Is a Roman Reigns heel turn best for business? JR certainly thinks so. In this article we will focus on why a heel turn of The Roman Empire is best for business and will benefit Reigns in the long run.
By David Travers – @GuannacoTRAVERS
On September 8th 2015 Jim Ross responded to a question on what he thought of Roman Reigns, This is how he responded; “I’m a big, @WWERomanReigns fan. Great upside. Ppl need to be patient. Id prefer to see him heel. Great kid.”
Let’s face it Roman Reigns would make a great heel, this will not only benefit the company but Reigns as well.
Reigns debuted on the main roster along with fellow wrestlers Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins as apart of the stable The Shield back in 2012 at the Survivor Series Pay-Per-View interfering in the WWE Championship match between CM Punk, John Cena and Ryback. Originally “guns for hire” for CM Punk although claimed they had nothing to do with him or Punk’s then manager Paul Heyman.
The group would attack enemies of CM Punk such as The Miz, Randy Orton and then Tag Team Champions, Team Hell No (Kane and Daniel Bryan) to name but a few.
The group aided Punk in retaining the WWE Championship against The Rock but, their assistance caused for a restart of the match, and The Rock this time was able to win the championship.
Within The Shield, Reigns was described as the power house of the group displaying great strength and athleticism but was later change to that of a extremely confident person who displayed leadership within the trio while still maintaining his hard hitting athleticism as one of his characteristics.
After a run of The Shield being on top with all three members capturing titles, Ambrose winning the United States Championship and Rollins and Reigns holding the tag titles. A chink in the armour of the Hounds of Justice began to show as Ambrose began to show cockiness after Reigns and Rollins dropped the tag titles to The Rhodes Brothers (Goldust and Cody Rhodes) leaving Ambrose as the only member to still be in possession of gold.
*This was somewhat similar to what The Dudley Boyz went through when Spike Dudley called himself The Boss as he was the only Dudley to have a championship as he was then the Cruiserweight Champion. *
They then showed signs of lack of coordination in their matches as they lost a handicap match to CM Punk whom The Shield had previously attacked after they had becomes “guns for hire” for HHH.
The group appeared to have patched up their differences as they engaged in a feud with The Wyatt Family who cost The Shield a chance to enter the Elimination Chamber for the World Heavyweight Championship, as The Wyatts caused Ambrose, Reigns and Rollins to be disqualified in their six man tag match against Daniel Bryan, Sheamus and John Cena.
The company’s biggest heel stables squared off for the first time at the Elimination Chamber Pay-Per-View in what I would call one of if not THE best matches of 2014. Despite The Shield losing the match, after The Wyatts were able to use the numbers to overwhelm Rollins and Reigns after Ambrose had been taken out by Bray after the two brawled in the crowd. The Shield were the group the crowd were suppose to cheer for.
The group finally turned face on the March 17th episode of Raw, as Kane who was had joined HHH’s stable The Authority had demanded The Shield attack Jerry Lawler but instead was on the one who received the beating at the hands of The Shield.
This worked for The Shield as a collective as they still remained a force in the WWE despite being faces. After disobeying HHH, The Shield then feuded with the reformation of the stable Evolution consisting of HH, Batista and Randy Orton.
The Shield won the feud beating Evolution at two Pay-Per-Views (Extreme Rules and Payback).
The Shield’s dominance came to an end on June 24th on the post Payback episode of Raw, as Batista had quit WWE (again) HHH’s original idea of continuing Evolutions feud with The Shield didn’t happen so he resulted to his “Plan B” which turned out to be Seth Rollins, which lead to Rollins attack both Ambrose and Reigns and siding with HHH.
Reigns then went on a singles run after tagging with Ambrose for the lat time, with John Cena to defeat The Wyatt Family on Raw.
As a singles competitor, Reigns has remained as a face, after numerous chances the WWE have had to turn Reigns heel. Lets look at what’s happened to Reigns where the WWE should have turned him heel.
He hasn’t won a ladder match at the Pay-Per-View (2014,15); He then lost the Royal Rumble in 2014 to Batista and the crowd booed Batista and all said how Reigns should have won it. Reigns then won the Rumble in 2015 and the crowd booed Reigns winning the match.
*2014 – Cena won the ladder match for the World Heavyweight Championship, as WWE play it safe and have “Big Match John” be put over nearly everyone.
2015 – Bray Wyatt returned to the WWE from injury and cost reigns the chance at winning The money in the Bank contract by pushing him off the ladder.
As a result of him winning the Rumble, Reigns was in the main event at WrestleMania 31 where he faced Brock Lesnar for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, he was booed again. Rollins having won The Money in the Bank contract making it a triple threat and pinning Reigns to win the title to which stunned the crowd by received cheers.
Despite being in the title picture WWE have never allowed Reigns to win the championship, although he has won the royal rumble his opportunity was cut short by Rollins cashing in. Another time he was shot down was when he finally won the World Heavyweight Championship at Survivor Series defeating Dean Ambrose in the final for the vacant championship. Just when we thought The Roman Empire would finally Reign supreme (See what I did there).
Oh no we were dead WRONG, out comes HHH, after a spear to The Game, we all knew it wasn’t going to end on a bad note for Reigns. Out of nowhere comes ‘The Celtic Warrior’ Sheamus after a Brogue kick to Roman and a kick out, we thought Reigns might have a chance, after a ducked Brogue kick attempt and a failed Superman Punch and another Brogue kick for good measure. Sheamus was the wrestler leaving Philips Centre with the World Heavyweight Championship
Now! What the WWE really needs to turn Reigns heel and join The Authority.
*This is how I would book a Roman Reigns heel turn in a brief summary*
- Lose to Sheamus at TLC
- Attack time keeper, referees
- Show more of a mean streak
- Lose the rumble – final four
- go on a rampage; attack referees, doctors, and the winner of the rumble
- Handicap match at Payback – Reigns vs Rusev and Barrett
- Challenge HHH at WrestleMania – Win
- Turn Heel – Join The Authority
Making Reigns heel would be great for the company. What WWE are afraid of is that Roman would be booed as a champion so that is why they chose Sheamus to cash in his contract. They need to stop playing it safe and do what they see as best for business and seeing as they would never turn Cena heel as he is too much of a baby face and loved by a younger generation.
Reigns on the other hand, would benefit as a heel as they loved him when he was in The Shield with the whole “hard hitter, power house” who very rarely talked and let his actions do all the talking and was the enforcer and muscle of the trio.
But, now he is just boring as a face as although cheered he is also booed so the WWE Universe would positively react to Reigns turning heel and since Reigns is one of the golden boys in the company and one of the futures of the company by having Reigns turn heel it would boost him a lot more in the company with Rollins out, and the lack of good heels in the company the WWE should see this as an opportunity for Reigns.
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