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You need to be excellent to pair up with the greats and make money, and that’s what he did, continuously, for many years. In terms of his look, presentation, in ring ability, everything, he was an 8/10 guy and the best heel in the business for long stretches.
He is a far better overall package than anyone working in the WWE today (bar potentially Brock). It’s hilarious to build up someone like Roman Reigns and talk about this half decent heel run (a run after 5 years of torture and woeful returns), while talking down the best heel in the business at the hottest time in the business. One that did it for so many years against so many different opponents.
He understood psychology and what it was to get a response from the crowd in matches and he did it against HBK, Foley, Undertaker, Austin, Rock and peoplle paid to watch it every single time.
His error was something that all top guys fall into in the wrestling business, it’s ego and protecting your own spot and pushing for decisions which are counterproductive (RVD, Booker T, strangle hold on title), but that doesn’t take away from the performer he was and the presentation he had.
A top guy, and one that the greats of his generation were probably delighted to have had as a protagonist when they reflect on their careers today and see what’s out there.
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