Most Hated Pro-Wrestling Champions

Named as an homage to Superman villain Lex Luthor, Lex Luger is one of the most reviled figures in professional wrestling. Luger made his professional wrestling debut with the NWA in 1985 and with Jim Crockett Promotions in 1987, where he joined the Four Horsemen, one of the original heel stables. While Luger spent most of his career as a villain and was the third runner-up for Most Hated Wrestler of the Year in 1987 and 1989 and the second runner-up in 1991, he made a memorable face turn in 1993. He would even go on to be voted Most Popular Wrestler of the Year by PWI readers that year.

Working as a mixed martial artist and luchador early in his career, Alberto Del Rio honed his heel persona while wrestling in Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre promotion in Mexico. Del Rio debuted in the WWE on “SmackDown” in 2010 as a heel, embracing his persona of an arrogant luchador with aristocratic roots. Del Rio began his WWE career in a feud with beloved babyface Rey Mysterio, which ended with Del Rio’s defeat of Mysterio in a two-out-of-three falls match in early 2011. Del Rio was the first runner-up for Most Hated Wrestler of the Year in 2011 and the second runner-up in 2012.

Chairman and CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, Vince McMahon is largely responsible for the WWE’s rapid rise in popularity in the 1980s and pro wrestling’s shift towards greater spectacle and higher production values in the Attitude Era of the 1990s. While McMahon was mostly a behind-the-scenes presence throughout his first decade as CEO, the third-generation wrestler was thrown into a storyline at the now infamous Montreal Screwjob in 1997, when Bret Hart spit on McMahon from the ring after losing a controversial match. The surprisingly muscular McMahon embraced his role as villainous boss, eventually forming a long-running feud with blue-collar hero “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. McMahon has continued to draw heat in main storylines in the modern WWE, feuding with CM Punk, Triple H, and his own children.

A second-generation wrestler with a background in amateur competition, Owen Hart enjoyed success as both a face and a heel in the WWE until his career was tragically cut short by his accidental death in 1999. Hart made a major heel turn in 1993, when he attacked his older brother Bret out of jealousy after a “Survivor Series” match. The feud continued over several matches in 1994 and was finally resolved in a March 1997 edition “Raw,” when Bret stepped into a match between Owen and his brother-in-law British Bulldog, appealing the two to remember their family values and reunite the Hart Foundation stable. Hart was the runner-up Most Hated Wrestler of the Year in 1994 and the second runner-up in 1997.

Weighing in at over 400 pounds, Big Van Vader was one of the most reviled monster heels in the history of sports entertainment. Vader was known for his intimidating size and gravity-defying aerial maneuvers, including his signature moonsault — a high-impact backflip splash launched from the top rope. Vader feuded with some of the biggest stars of his era, including Sting, Ric Flair, and Mick Foley — which resulted in the now infamous match in which Vader disfigured Foley by ripping off his ear.

The Undertaker is the longest tenured wrestler on the current WWE roster. He introduced to the world his iconic funeral dirge, dark trench coat and hat, and slow, ominous gait at his WWE debut in 1990. Undertaker has garnered audience praise as both hero and villain in his long career and set a record 21-win streak at “WrestleMania” from 1991 to 2013. The Undertaker was burned alive in the 1998 “Royal Rumble” but some of his more infamous moments came after his resurrection. He crucified “Stone Cold” Steve Austin at a December 1998 edition of “Raw” and threw Mick Foley from the top of the the 15-foot-high Hell in a Cell cage — one of the most brutal moments in sports entertainment.

Bret “The Hitman” Hart entered professional wrestling as a face. He was able to bring the technical style from his days in amateur competition to the squared circle. Hart made a memorable heel turn in a March 1997 match with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. “The Hitman” used heel tactics to beat Austin, ultimately drawing blood from Austin’s head — the WWE then had a no-blood policy — and choking him with a final sharpshooter until he passed out. Hart’s heel persona was bolstered later in the year at the now infamous Montreal Screwjob, when Hart spit on CEO Vince McMahon from the ring after losing a controversial match. Hart was voted Most Hated Wrestler of the Year in 1997 and was the third runner-up the following year.

