It's obvious, WWE has positioned Roman Reigns as the face of the company regardless of the negative feedback his presence has invoked in many arenas around the country. He seems destined to take the spot of John Cena as the company's flag bearer. For more than a decade, the most polarizing figure in WWE has been Cena. Many have deemed him as a corporate champion, a guy that doesn't know how to wrestle, and one that lucked-out in attaining to position he has in the company. Here's the truth of the matter with Cena: Sure, his in-ring work maybe a bit unorthodox, but make no mistake about it, the man can work. Some might say, "If he's so good, then why does half the crowd boo him while the others cheer?" I don't have a complete answer for that. But think about it this way....Whether it's 50% cheers and 50% boos, the fact is that 100% of the audience is reacting. Unlike Cena, it seems that Reigns' work as a top babyface hasn't quite matched the position he possesses in WWE. Cena has had over a decade to become what he has. Reigns has been expected to rise to an elite level in a matter of a few years, a daunting task.
It's been quite a couple of years for Roman Reigns. From debuting with the Shield (possibly the best booked three guys of the past 10 years) to rising as a singles wrestler, Reigns has had his fair share of highs and adversity. As it stands right now, he will be facing Triple for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the main event of Wrestlemania 32, his second straight 'Mania headlining match. Here's the adversity: a large, vocal majority of the audience isn't too stoked on the match, or him, for that matter. Let's take a look at the highs and lows Reigns has experienced, starting with the 2014 Royal Rumble.
Before we start, try to remember a day when you didn't flat out hate the guy. Remember how great the Shield was? He was in that. Yeah, he was. He played his role well, too. But here we go with the Rumble.
Reigns, as a member of the Shield, was working heel in the Rumble match, so until the end, the crowd reaction wasn't overwhelming yay or nay. The important part came at the end of the match. Yes, this was the year that Daniel Bryan wasn't in the match and yeah, he should've been, and you and I all freaked out at home. So when it came down to just Reigns and Batista, most of us including the live crowd, sided with Reigns. To this day I'm not sure he's ever got this positive of a reaction. Sure, this could've just been the product of a lack of D-Bry, but sometimes that's the kind of spotlight or opportunity a guy needs to be seen in a different light. This was that exact opportunity.Batista and Reigns went at it and make no mistake about it, it was about 99% Reigns and 1% Batista in terms of crowd reaction. When I watched all of this unfold, I was convinced that this was the break Reigns needed. And to a degree, it was. Reigns looked natural in the ring. His showmanship in between spots didn't come off as overacting as it seems to now. Hell, the crowd chanted "ROMAN REIGNS." Again, I get that Bryan not being there was a huge catalyst, but the fact is that Reigns still seized the opportunity and performed well, regardless of what the planned finish was.
After that, things started to go downhill. Reigns' position was climbing, as he was featured more and more as a top star. We can debate this all day, but I believe the beginning of his downturn started with his freak hernia scare. Reigns' had to have emergency surgery, which halted his momentum. This is when it seemed like WWE started to get a bit too involved with getting Reigns over with the audience. The "live via satellite" interviews absolutely exposed him and his lack of promo experience. Maybe he wasn't ready, but regardless, it wasn't good. Then WWE seemed to get even more involved with his promos. Who could forget the infamous "sufferin' succotash" line that may or may not have been written by a certain boss within the company. At this point, it was clear. This wasn't natural and certainly not organic. It wasn't even really Roman anymore. It was WWE working their vision through a young wrestler.
In early 2015, Daniel Bryan made his return from injury, an injury that forced him to vacate the WWE World Heavyweight Title. When he came back, the fans were instantly back into his corner. Fast forward to the 2015 Royal Rumble. Bryan is eliminated early and eventually, Reigns wins the match. For Reigns, it was an accomplishment. For the fans, it seemed like a repeat of the previous year when WWE tried to strap the rock onto Batista's back. In the match, The Rock came out to save Reigns from a beatdown and in the process give him the "rub" that many felt he needed to be viewed as a true top superstar. Maybe Philadelphia wasn't the place for this to happen. The crowd initially popped huge for Rock, but once it was clear that he was backing Reigns, they turned. The look on Rock's face when he heard the loud boo was priceless. I'd hate to laugh, but the moment was a bit comical. It was the wrong place at the wrong time for Roman. The fans wanted Bryan to win again, but plans had changed and Reigns was WWE's pick. It was a tough spot to be in, but to Reigns' credit, he handled the situation well.
