Detractors of Reigns are the reason why WWE doesn't push fan favorites

[d_henderson1810]

People seem to be INCREDIBLY short fucking sighted these days. I guess that's what you get when you start watching WWE last year and think you know everything because you repeat what others say. First of all, Roman Reigns isn't the first guy to be terrible on the mic and terrible in the ring. In fact, there happens to be one guy who's been known as terrible since before he came back and became a part-timer in Brock Lesnar. In 2002, Lesnar was downright horrible. He couldn't really go in the ring, and the only good matches he had were brought out of him by the work horses Kurt Angle and Eddie Guerrero. Paul Heyman has been speaking either for Lesnar or to get Lesnar angles over ever since he debuted on Raw YEARS ago. And yet, just because he went to UFC and then beat John Cena, he's all of a sudden this amazing worker that everyone loves.

Roman Reigns is growing, and unlike the meat head previously mentioned, he actually has the decency to continue to learn instead of running off to fail at football. He's got the ring psychology down to an art form, he actually can speak on the microphone and anyone who doesn't think so is ******ed, and the fact remains that he was the most over and the most ready guy in The Shield to be champion immediately following the split. Just listen to his reactions all the way until his TLC return. Reigns was loved, by many people. He made ONE slip up on camera and people have dogged him since. Meanwhile, Daniel Bryan couldn't talk his way out of being jumped by a group of toddlers.

You're right what you say about Brock Lesnar. He's shit, and the only reason that the fans like him now and cheer "Suplex City" is because Brock shows up only when he feels like it, and he conned Vince into paying him heaps for very little work.

Many here like Brock because Brock doesn't care about wrestling, and deep down, many here claiming to be wrestling fans actually don't care about it either, but just come on here to mock those who are true wrestling fans.

 

[d_henderson1810]

The bottom line about Reigns - what hurts him the most - is that the fans don't believe he earned his spot. It's that simple. We're talking about a guy who decided to get into wrestling back in 2010, used his family's connections to secure a deal with the WWE, and then debuted on the main roster a little more than two years after wrestling his first match.

...exactly why are the fans supposed to respect a trajectory that's based on family connections and Vince McMahon's body type preferences? Really take a look at the guys that the WWE audience has backed over the past couple years. You'll see a trend. Here's how long the following guys wrestled before signing their first WWE contract.

Seth Rollins: 5 years
CM Punk: 5 years
Dean Ambrose: 7 years
Daniel Bryan: 10 years
Cesaro: 11 years
Kevin Owens: 14 years

There's clearly a respect factor that goes into this. The fans relate to the guys that climbed the ladder, the guys that had to work their asses off to even be given a shot with the company because they didn't fit the Vince McMahon mold.

Now look - there are guys over the years that have gotten over despite not having a history of struggles. There are guys that have gotten over despite being brought into the WWE with no experience or who have gotten into the business solely based on connections and/or 'look.' But those guys brought something else to the table...

The Rock: Initially booed out the building as Rocky Maivia. The fans rejected WWE's initial attempt to make this guy a vanilla babyface champion. So D'wayne Johnson changed it up. He gave us The Rock and was so thoroughly entertaining that people didn't care that he had only gotten his chance based on family history and looks.

Brock Lesnar: This is a legitimate bad ass. I struggle to think of any WWE superstar in history with his combination of strength and athleticism. The guy is a freak of nature, an attraction so special that he gets to dictate when he wants to work. In fairness, much of that is during his second run. But what about his first? Well, it's mostly lost because the majority of it took place on a secondary show that was seen by half the WWE audience (yes, SmackDown was the better show during the period; but I'm talking about ratings.)