One of the most controversial figures in the modern WWE, Roman Reigns has enjoyed substantial success in the WWE — he has been in the main event in four consecutive “WrestleMania” shows from 2015 to 2018 and won three WWE World Heavyweight Championships. Still, he is met by audiences with a mix of apathy and disdain. While the WWE may believe he has the makings of a babyface megastar, the push by WWE bookers to make Reigns the face of the organization has turned many fans against the Samoan-Italian wrestler. Reigns was met with subdued cheers and all-out boos at his championship wins. He was voted in 2016 PWI’s Most Hated Wrestler of the Year — one of the only face wrestlers to ever receive the title.

Jeff Jarrett rode his country singer character to heel infamy. Dressed in a light-up white cowboy suit emblazoned with the initials “JJ,” Jarrett often smashed an acoustic guitar over the heads of his opponents. Jarrett was known for his vanity and arrogance as well as his interview-closing catchphrase query: “Ain’t I great?” His persona took a more vicious turn during the Attitude Era, when he began targeting women in verbal and physical attacks. While Jarrett played up his misogynistic angle, he did not discriminate by age, bashing The Fabulous Moolah with a guitar and trapping Mae Young in a figure-four leg lock when the two wrestling legends were both well into their 70s.

Standing at 7 feet 4 inches and weighing over 500 pounds, André the Giant was one of the biggest figures in sports entertainment in both size and popularity. André spent most of his career as a babyface, winning PWI’s Most Popular Wrestler of the Year award in 1977 and 1982 and appearing as the gentle giant Fezzik in the 1987 film “The Princess Bride.” The beloved giant’s heel turn was therefore all the more shocking. Made jealous by the conniving manager and color commentator Bobby “The Brain” Heenan, André turned on his long-time ally Hulk Hogan in February 1987, ripping his former friend’s shirt and igniting a rivalry that would play out over the following year. André the Giant was the runner-up for Most Hated Wrestler of the Year in 1987, and he was awarded the full honor in 1998.

Donning a black-and-gold tuxedo, frosted tips, and a wad of $100 bills, “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase was a symbol of the runaway wealth of the American upper class in the 1980s and one of the most reviled heels in professional wrestling. DiBiase used his wealth to buy his way to the top, purchasing a spot in the 1989 “Royal Rumble,” superstar contracts, and even the WWE Championship. In addition to his seemingly endless fortune, DiBiase’s heel persona was bolstered by his technical skills in the ring — most notoriously his Million Dollar Dream sleeper hold, which he would often follow by stuffing a $100 bill in the mouth of his unconscious opponent.

One of the most popular pro wrestlers of the modern era, Seth Rollins has drawn praise as both hero and villain in his young career. Rollins shocked the wrestling world on a Monday night in June 2014, when he turned on Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns — fellow members of The Shield stable. He used a steel chair to the back as he suddenly attacked the two, initiating one of the most memorable heel runs in recent history. Rollins was the runner-up for the Most Hated Wrestler of the Year award in 2014, and he was ultimately given the honor the following year.

The consecutive runner-up for Most Hated Wrestler of the Year from 2015 to 2017, Kevin Owens is one of the most reviled heels in the modern era. Owens is known for his trash talk during in-ring promos as well as his belligerence outside the square circle — feuding with actress Melissa Joan Hart on Twitter and challenging Sir Elton John to a fight when the singer-songwriter cancelled an Orlando show on what was supposed to be a date night for Owens and his wife. While Owens has embraced his classic heel role, issues with management and the star’s growing likeability have led to speculation that the Quebecois wrestler may take a face turn in the near future.

Kevin Sullivan made his pro wrestling debut in the smaller NWA territories in the 1970s, leaning into his Boston heritage and embracing the nickname “Boston Battler.” Sullivan’s heel persona darkened in the 1980s, as the brawler began to don black and white face paint and body armor made of leather and steel. The newly christened “Prince of Darkness” gave frenzied, cryptic interviews outside of the ring and drew heat with his controversial tactics inside the squared circle. Some of these tactics included starting matches by throwing opponents on the concrete floor and ending them by jumping feet-first into a foe’s sternum. In one instance, he slashed Blackjack Mulligan’s eye with a broken bottle.

In contrast with his brother Dory Jr., who relied on technical skill and savvy, Terry Funk drew heat from audiences for his brash, brawler aesthetic and willingness to engage in bloody, weapon-wielding matches. Funk honed his heel persona in the latter part of his career, reveling in the more violent wrestling style of the ECW in the 1990s and returning to the WWF as the masked, power tool-wielding “Chainsaw Charlie” in 1997. Funk was the second runner-up for Most Hated Wrestler of the Year in 1976 and first runner-up in 1979 and 1989.

