Top 50 Greatest Wrestling Heels of all time

43. Ray Stevens

A true heat-drawing heel of the 70s and 80s, Stevens worked with some of the biggest names of the era (Jimmy Snuka, Pat Patterson and Nick Bockwinkel) as well as making a huge impression for himself.

Star of the AWA, Stevens turned from ‘Blond Bomber’ to how he is best remembered today, ‘The Crippler’, when kayfabe breaking the leg of Dick Beyer with his Bombs Away finisher. The injury resulting in the move being outlawed from the promotion. Stevens even unofficially beat Bruno Sammartino for the WWWF World championship in 1967. A threat across various companies, he was one of the classic great bad guys of his day – causing riots and real fan rebellion due to his devious attacks on others.

Stevens competed in Big Time Wrestling, the NWA, AWA and WWF – in all of which he proved how epic he was at getting a large audience to hate him, remaining a top heel for many years in a wrestling world still divided into different markets who were drastically different.