. Just as The Wyatt family, in its early days, waged war against fellow heels The Shield, it wouldn’t be so out of character for Wyatt to go target fellow villains without giving up his own darker underpinnings.

WWE has already teased an issue with Wyatt and fellow heel Randy Orton in Wyatt “forgiving” his old rival over Twitter; might that signal first of his heel vs. heel issues for this new run?

We’ll have to wait and see, but if WWE is taking an overarching direction of booking heel vs. heel matches, this pairing could be a starting point.