Readers and Staff Agree. 2011's Heel of The Year is...

In a business where bad guys have to be hated, it's rare that one can do that while still serving as an inspirational story. That's what we have this year as the 2011 Heel of The Year is someone many thought should have been here years ago. He finally is and now, just like Mae Young, we can all give him a hand...

2011's Heel of The Year is...

Mark Henry

Readers
2nd Place: R-Truth
3rd Place: Alberto Del Rio
Honorable Mentions: The Miz, Cody Rhodes, Dolph Ziggler, Bully Ray

Staff
2nd Place: Dolph Ziggler
3rd Place: Kevin Steen, Johnny Ace, The Miz, Bully Ray (tie)

Reader Comments:

"Mark Henry is the best heel this year. Sure he stepped his game up and he finally got put in a character that makes sense for his build. Then again, I'm pretty sure I was in the Smackdown Money in the Bank match as Sin Cara #48. It really wasn't a great year. " - Victor Bast
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"This year, most of the heels have been inconsistent: Miz started with a bang, but lost momentum after WrestleMania; Del Rio had a good year overall, but something always felt off about him; CM Punk caught fire and turned face; Christian got injured. Mark Henry, on the other hand, finally came into his own, especially on the microphone, where you can tell his level of confidence has improved by leaps and bounds. Looking at the current crop of heels, which seems a bit lackluster right now, Henry stands out as the most entertaining and credible heel. " - Nelson G. -
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"Who knew he had it in him? Great run. Should have been used like this years ago. " - Rick Lipman

Staff Comments:

" Ever since opening the building known as the Hall Of Pain, Mark Henry has become one of the best bad guys in the business. The fact that an upswing, albeit slight, in Smackdown's ratings since Mark Henry came to prominence on the show can't possibly be a coincidence. The dude has been a great main heel on the show this year ." - Aaron Wood -
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"It's such a simple formula, yet wrestling never seems to want to go to it anymore. You have a 400-pound behemoth with no neck and a menacing glare; go with that? Don't make him a ladies' man, a wannabe weightlifter or smiley dude wearing Kool Aid-red trunks! No, you make him a monster and have him eat people up along the way. Why mess with success? Borrowing a bit from King Kong Bundy, Yokozuna and Big Van Vader, the "Hall of Pain" era Mark Henry is one of the most bankable heels in the business, and 2011 showed how low he'll go to get to the top." - Canadian Bulldog - -
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"Dude has done nothing for me since 1996 but this year Henry impressed me and his amped up intensity has been noticed. It shouldn't have taken this long for "The World's Strongest Man" to have so many people afraid of him but regardless, they finally are. "- Kevin Wallace
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" The only reason Bully Ray doesn’t win my vote is I didn’t keep a solid eye on TNA throughout the first nine months of the year. Chances are he takes it. Henry has just been a monster since Money in the Bank (that event is going to come up a lot this year)/ July through December Mark Henry has been reigning hell over anyone he can get his hands onto. His Hall-of-Pain has become huge over the 2nd half of the year. Mark Henry went from lifetime mid-carder to world champion we all believe is full of hate in just six months. Truthfully he went from mid-carder to believable world champ in about three. The guy has been on a rampage and is easily the baddest guy in wrestling. Plus, what other full-on heels have there been this year? Kevin Steen - hasn’t wrestled a match in ROH, Bully Ray - only competition to Henry, Ziggler - wasn’t big enough soon enough….and…that is really about it. "- Corey Letson