The upcoming article was written before Roman Reigns’ promo on Monday Night RAW. This promo is the first that he’s ever cut that I believe can truly aid his character development. Enjoy the following article on Roman Reigns.
It is becoming downright laughable how predictable Vince McMahon is. Everyone who watches wrestling knows that the main event for Wrestlemania has been set in stone for the “Last 3 Years” as was spoken many times on the Elimination Chamber broadcast Sunday Night. It is a joke that the “Chairman of the Board” of WWE is so out of touch. Yes there are times when you must stay the course on a certain WWE Superstar much to the chagrin of the “WWE Universe”. However in this repeated case the cries of the WWE Universe have fallen on Vince McMahon deaf ears. As Roman Reigns vs Brock Lesnar is set to main event another Wrestlemania. Because it worked out so well last time that Seth Rollins (the Money in the Bank Briefcase holder at the time) was made to cash in and win the WWE Championship so that there wouldn’t be a full scale riot at Wrestlemania.
This past Sunday night at the Elimination Chamber WWE Network Special there were many who thought that the “White Hot” Braun Strowman would defy the odds and walk away the winner. The Monster Among Men who would dominate inside the Chamber match for the majority of the time. Strowman who is the most “Over” Superstar on the WWE roster. The man that everyone cheers for though he is supposed to be a “Heel”. Alas, it was not meant to be as it became clear that when the final three competitors inside the Chamber with Seth Rollins, Braun Strowman and Roman Reigns that the absolutely predictable nature of Vince McMahon’s in your face and down your throat booking style that Roman Reigns would be the victorious Superstar.
Many feel it is time for Vince McMahon to let someone else be in charge of the booking. Because it feels as if the WWE booking strategy is caught back from the Hulk Hogan days. Yes, Roman Reigns is a very gifted athlete and a muscular human being (seemingly McMahon’s only criteria). Yet the “Roman Empire” is not “Over” with anyone whose not already in the “C-Nation”. The WWE is venturing with Reigns down the same path as they did with John Cena. Reigns is very similar to Cena in most ways including the mixed reaction. However, the one big difference and what will be the nail in Roman’s coffin (if it’s not corrected) is his inability to “Cut a Promo”. Cena even from early on in his career could always carry himself well on the microphone. From his days as the Doctor of Thuganomics to now Cena has always been able to cut a “Promo”. Reigns hasn’t shown that ability in the slightest. We all remember the build to the Reigns vs Cena match in which Roman forgot his “Scripted” promo lines and Cena called him out about it.
Reigns has a dry and bland character that draws ire because he could be better. Reigns could be good if not great. But if you go by the way that Vince McMahon books him he is the savior of WWE. Reigns cuts the same cookie cutter promo week after week. “This is my Yard”, “I’m the Big Dogg”, “Believe That”, all of these regurgitated lines week after week, month after month and sadly year after year have become even more stale than when they were first introduced. There is an easy fix for Roman Reigns however. Now it’s not as easy as just having the long awaited “Heel Turn” that could be the fix to what ails his character (though it would drastically help). Reigns needs something new, he needs Paul Heyman.
The only way to make the Reigns vs Lesnar match at Wrestlemania mean anything at all is we must have the swerve of all swerves. We must have the “Advocate for the Reigning Defending Undisputed WWE Universal Champion” Paul Heyman turn on his very client Brock Lesnar in favor of Roman Reigns. Essentially screwing Lesnar out of the Championship and kicking Brock out of the company for good. At which point Reigns needs to be the full on heel character that he most certainly acts like at times. (As evidenced by this smirk, or these kinds of gestures)
Reigns would never need to open his mouth to speak again. Having Heyman “advocate” for everything on his clients behalf. Reigns would need to lose the shotgun wrist click on the “Superman Punch”, hell lose the Superman Punch all together. He would need to stop howling to the moon like a wolf before his spear as well. He needs a change in attire. These man seem like drastic changes but that’s what’s needed for the growth of Roman Reigns character. These changes would help Reigns as he is already hated by a large part of the WWE Universe. Let’s not forget that this was the same strategy that saved the career of his (2nd) cousin The Rock. When Rocky Maivia debuted he was hated and a heel turn gave The Rock the ability to come into his own and find his career and was able to turn into one of the greatest Superstars in WWE history. Along those same lines a shocking heel turn helped revitalize the career of Hulk Hogan in WCW being apart of the NWO. Let’s also remember that little recalled fact that John Cena debuted as a heel, enroute to becoming the epitome of the 50/50 (face/heel) guy that he has been all of these years.
Roman Reigns can not survive the John Cena treatment as his character/career is now. Cena was able to endure 15 years of being both a face and a heel because he possess an incredible ability to work the crowd. While Reigns has not been able to command that from the audience, there is someone in the WWE however that can take Roman Reigns to the level that Vince McMahon has so obsessively envisioned for the WWE Universe and that someone is Paul Heyman.
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