Now please tell me what Reigns brings to the table. He's not entertaining. He's awful on the mic. He has made zero character choices that separate him from anyone else on the roster. Literally, the only thing he has going for him is his size - and while the guy is considerably bigger than the average human being, he's not nearly as big as the average WWE monster (eg. Lesnar, Kane, Big Show, etc)

Honestly, look at Reigns and tell me what it is about him that appeals to you. If it's the size, then great! But then tell me what you have against Kane, Show, or even Luke Harper. If it's the character, then please tell me what that character is - and for the love of God, tell me how it has evolved since he debuted in late 2012...

Because honestly, that's another huge issue with Roman Reigns. He's either lazy as hell or he has no concept of what makes a character compelling. Either way, it's a huge black mark. Look at the Shield debut in late 2012. They were a pack of wolves, coming through the audience in riot gear to attack helpless victims. They were badasses, plain and simple. And Reigns was the muscle.

Fast forward to early 2016. Look at Ambrose. He has new entrance music. He has new wrestling attire. His character went from being the spokesperson of a group of wolves to being a guy that's not quite all there - a guy who would be cool getting hit by a car if it caused the airbag to deploy and slightly injure the driver. Look at Rollins. He has new entrance music. He has new wrestling attire. His character went from being the workhorse of The Shield to being the cocky, arrogant figurehead of The Authority. Both these guys evolved over time.

But Reigns? Same entrance music. Same wrestling attire. Hell, he was still coming out from the audience until two weeks ago. Nothing has changed with this guy in three and a half years. He has the same move set, the same finisher, the same mannerisms. Three and a half years after debuting as the muscle of a pack of wolves - he's still just the muscle, only now he's without the pack of wolves.

And don't tell us that he can only do what's given to him. This guy was tabbed two years ago to be the poster boy of the company moving forward. You're naive if you think that distinction doesn't come with a significant amount of pull backstage. If he doesn't like an idea, he can nix it. I'm not suggesting that he nix a potential title run or a WrestleMania main event slot - but I am saying that this guy should nix awful angles that see him take off the 2-3 weeks prior to WrestleMania. I am saying that he should nix bookings that see him taken out of the Royal Rumble for 25 minutes - especially given how hard he was criticized for basically sleep-walking through the Royal Rumble a year prior. And I am saying that this guy should realize he's the one responsible for his own success. He has the power to create a character, and he needs to stop waiting around for someone else to add nuance to his persona.

Think about how long it took Steve Austin to pitch his character before someone finally OK'd it. He had no pull in WCW. He had no pull when he got to the WWF. But finally, creative caved to his ideas because they conceded that his ideas were better. The same story can be said for Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, Chris Jericho, The Rock... Really, when you look at the guys that get over, it's because they're playing characters they created or characters that they built into full-fledged personas. Fans see that - and they respect the hell out of it. With Reigns, it's a character that was handed to him - and it's a character that hasn't been further nuanced over the years because Reigns either doesn't know how to add depth to the character or he doesn't think it's his job. Either way, fans see that, too. And really, it's just very difficult to respect a guy that was handed a job, then handed a top spot, and is now seemingly just waiting around for someone to hand him a character. Fucking do something for yourself already!

-If Roman was the greatest in the world on the mike, you wouldn't like him.
-If he was the best in-ring technician in history, and got MOTY every year, you wouldn't like him.
-If he had different music, difference entrance, difference look, you wouldn't like him.
-If he had wrestled for 10 years beforehand, and had wrestled around the world first, you wouldn't like him.
-If he was short, or didn't have much muscle, you wouldn't like him.
-If he went heel, and showed a different side to his personality, you wouldn't like him.

If he did all of these things, you still wouldn't cheer for him, because you CHOOSE not to like him, you don't like him because all the other fans don't like him either, you don't like him because it is considered cool not to like him, and you don't like him because he wasn't born Daniel Bryan.

(This is why many wrestling fans shouldn't be allowed to breed).

 

[d_henderson1810]

...you were 10 years old during Lesnar's initial WWE run. You really remember it that well? Here are a few reasons Lesnar's deficiencies were hidden during his first run...

