Austin Aries is one of the best heels in the world. This is not even a question, anybody who watches TNA knows this.
However, he should have remained face for at least another year. I don't like that they turned him heel for the sole purpose of handing the title to Jeff Hardy at Bound For Glory.
However, everything about him just screams natural babyface. He's short, so he's inherently an underdog, but he's such a hard worker; he almost quit wrestling at age 33 or 34 until TNA picked him up, he really is a great redemption story. If anybody has seen his matches lately, you might notice that he does stuff like his corkscrew moonsault a lot less because he can't be "flashy", he's a heel now. He was over as hell as a babyface, and he really was one of the coolest characters in wrestling as a cocky face who pushed himself to the limit to get where he is.
Listen to the pop at 30:07 and 31:00. The guy was over as hell as a face, he's still getting pops in the UK much stronger than the heels, and IMO the guy is a natural babyface. I understand that he's a great heel now, but he was better as a face.
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The IWC; we're faggots!
Because no straight grown men actually take time to analyze staged combat between two half-naked men.
- Aries was ALWAYS a better heel than face. ROH, TNA, NWA, you name it.
- Calling yourself "the greatest man that ever lived" isn't exactly a natural underdog babyface move, he's a tweener at best.
- He was getting stale as a babyface and the quality of his promo were dropping.
- Aries is great now so...
Well, the things I would have said have been said. And I actually never considered him having "turned" because I remember him saying he didn't need fan adulation even though they were cheering him. I must have missed some things. If you think you're the greatest, then everyone else is less. If they're less, then why would you respect them? Arrogance and benevolence rarely go hand in hand.
He was a tweener. Never was a babyface. And probably never will be.
This. He was never really face. Going into the feud with Hardy he was a tweener who just wanted to be on the same plateau of the biggest star in the company, Jeff Hardy
Full-on faces are rather tame, which, in my world = I honestly wouldn't have really noticed him as much if he was. I find him a natural heel if he had to be strictly one or the other. He just has too much to work with as a heel. His appeal is his cockiness, and he seems to have fun with his more heelish actions. And besides, he has a look about him that says he would steal a woman's purse while she is in the bathroom, especially when he smiles.
Aries looks very marketable either way. I don't like how he and Roode are so competitive with Chavo and Hernandez though, based on ladder standings they should beat them more easily. I don't want to see Aries drop down the card, he should be a permanent ME player.
Austin Aries heel turn was a bad idea.
Austin Aries heel turn was a bad idea.
I honestly wouldn't have really noticed him as much if he was. I find him a natural heel if he had to be strictly one or the other. He just has too much to work with as a heel. His appeal is his cockiness, and he seems to have fun with his more heelish actions. And besides, he has a look about him that says he would steal a woman's purse while she is in the bathroom, especially when he smiles. 
