Bully Ray Is The Heel WWE TV Needs Today
Most will know him as Bubba Ray Dudley, but the character of Bully Ray is the consummate heel that could help get many of the baby faces in the WWE over with the fans.
Individuals with big characters have a special place in professional wrestling. As today’s industry tends to look toward athleticism and big spots; there’s still something to say about men and women with compelling personalities that shine in the ring.
One such individual is the man known as Bubba Ray Dudley. While he is known for his time as a member of the Dudley Boyz in ECW and WWE; his most recent contributions to the industry as Bully Ray are a testament to not only his knowledge about professional wrestling, but his selflessness. This character is perhaps one of the best heels in the industry today and it’s a real crime that we didn’t get to experience it in the WWE.
The Bully Ray character was birthed in TNA back in 2010 but is a strong reminder of the gritty heel character that he played as a part of the Dudley Boyz in ECW – long before they moved over to the WWE. His ability to get under the skin of fans in attendance and those watching on television was one of the reasons he became such a major attraction. A quick google search will pull up a variety of examples in which then Bubba Ray would not only berate his opponents, but anyone that was willing to engage with him at ringside.
Now, his character is plaguing everyone in Ring of Honor. As he continues to help build interest in the younger generation of wrestlers, one must wonder how great this Bully Ray persona would have been if a part of the WWE roster. Bully Ray recognizes the importance of being a real heel in professional wrestling today and delivers that feeling every time he’s in front of fans.
The WWE has struggled with developing a real stable of believable heels. Today’s fan would rather cheer cool characters and big spots, rather than focus on the “Good versus Evil” narratives that should be found in the stories.
Tommaso Ciampa and Samoa Joe are perhaps the best (if not only) real heels on the roster today. Their recent performances are like what Bully Ray has been doing for years. That character in the WWE would have benefited several the “younger” wrestlers that he referenced in recent quotes.
Roman Reigns, Finn Balor, Shinsuke Nakamura and others are individuals who were stuck in stagnant positions; unable to break through as bigger personalities to the fans. While they would put on great matches, it seemed as if WWE Creative continually failed to build interest in their character. Therefore, a foil such as Bully Ray would have been a valuable roster member at any time.
Look at what Ciampa’s performance as the heel has done for Johnny Gargano. While it may be difficult to translate that fan interest to future feuds – it’s still a boost that Gargano would not have experienced otherwise. That’s what a great heel character can do for a face and this is a major addition that the WWE needs today.
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While there are a lot of things to question about the WWE roster today, one thing is clear – there’s a space available for despicable heels on both shows. These heels are needed to get some of the big names over with the fans for long term gain. Bully Ray is one such of a professional who could have helped with the WWE needed it the most. Unfortunately, we never got to witness that special skill as a part of WWE content.