1) Believability. The guy was, and is, just built differently than everyone else on the roster. He's not cut. He doesn't have a ton of definition. He's just thick. And to add to that, he has unmatched speed and athleticism for his size.

Reigns, meanwhile, looks like a dozen other guys that came before him. Sure, he's bigger than your average human, but he looks straight of central casting when it comes to guys that Vince McMahon wants to push as his top guy.

2) Lesnar was pushed alongside other top talent like Triple H, Kurt Angle, The Undertaker, and The Rock. He was billed as The Next Big Thing, and he certainly was going to be handed that torch, but he never actually had it...

Reigns, meanwhile, is being pushed alongside who - John Cena? Lesnar certainly isn't going to be the focal point of Raw for the next 10 years. Neither is Cena. So who? There's literally no one else being pushed alongside this guy that will be a full-time active wrestler in 5 years. His push seems to be coming at the expense of a lot of other guys while Lesnar's did not.

3) Lesnar's time on top came exclusively on SmackDown. While that was actually the better show during the time, Raw was the higher rated show. Guess what was happening on Raw? One wrestler was being shoved down everyone's throat causing interest in the product to wane. Sound familiar?

4) Lesnar got lucky. The WWE paired him with Heyman and it got over immediately. Reigns hasn't been as lucky. But you know what? Neither was The Rock. Neither was Mankind. Neither was Steve Austin or even Triple H. But those guys scratched and clawed backstage to be listened to, to get their ideas out there. They didn't have have half the pull at that time as Reigns does now, but they managed to redefine their characters, to make necessary tweaks along the way, and they got over. Hell, even The Undertaker has had to work at his character over the past 25 years to keep it fresh. Reigns, though? His character is the exact same right now as it was three years ago when the WWE handed it to him. If the fans don't like what you're doing, here's an idea - do something different! It's not rocket science.




I'm a paid sketch comedy writer and I started doing improv when you were about 8 years old. But I must be ******ed, though, because I can't for the life of me find anything interesting about this guy's character choices.. which essentially ruins him every time he picks up a microphone.

Ask yourself what he wants, and why he wants it --- You'll realize that he just wants to be the champion. Why does he want that? He wants it simply because he wants it. There's really no justification past that point. This is kiddy pool type depth here. In terms of character, Reigns is really swimming in the shallow end.

Does he have any flaw that might prevent him from attaining this goal? Nope. The guy is billed as super human... Hell, half his moves are inspired from fucking superheroes.

So basically, you have a shallow character who has no justification for wanting what he wants and no real obstacle standing in his way of obtaining it. This is some brilliant story telling we got going on here...

And see, it's these little nuances that are up to the wrestler to figure out. It's the wrestler's job to explore the character, to find little things that are interesting, and to latch on to them. He doesn't do that. He literally has one game plan, and he executes the same plan every week regardless of reaction. I'm sorry - but that's fucking terrible.

Honestly, the fact that this guy is playing the exact same character he played while in the Shield while the other guys have evolved should tell you that he was not at all prepared to be thrust into his current role. The WWE has weekly programming, 13 pay-per-view type shows each year. You have to constantly evolve and grow as a character or else you get left behind. Reigns hasn't evolved in 3 1/2 years. The only reason he hasn't been left behind is because Vince McMahon is obsessed with guys that look like Roman Reigns. His failure to be pushed despite not evolving is why fans hate him.

I can understand you being a paid comedy writer, considering that you are a joke.

Why wouldn't Roman want the belt? Why wouldn't he want success? No explanation is necessary. Do people keep needing to say that they want to be champion to be the best all the time?

No, let's not have superhero wrestlers. No, have a skinny champion who looks like a loser, yeah that's believable. Is that how you feel better about yourself, by living vicariously through someone who is much a loser as you are?

He plays the same character as when in the Shield. Well, the Shield was the coolest thing out, and you and others jerked off to them once.

