'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAUACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABiAAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACBAAAQQCAgMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDBBEABgUSBxMiMQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAwQRAAIBAwUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwARMRITIjJR/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwCUfJG8yt35qJO5KOXkxpQZbaec91ByRavogGjX5ifufEMTpLS9birUh5aSsL69iDV0E0MYxH47CDqsVgPKtlkdtbk3ZnBJtnNf/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
As Paul Heyman said on RAW this past Monday, it's a good time to be a bad guy in WWE. The company is almost entirely run by heels at the moment, and the number of formidable babyfaces pales in comparison to dominant heels. As a matter of fact, Bianca Belair is the only singles main roster champion on the heroic side, with the other five titles being held by heels.
While the likes of Roman Reigns are firmly established and proven villains, there is a young crop of fast-rising bad guys making a name for themselves weekly. These include Dominik Mysterio, Bron Breakker, and United States champion Austin Theory. This trio was not only born within six months of each other but also seem to share a love for villainy. However, it can be argued that neither of these future pillars is the best heel under 30 in the company.
Trending
So who is it? Find out as we rank the five best WWE heels under the age of thirty below!
#5: Bron Breakker is showing arguably the greatest potential of any young villain in WWE
Bron Breakker just recently turned heel, but he is already the most dangerous man in NXT and one of the scariest in WWE. The former NXT Champion had an extended run as a babyface champion, and by the end, many fans were clamoring for him to turn. After losing to Carmelo Hayes at Stand & Deliver, he finally snapped and gave in to the dark side.
Bron has since been a terrifying force of destruction, delivering devastating spears to Odyssey Jones, Andre Chase, and Hayes himself. He's not out to reclaim the title or make fans acknowledge him, but just to destroy and dominate, reminding many WWE fans of his uncle, Scott Steiner. He comes in at number four because he has only just turned heel, but with time, he may end up topping this list.
The Big Bad Booty Nephew looks like the next Batista-esque or Goldberg-type star in the industry.
#4: Dominik Mysterio has become a heat magnet to the WWE Universe
What a difference a year makes. Just after WrestleMania 38, Dominik Mysterio was in his father's shadow, a clean-cut babyface trying to step into shoes that no one could possibly fill. After a good run as the first father-son Tag Team Champion duo in WWE history, the Mysterios reached the peak of their babyface run. Enter The Judgment Day.
Dominik was revitalized by the heel faction, eventually feuding with his Hall of Famer father in arguably the best non-title feud at WrestleMania 39. Post-Mania, Ex-Con Dom has become a "Latino heat magnet," getting himself booed out of every building as soon as he touches the mic. Dominik is living every heel's dream, and he just needs to add some gold to his resume to ascend this list.
#3: WWE United States Champion Austin Theory has it all
Austin Theory is arguably the most accomplished male superstar under 30 in WWE today. On top of being the youngest Money In The Bank winner in history, he is the youngest and current two-time United States champion. He has beaten John Cena, Seth Rollins, Bobby Lashley, Edge, and Rey Mysterio, among others, and interacted with the likes of Vince McMahon, Brock Lesnar, and Roman Reigns.
Throughout all this, Theory has received push-back from fans who believe he's over-pushed and over-privileged, but he has stayed consistent. It can be argued that without the "corporately picked" tag looming over him, The Now would be much more recognized for his stellar work thus far. He is arguably the closest thing to the finished product on this list, and once he wins the crowd over, he'll be undeniable.
Theory has the look, the moves, and the mic skills, and he just needs to find the spark that will ignite it all and launch him into the stratosphere.
#2:Honorable mentions
Before unveiling #1, we felt like to give a shout-out to a few stars that narrowly missed out on this list. We used 30 as our cutoff age and thus ruled out rising stars like Solo Sikoa (30) and Grayson Waller (33), who are making the fans sit up and take notice.
We also felt like giving a nod to Cora Jade (22), who has been off TV due to injury in recent months, affecting her momentum. Jade, as well as budding NXT villains like Pretty Deadly (25 and 28) and Tiffany Stratton (23), show fans that the future of WWE's heel landscape is in very good hands. Tweener characters like NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes (28) also miss out because they aren't clear-cut heels.
#1: Rhea Ripley is arguably THE top heel in the entire WWE Women's division at 26
Rhea Ripley is a force of nature. Freakishly strong, very intimidating, highly skilled in the ring, and extremely charismatic. The SmackDown Women's Champion is truly ahead of the game. At 26, she has already won the NXT, NXT UK, RAW, Women's Tag, and now the SmackDown Women's Championship. Not only has she made it to the mountaintop, but she has also scaled almost every peak there is. Here's what's scary: she's just getting started!
Her latest run as part of The Judgment Day has seen her really come into her own, standing toe-to-toe with not just every woman but also every man in her orbit. As a result, she has become arguably the most popular star in the Women's division and one of the most dominant heels in WWE. We can't wait to see The Eradicator have a long and destructive reign atop the SmackDown women's division.
