WWE: 10 Performers With The Best Heel-Work of 2018

via WWE.com

2. Randy Orton

It is no secret that Randy Orton’s in-ring acumen had been stagnant for the last few years. Even as a babyface heading into 2018, most of his in-ring work had been defined by rest holds and chin locks. Then, this past summer, he turned heel for the first time since his run alongside The Wyatt Family. His latest approach to playing a baddie has proven to be Orton’s best work as both a wrestler and a character in nearly a decade.

Since becoming a villain again, Orton has had a clear mission statement to target and obliterate every legend – i.e. Jeff Hardy and Rey Mysterio – that the crowd has fallen in love with. This has seen him commit such unforgettable dastardly deeds as tearing apart Mysterio’s mask before Pillmanizing him, and using a screwdriver to twist away at Hardy’s ear lobe.

As a heel, Orton has been one of WWE’s most consistent, entertaining, and down-right sadistic bad guys on the roster. It is a baffling surprise to think that even though he has been giving us stellar performances this year, Orton’s been entirely absent from the WWE Championship picture despite the work he has been putting in. Hopefully, WWE can rectify that mistake come 2019.