Guess what, fuckin' "Stone Cold" had the same look his whole WWE career (didn't see him with long blonde hair , like in WCW). Bret Hart never changed his rign attire or cut his hair. Why are they allowed to look the same year after year.

Fuck off. You are just another hater with no other reason to hate Reigns than because everyone here tells you to, and you use the same three reasons they all use. At least come up with something new and creative to hate the guy. Your arguments are as stale as you accuse Roman Reigns of being.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

Look at it in other terms...

The Walking Dead is a show - just as Vince tries to present WWE as being.
They have their star - Rick Grimes and the guy the fans love in Daryl Dixon...
This week they're very likely to kill Daryl off because they want to get a new guy, Negan over as the reason to watch the show and eventual star...

Fans of Daryl will cry out in outrage, disappointment and maybe even stop watching the show altogether... and if they do, then there is a definitive measure, it affects the ratings, show gets cancelled - it might be Norman Reedus or it might be part of a plan to replace Andrew Lincoln down the line with an anti-hero as he (or they) feels he has done his time and wants out, but to the fans of that character, the show will be awful after... some of the fanboys will feel robbed they didn't get the exact comic moment... Showrunner's have this idea they want to go with, but can't write by committee with the fans and perhaps this is their way of saying "we do this our way".

That Negan/G D Morgan is a veteran actor who is known for quality villainy means it's a safe gamble on their part as it's going to rock and change things up to make the show last 3 more years...and maybe sell some fake "Lucille" bats along the way...

Translate this to WWE, you have the guy who is the star in Cena... the guy the fans want to BE the star, at the moment Ambrose, and the guy the company WANTS to be the star...but that guy isn't badass, isn't known for quality and is blander than the guys already at the top and not as interesting as those below him.... but they know he sells merch, looks like a movie star and in time any outcry will die down and at worst case we'll turn him heel... That's the WWE thought process...and it's not much different to TWD's... but the raw talent being used is not on the same level.

People recognise this in regular TV all the time... if x actor doesn't fit a lead role too well, or the supporting cast are clearly having to carry him/her... so why is it shocking that wrestling fans notice the same thing and boo someone when they have to see it live?

 

[Xemmy]

This whole thing is just "Die Rocky Die" all over again. And they need to do something about it.

But there are some solid reasons not to like him. He lacks a likable charisma right now. It has a lot to do with his booking. But the problem with your micwork run around, that bit about how Taker and Bryan weren't good either, is that they both excelled in other areas. The Undertaker is a master of in ring psychology, and Bryan was the most technically sound guy on the roster who got over by being a talented heel. He was pretty damn decent on the microphone. Roman can be likable. We know that from the days of the Shield. But the man can't carry himself in any area on a main event level. His best attributes are his look: which only gets you so far, and his wrestling ability which is sound, but not on the level he's being put at. Most of the guys Roman has worked with can out wrestle him on a sick day. So naturally you'll get resentment and backlash from that.

When it's clear as day that there are other people on the roster that are just flat out better than him being pushed aside while he rises to the top, it's going to piss people off. Especially when all of it is due to booking. I don't actually mind Roman. He has an appeal. But the fact that he's been WWE Champion and Bray Wyatt hasn't just pisses me off. And he's not the only guy. Honestly, AJ Styles is more over than our soon to be champ. And that would have been a perfect fucking angle too. Just missed opportunities left and right. All in favor of pushing a guy that fans have said no to for over a year now. That would all be acceptable if Roman brought the "big fight" feel. But he doesn't. I am literally hoping that Wrestlemania 32 ends with a finger poke of doom. Anything to turn him heel. Because that crowd is going to boo him out of the building. The least he can do is earn it.

 

[Garak]

You can't simultaneously portray Reigns as some 250+ pound, muscular dreamboat that makes the girls cream themselves and as some struggling underdog that has to overcome so much adversity to accomplish his goals.

