WWE have been pushing Roman Reigns as the baby face hero for almost two years now. Unfortunately for WWE CEO Vince McMahon the fans have almost wholehearted rejected it. So why not use the fan heat against Reigns to create a red-hot heel?
The problem with Roman Reigns is that wrestling fans see a wrestler being handed everything due to his family lineage – Reigns is first cousin of the Rock (Dwayne Johnson). For fans this can be the only reason Reigns has found himself in the main event spotlight without being able to sell those main events with any microphone skills, with a very limited in-ring skill set, and seemingly poor cardio – all which lead to lacklustre matches.
It was only at the 2015 Royal Rumble earlier this year that Reigns was booed out of the stadium. This was after crowd favourite the Rock came in to save him against the odds. This was a watershed moment signalling to fans that Reigns couldn’t get the job done, either as a TV character or a technical wrestler, and only intensified Reign’s silver spoon persona.
This kind of crowd heat should be harnessed and embraced, not ignored.
WWE needs to accept Reigns is a heel not a baby face.
It’s simple. Give him the championship as the “Corporate Champion”. This would gain so much heat with fans that you could create a host of hero baby faces trying to oppose the WWE corporate powers and its silver spoon champion.
One thing would need to occur however, WWE creative would need to cease being so heavy-handed with what has become a very tired “authority” storyline and focus on the heroes opposing them to build them up.
Reigns would also need a partner in crime to help him. Enter Baron Corbin from NXT.
Corbin is a another wrestler identified by many fans as having been put on a fast track by WWE.
Both men are big and athletic – they may not be great on the mic but the promos will be easier for them as heels as they can effectively say what they really think of the fans and rub it in our faces that they have the WWE Championship belt. Perfect!
Fans would then rally behind wrestlers opposed to Reigns. But who are the WWE characters best positioned to take advantage?
Kevin Owens could easily be turned into a battling champion of the people, and if they allowed him use more of his in-ring moves, he could be massive star as his promo work is second to none; Brock Lesnar as the wrestler who is an incorruptible unstoppable force in partnership with Paul Heyman; Daniel Bryan as the ultimate thorn in the side of WWE management, Dean Ambrose is a natural fan favourite, and finally John Cena, of course, would have a storyline as the ultimate WWE baby face.
A huge heel run for Reigns could be just what he needs to one day be the ultimate baby face WWE requires post-Cena. A future Reigns baby face turn could be a wrestling moment that fans wont forget much like the Hulk Hogan ‘the 3rd Man’ WCW moment.
It’s not hard.
The heat that was once directed and controlled by the WWE creative team is now directed, largely, by a connected WWE fan base, so if wrestlers are getting super-heat from the fans for being ‘X’ or ‘Y’ then just go with it – use it!