First rising to fame as a brash, fratty reality TV star, The Miz has been able to turn his arrogant, self-absorbed temperament into one of the most successful heel personas of the modern WWE. One major stepping stone for The Miz’s heel character happened during an April 2009 edition of “Monday Night Raw,” when the Ohio-born wrestler turned on his then-partner John Morrison, subsequently embarking on a solo career. In recent years, The Miz has been able to use his skills on a microphone and reality TV experience to further bolster his villainous image, trash-talking the competition through his “Miz TV” segments on “Monday Night Raw.”

In a career lasting nearly two decades, Superstar Billy Graham pioneered the gruff trash talk, flashy ring attire, and exaggerated physique later adopted by the likes of Hulk Hogan, Jesse Ventura, and Scott Steiner. Graham gave fiery interviews reminiscent of Muhammad Ali, coining phrases such as “I’m the man of the hour, the man with the power, too sweet to be sour,” and “I’m the reflection of perfection, the number one selection.” Graham defeated babyface Bruno Sammartino for the WWWF heavyweight title in 1977, which he held for a record 296 days — an unlikely feat at a time when heels were mostly used to prop up hero wrestlers and rarely won championships.

Typically clothed in a glittering robe and tights airbrushed with either his or his competition’s likeness on them, “Ravishing” Rick Rude was a pioneer of the vain narcissist archetype in professional wrestling. Rude also was instrumental in popularizing the in-ring promo, famously addressing audiences with an iteration of “What I’d like to have right now, is for all you fat, ugly, inner-city sweathogs to keep the noise down while I take my robe off and show the ladies what a real sexy man looks like,” upon entering the ring. Rude’s showboating and libidinal personality sparked major rivalries with wrestlers such as Jake “The Snake” Roberts and Ultimate Warrior and earned him the title of Most Hated Wrestler of the Year in 1992 as well as several runners-up awards in previous years.

One of the most reviled heels in pro sports, Roddy Piper was voted third runner-up to the Most Hated Wrestler of the Year award in 1981, and he was awarded the top spot in 1984 and 1985. Piper was a WWE mainstay during its global expansion in the 1980s, feuding with Cyndi Lauper, Mr. T, and — in what culminated in a title match at the widely-viewed “War to Settle the Score” — Hulk Hogan. Piper was known for his brash wit and facility with a microphone, which he was able to use to further bolster his heel image through his “Piper’s Pit” interview segments. Piper also had success as a hero, making a successful face turn in 1986 and winning PWI’s Most Popular Wrestler of the Year award that year.

CM Punk made his televised WWE debut at an ECW house show in 2006, at a time when hardcore wrestling fans were growing dissatisfied with the more family-friendly programming that had proliferated in the wake of the Attitude Era. Punk’s rebellious aesthetic and eclectic fighting style helped garner him a fan base, which grew as fans began to perceive the wrestler as being underutilized by the WWE. Punk used this anti-establishment fervor to fuel a successful heel turn, culminating in a June 2011 “Pipe Bomb” promo in which he called out John Cena, The Rock, and other crossover stars in an overall tirade against the WWE’s prioritization of entertainment over real wrestling.

Voted “Most likely to win the WWE championship belt” by his high school class in 1990 and inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame roughly two decades later, Edge was one of the most popular wrestlers in sports entertainment during his time in active competition. Initially teamed with childhood friend and wrestling partner Christian, Edge began a heel run in 2004 while pursuing main event status as a solo wrestler. Edge was infamous for his in-ring mind games and dirty tricks. One time he went to John Cena’s home and slapped his father. In another instance he had intercourse with Lita, ex-wife of rival wrestler Kane, on a bed in the middle of the ring on a January 2006 edition of “Monday Night Raw.” This stint earned him the nickname “The Rated-R Superstar.”

Chris Jericho is no longer involved with WWE, but prior to his departure he was known for his rock-star persona. Some of his standout heel moments include reading off a list of holds to “The Man of 1,000 Holds” Dean Malenko as proof of his superior move arsenal. He was also dragged begging and screaming out of the ring by security after getting the pink slip from Eric Bischoff in a “loser gets fired” match. Most notably, perhaps, was the night he beat both The Rock and Steve Austin to become the first ever Undisputed WWE Champion. Jericho was voted Most Hated Wrestler of the Year by PWI readers in 2002 and 2008, and he was second runner-up in 2009.