Soon, all eyes were on Fastlane, the pay per view right before 'Mania 31. Storylines had developed following the Rumble. Reigns vs Bryan for the right to face Brock Lesnar for the title at 'Mania was penciled in as the show's main event. Simply put, the two had a phenomenal match. Reigns ended up winning it, but it may have heightened many of the fans' disdain for him.
The fans didn't change their minds when 'Mania came. The Lesnar/Reigns main event delivered, but Seth Rollins ended up cashing in his Money In The Bank briefcase to steal away the title at the end of the match.
Now here we are again. Reigns is in the main event of 'Mania 32 and the fans aren't exactly 100% enthusiastic about it. WWE has done everything they can. They've had the Authority stack the deck against him, beat him up, screw him, everything. It's just not working the way it has with past wrestlers. WWE seems to be trying to put him in the role of Steve Austin or Daniel Bryan. One where the Authority tries to hold him down but he keeps fighting back, eventually dethroning the powers that be and accomplishing his goal. The problem is that Reigns is not Austin or Bryan. That role can't be filled by just anybody. It's no knock on Reigns. He can be the guy WWE wants him to be, it just clearly isn't through the path they've laid out for him.
It's just impossible to believe that Roman Reigns is as bad as he's been made out to be. It has to be realized that WWE got to this guy and like anyone else who had been in his position, he listened. Possibly to his own detriment, but he listened. Wrestlemania 32 hasn't happened yet and unless some kind of miracle happens, the detractors will remain unfazed after the event.
How could WWE change the minds of those unsold on Reigns? It's probably not possible. But here's what they haven't tried....and again, I'd hate to say it for the ten billionth time, but turn Roman Reigns heel. Everything has been tried when it comes to getting him truly over as a babyface. Nothing's worked the way it should have. Turn him heel, set him loose, and allow him the freedom to curse the people that have booed him during what should've been his most triumphant moments. He can look the fans in the eye and speak from his heart. He would be able to convey real emotion instead of continuing to portray the good-guy persona he's been forced to.
If the crowd wants to boo him, then let them. In the process, he'll have the chance to develop some depth to his character, which is something he desperately needs. If he's allowed to really sink his teeth into a heel run, the fans might see him in a different light. He could earn their respect and pay his dues by shedding the character that they hate so much. As time goes on, he could eventually turn back towards a babyface role while bringing the fans back with him. We as the audience would be given the chance to watch him evolve organically, instead of how his character and storylines have progressed over the past two years.
I've discussed a Reigns heel turn so many times that it's almost nauseating for me to write it again. There's just not really any more options left except for the one WWE will probably opt for: move forward as if nothing is wrong. This article isn't the product of disdain for Reigns. It's actually quite the opposite. Reigns has all the potential to be the top babyface in WWE and many of us want that for him. Just not this way. Not at the expense of his future. Whether WWE realizes it or not, there could be a major consequence to the route they've taken. The lack of audibles in the Reigns vs. the Authority storyline is a red flag to many fans that they aren't taking into consideration their feedback. WWE seems to be waiting for fans to give into this version of Reigns, and that's a slippery slope. A lot of people love him, sure. But a lot of people don't and I don't believe that it's as small of a percentage as it has been described.
Regardless of the way Wrestlemania 32 and the future plays out, Roman Reigns will most likely remain at the forefront. WWE must understand that they are rolling the dice here. Interesting that normally a top babyface heel turn would be considered "rolling the dice." But Reigns is an interesting case. A product of an era where the average fan might know too much for their own good about the way the business works. With all of this being said, it'll be an interesting 2016, maybe for the wrong reasons. The question of it all is, if the future is already laid out for you to see.......will you watch?
Brady Sauvageau
The Heater
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