The underdog for the muscle bound large man can still work. You just have to book it correctly. The Hulk Hogan formula worked similarly. Hogan was often booked as an underdog, and look at him, at his peak. Having believable, monster heels that get a real build does help. Hogan got to compete against guys even larger yet, like Studd and Bundy. Even smaller heels were more closely matched, or had something else going for them, like booked as incredibly sadistic, or with great wrestling skills, or great brawling skills, or incredible strength, even above that of Hogan.

When you continually job out today's potential equivalents, such as Kane, Big Show, Mark Henry, Rusev, the Wyatts, and so forth, you've got an uphill battle. As it stands right now, to whom is Roman Reigns an underdog, aside from Brock Lesnar? One can say the big veterans have helped elevate Reigns, and that's fine. But they've burned through Rusev and the Wyatts way too fast.

 

[MyndZero]

Your post title is wrong.

Even if we liked, or loved; Roman Reigns - WWE still wouldn't push fan favorites.

It's not a two-way street, it's a one-way WWE only street where they decide who walks down that path.

 

[Trill Co$by]

...you were 10 years old during Lesnar's initial WWE run. You really remember it that well? Here are a few reasons Lesnar's deficiencies were hidden during his first run...

Cool, you know my age. Let's see if you can use that to explain anything of relevance past this point. You old yellers seem to lack that ability.

1) Believability. The guy was, and is, just built differently than everyone else on the roster. He's not cut. He doesn't have a ton of definition. He's just thick. And to add to that, he has unmatched speed and athleticism for his size.

Reigns, meanwhile, looks like a dozen other guys that came before him. Sure, he's bigger than your average human, but he looks straight of central casting when it comes to guys that Vince McMahon wants to push as his top guy.

Roman Reigns is a huge diesel truck of a man that walks around in Swat gear punching and spearing everybody, and not to mention he's down right fast. And if that wasn't scary enough, he's got just the right amount of bass in his voice to let you know that if you want to cross the line between boy and man, he'll gladly show you up. That's the validity of Roman Reigns. He doesn't look like the other guys. Compare him to Ambrose, Rollins, Owens, Bray Wyatt, Neville, Balor, Joe, etc. and you'll see that he's in fact a unique specimen that just fits in the top reigns of the company, pun definitely intended.

[

2) Lesnar was pushed alongside other top talent like Triple H, Kurt Angle, The Undertaker, and The Rock. He was billed as The Next Big Thing, and he certainly was going to be handed that torch, but he never actually had it...

Reigns, meanwhile, is being pushed alongside who - John Cena? Lesnar certainly isn't going to be the focal point of Raw for the next 10 years. Neither is Cena. So who? There's literally no one else being pushed alongside this guy that will be a full-time active wrestler in 5 years. His push seems to be coming at the expense of a lot of other guys while Lesnar's did not.

No, Lesnar was PUT OVER by guys like The Rock, Kurt Angle, Hulk Hogan, The Undertaker, Big Show, A-Train, etc. and the only one who managed to get anything good out of him was Kurt Angle, but then again Kurt Angle could wrestle a great match with anybody. Eddie Guerrero came close to getting something out of Lesnar, but he just couldn't.

3) Lesnar's time on top came exclusively on SmackDown. While that was actually the better show during the time, Raw was the higher rated show. Guess what was happening on Raw? One wrestler was being shoved down everyone's throat causing interest in the product to wane. Sound familiar?

Actually, Triple H did a damn good job as the face of Monday Night Raw. He had a lot of memorable matches against RVD, Jericho, Kane, Shawn Michaels, Orton, Batista, Steiner, Goldberg, etc. not all of them good, but definitely memorable. And just as Raw was built around Triple H, Smackdown was built around Brock Lesnar.