Lawler first provoked national ire during a 1982 feud with comedian Andy Kaufman, which climaxed on the set of “Late Night with David Letterman,” when Lawler slapped the comic out of his chair in the middle of a televised interview. Lawler continued to hone his heel persona after joining the WWE in 1992, forming rivalries with the likes of Bret “Hit Man” Hart and The Miz. As an announcer and wrestler, Lawler remains a major presence in the WWE, making intermittent appearances throughout the fifth decade of his career.

Few wrestlers have had a greater impact on the world of sports entertainment as Hulk Hogan. Hogan was the face of the WWE during its expansion from northeastern territory to global juggernaut in the 1980s, achieving mainstream appeal and crossover popularity. Taking advantage of his growing popularity, Hogan appeared in movies, “Saturday Night Live,” and even the covers of cereal boxes. Hogan’s role model status made it all the more devastating when in 1996 he, along with Scott Hall and Kevin Nash, formed the New World Order in an effort to take over the WCW. Hogan’s debut as a villain is widely regarded as one of the most powerful heel turns of all time, signaling the shift to edgier, more realistic storylines.

A former Olympic wrestler and strongman competitor, Ken Patera gained popularity as a heel throughout the 1970s and 1980s through stints in the AWA, NWA, and WWE. In 1980, he enjoyed the unique distinction of being the only wrestler to simultaneously hold the WWF’s Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship and the prestigious NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship.

The son of WWE Hall of Famer “Cowboy” Bob Orton and the grandson of “The Big O” Bob Orton Sr., Randy Orton is a third-generation wrestler who in 2004 became the youngest WWE World Heavyweight Champion at just 24 years old. While Orton debuted in the WWE as a face and has been voted the Most Popular Wrestler of the Year or was runner-up on several occasions, “The Viper” has expressed his preference for playing heel. Orton has made several memorable heel turns throughout his young career, executing his signature RKO move — a finishing jump cutter maneuver based on his initials Randy Keith Orton — on allies and enemies alike.

Greg Valentine’s 35-year tenure as a professional wrestler traverses several eras of sports entertainment, spanning intermittent stints in the NWA, WCW, and WWE. One of Valentine’s most notorious angles played out in 1977, when he broke former NWA U.S. Heavyweight Champion “Chief” Wahoo McDaniel’s leg in a figure-four leg lock during a match for the title and began wearing a T-shirt that read “I Broke Wahoo’s Leg.” Other moments that contributed to Valentine’s villain reputation include his destruction of the WWE Intercontinental Championship belt after losing it to Tito Santana in 1985.

While Kurt Angle embodied characteristics typically reminiscent of a face — a patriot donning red, white, and blue who stressed his three I’s — intensity, integrity, and intelligence — as well as other American ideals, the Olympic athlete drew heat at his 1999 televised WWE debut as fans met him with boos and signs criticizing his billing as a “real athlete.” Angle’s heel status is emblematic of the shift in audience tastes during the Attitude Era of the late 1990s, in which fans began to favor edgier, more anarchic personalities like Steve Austin and The Rock. While Angle spent most of his two-decade career as a villain, he was eventually embraced as a hero and was voted Most Popular Wrestler of the Year by PWI readers in 2003.

Ric Flair is arguably one of the biggest figures in the history of sports entertainment. He perfected the “stylin’, profilin’, limousine riding, jet flying, kiss-stealing, wheelin’ n’ dealin'” persona that contrasted him with his more blue-collar rivals and helped elevate the National Wrestling Alliance in the 1980s. Along with Arn Anderson and a rotating cast of other wrestlers, Flair helped popularize the notion of a “cool heel” through the villainous Four Horsemen faction in the 1990s, embracing his arrogant gimmick in and outside of the ring. Flair has wrestled professionally for more than four decades and was voted the Most Hated Wrestler of the Year by PWI readers in 1978 and 1987 and runner-up in 1977 and 1986.

Initially known to WWE fans as Hunter Hearst Helmsley, Triple H embraced a snobbish, aristocratic persona upon entering the WWE in 1995. He went on to co-found D-Generation X with Shawn Michaels and Chyna in 1997, helping usher in the Attitude Era that would define the WWE’s shift toward more violent and sexual content during the Monday Night Wars. While Triple H took on an executive role with WWE in 2011, he has remained an integral part of the squared circle, feuding with rising superstar Daniel Bryan as a member of the executive-led stable The Authority. In 2014, Triple H and his wife — fellow member of The Authority Stephanie McMahon — were jointly named the Most Hated Wrestler of the Year.