Despite facing Kevin Owens for the WWE Universal title at Roadblock: End of the Line, was putting Roman Reigns back in the main event a poorly timed decision?
He said he’s the guy, and after winning and successfully defending the WWE United States championship it is hard to question that. His critics will claim that it’s nothing more than management maintaining him as a significant contender. And while there is more than one train of thought on whether or not Roman Reigns should be part of the main event scene, whether or not it’s a good idea is the question that continues to surround him.
The #USTitle sits on my shoulder…
Ready for the #UniversalTitle on the other. #WWERoadblock #AhYeszir #Raw— Roman Reigns (@WWERomanReigns) November 29, 2016
Reigns rose to popularity and garnered support from the WWE fanbase during his time with the Shield. During that period, Reigns was clearly the brooding character that didn’t have to say a lot to make a difference. However, what he would say would stand out.
A lot has changed for Reigns since the Shield came to an end. Whether it was when he was announced as facing Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania for the WWE World Heavyweight championship, or his suspension due to violating the wellness policy, Reigns has faced criticism after criticism. It almost felt as though no matter what he said or did, he received just as much criticism as acceptance. In fact, Reigns became the polarizing character similar to John Cena, and with that came a huge level of concern from the bookers about the best way to have the fans become drawn to Roman Reigns. Still, it felt as though regardless of how hard Reigns worked, it became harder and harder for fans to gravitate towards him.
The issue that seemed to reign supreme about Roman was, no matter how hard he worked in the ring, any slight misstep was analyzed to death, gone over with a fine-tooth comb, and inevitably he was heckled mercilessly. Whether it was a promo that left something to be desired, or his overuse of the clothesline, critics came out in droves. As time moved on; however, it appeared as though WWE management wanted to take a step back, and instead of a Reigns Universal or World Championship push, he was made part of an upper mid-card feud that would eventually get fans to come around on him because he wasn’t (as many have felt) being ‘shoved down our throats’.
Reigns and the Bulgarian brute Rusev ran a program that went a few months. However, that was met with criticism as well. The criticism was that, regardless of what Reigns did in the ring, when it came to promos and the war of words against Rusev and Lana, he came across more like the heel than Rusev did. There wasn’t anything to lead fans to believe that Reigns would be knocked down a peg because regardless of what Rusev did, Reigns ultimately prevailed. Their feud culminated in a match at the recent Hell in a Cell. And once Reigns walked away the champion, it felt as though there was a collective sigh from the fans, as they knew what this ultimately would mean. It would mean that he was going to be seen as a significant option to contend for the Universal championship, and unite the titles, much like the Ultimate Warrior did against Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania VI.
So if we ask if Roman Reigns returning to the WWE’s main event is a potential mistake, the immediate short answer is yes. However, as easy an answer that is, Raw faces a problem in not moving him into the main event. Who on the face side could be considered a true option for the main event? With Sami Zayn being potentially key to the mid-card, despite his inconsistent booking, Reigns may be the only other option available to contend for the Universal championship. Seth Rollins has already done a main event program with champion Kevin Owens.
If there was a program that would benefit both Reigns and the Raw brand, it would be to have him take a step back and feud with Braun Strowman. It is an option that provides another means for having Reigns stay relevant, but not necessarily a focal point, until fans are a little more receptive to him being placed in the main event.
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