4) Lesnar got lucky. The WWE paired him with Heyman and it got over immediately. Reigns hasn't been as lucky. But you know what? Neither was The Rock. Neither was Mankind. Neither was Steve Austin or even Triple H. But those guys scratched and clawed backstage to be listened to, to get their ideas out there. They didn't have have half the pull at that time as Reigns does now, but they managed to redefine their characters, to make necessary tweaks along the way, and they got over. Hell, even The Undertaker has had to work at his character over the past 25 years to keep it fresh. Reigns, though? His character is the exact same right now as it was three years ago when the WWE handed it to him. If the fans don't like what you're doing, here's an idea - do something different! It's not rocket science.

Roman Reigns has no pull! Whoever thinks he does is utterly stupid, which as you've shown in your old age you are. Roman has been told to do everything he does, and he's done it well. Do you really think that he'd be going out there playing up the boos as if they mean nothing if he had a choice? The guy, right now, is about on the same level as CM Punk when he won his first World title. The only difference is, Reigns is still being pushed because they have desired usage for him.

I'm a paid sketch comedy writer and I started doing improv when you were about 8 years old. But I must be ******ed, though, because I can't for the life of me find anything interesting about this guy's character choices.. which essentially ruins him every time he picks up a microphone.

Congratulations. Donald Trump is running for president and managed to become one of the most wealthy men in America. He's still a ******, and by the looks of things you are too.

Ask yourself what he wants, and why he wants it --- You'll realize that he just wants to be the champion. Why does he want that? He wants it simply because he wants it. There's really no justification past that point. This is kiddy pool type depth here. In terms of character, Reigns is really swimming in the shallow end.

You just have kiddy pool IQ apparently. Why does he need to say more? He's a walking 6'5" 265lbs weapon of solid muscle that's able to run the 40 at high speeds, as evident by his football abilities, and he's able to bully people even twice his size. What other reasons does he NEED to address? He's a straight monster. If you can't put those two together, then it's not WWE nor Reigns who have kiddy pool type depth, it's you. Maybe instead of spending your time joking around when you were in school, you could've actually paid attention and got an education.

Does he have any flaw that might prevent him from attaining this goal? Nope. The guy is billed as super human... Hell, half his moves are inspired from fucking superheroes.

So basically, you have a shallow character who has no justification for wanting what he wants and no real obstacle standing in his way of obtaining it. This is some brilliant story telling we got going on here...

Hulk Hogan. Ultimate Warrior. Andre the Giant. Lex Luger. Goldberg. BROCK LESNAR.

Need I go on, or are you actually able to understand that MANY people before him have done the same and have made WWE millions?

And see, it's these little nuances that are up to the wrestler to figure out. It's the wrestler's job to explore the character, to find little things that are interesting, and to latch on to them. He doesn't do that. He literally has one game plan, and he executes the same plan every week regardless of reaction. I'm sorry - but that's fucking terrible.

Hulk Hogan body slammed and dropped a leg on literally every opponent he beat to win/retain the WWF championship. The Rock used the same stupid comeback sequence. It's called a go home spot. You brought up your history in comedy, so allow me to bring up my experience actually in the ring. Allow me to let you know that every single big name star that the WWE has EVER PRODUCED had their go to go home spot, and all of the top indy guys right now also have go to go home spots. Roman has found his, and it works. Why in the blue hell would he change that?

Honestly, the fact that this guy is playing the exact same character he played while in the Shield while the other guys have evolved should tell you that he was not at all prepared to be thrust into his current role. The WWE has weekly programming, 13 pay-per-view type shows each year. You have to constantly evolve and grow as a character or else you get left behind. Reigns hasn't evolved in 3 1/2 years. The only reason he hasn't been left behind is because Vince McMahon is obsessed with guys that look like Roman Reigns. His failure to be pushed despite not evolving is why fans hate him.

