JBL was recently a guest on Busted Open Radio along with WWE Hall Of Famer Bubba Ray Dudley. Over the course of the talk, JBL managed to discuss how heels can get over while naming the best heels in the company today.
JBL known as John Bradshaw Layfield, spent a majority of his career as a heel and even transpired from an arrogant wrestler on screen to a heel commentator.
The former champion claimed that the wrestlers need to stay in character to succeed. JBL elaborated:
“I think it’d be easier now than ever, but the guys have got to stay in character, we stayed in character 24/7. People would think you’re a horrible person, but you don’t want to see a guy at the airport, and smile, and be friendly. Look, this is an old-school mentality. I get that. People don’t like it anymore, but it’s what we did and you didn’t want them coming to the arena and saying, ‘Hey, I met that guy – he’s actually a really good guy,’ and tell everyone around him because that’s what they’ll do. You want people to think you’re this bad guy. You live this character 24/7.
JBL also praised “The Viper” Randy Orton and The Miz for their work as a heel and proceeded to call them the best heels in the company today. JBL said:
“Look, I think Randy Orton, he has obviously been around a long time, but I think Randy Orton can be a terrific heel. I think The Miz can be a terrific heel. Miz enjoys being a heel and I think he’s actually very good at it. People look at him and want to hate him. That’s what you want. Someone mentioned to me at FOX, ‘what a wonderful guy,’ but on air, he comes across as a guy, you just want to punch him. That’s what a heel is.”
To conclude, JBL named Roddy Piper and Fit Finlay as the greatest heels of all time. JBL stated:
“Oh yeah, I think Piper, to me, was the greatest heel of all time, most likely, I think, now, that being said, in the mainstream. I think Fit Finlay was the best heel I’ve ever seen and there was no question about that. Fit Finlay, when he was in Europe, 20-something straight years of the same towns, the same territories, and he was still the top guy when he left. I don’t think people realize how good Fit Finlay was.” JBL reflected, “he was the best heel and probably the best worker I’d ever seen.”
H/T to Wrestling Inc for the translation