You really are stupid, aren't you? Roman Reigns as a guy walking around in swat gear beating the shit out of people works, it's always going to. Of course he was going to keep the gimmick. Everything about Edge stayed basically the same since he left the Brood, and he's revered as one of the best of all time, and rightfully so. Roman Reigns doing what he does is believable and makes sense. If you had kept the same shtick on Rollins or Ambrose after the Shield split, then I could see your point because it just doesn't make sense. Roman being in full on body armor and bulldozing makes sense for a person of his build.

 

[jrf328]

Let me say why I dont like reigns. Most of the points have been made but:
Organic is a big thing. In the shield he played the perfect role. He was the muscle, he didnt have to say much but he could kick ass. Silent but carry a big stick. He could have been the Samoan Goldberg if that makes sense. He never really had an IC title run he just got pushed from the get go once the shield was over.
They could have turned him heel. Let his dickish ness take over because it would believeable. He is who he is and every big wrestler will tell you that the best characters are the ones the performer is most like dialed up to 11. The rock when he started he was a face that everyone hated, just like reigns, then he was turned heel, found himself then became the rock. Reigns really needs the same thing.
Confidence. If you listen to alot of podcasts where they talk about reigns the old vets can tell you he doesnt seem confident. He needs to not remember scripts and just go by bullet points if he is to talk. He also needs to tell the people in the back this is who my character is not let them tell him who he is.I have a feeling thats whats happening.
As far as the IWC and us picking people. I think the IWC just doesnt get behind people who are the best wrestlers or the best talkers, I think we get behind people who actually love pro wrestling. Who study it, live it, love it. Not just people who were injured in another sport and come here for a back up. There are some exceptions but for the most part if you love what you do and if your passionate about it, it shows and we can get behind that because that is the most organic thing there is. True passion.

 

[Just Zay'n]

Two points.

If you think Reigns (or more accurately, Joe Anoa'i) did no or very little work in order to get given the top spot in the company, then... you're just stupid. Like, objectively stupid. If you can't understand why I'd say that, then... as I said, objectively stupid.

Also, I don't think Reigns has been booked as a 250lb underdog. He's been booked as a guy who keeps getting screwed over and cannot catch a break. An underdog is a competitor who has a small chance of winning a fight/competition. He usually dominates all of his matches, but then gets screwed by external circumstances in the big one.

See, this is exactly what I'm getting at, y'all have no idea what you're actually accusing him of. Which is why WWE won't listen, because they can't see the logic in listening to people who are illogical.

 

[Navi]

Two points.

If you think Reigns (or more accurately, Joe Anoa'i) did no or very little work in order to get given the top spot in the company, then... you're just stupid. Like, objectively stupid. If you can't understand why I'd say that, then... as I said, objectively stupid.

Also, I don't think Reigns has been booked as a 250lb underdog. He's been booked as a guy who keeps getting screwed over and cannot catch a break. An underdog is a competitor who has a small chance of winning a fight/competition. He usually dominates all of his matches, but then gets screwed by external circumstances in the big one.

See, this is exactly what I'm getting at, y'all have no idea what you're actually accusing him of. Which is why WWE won't listen, because they can't see the logic in listening to people who are illogical.

But he has been booked as an underdog figure. The definition of underdog goes like this.

1 a loser or predicted loser in a struggle or contest
2 a victim of injustice or persecution
3 a less powerful person or thing that struggles against a more powerful person or thing (such as a corporation)

In Reigns case number's 2 and 3 apply to most of his matches. He's been pitted against the Authority for most of the past year, booked into multi-man matches against for example the LON. Remember the Rumble when he was taken out by Vince and them, and spent most of the actual match out of the ring, only to come back and be eliminated by HHH, the number 3 man in the Authority.

Now the Authority is mostly hated by the fans and the IWC, so I can see them doing this in a way to get him over, the only thing is it hasn't worked. HHH is going into Sunday's match a face unfortunately. I wish it had worked but it will take a herculean effort for them to put him over now. They've pretty much tried everything at their disposal and it hasn't worked to date.

 

[akathelaw]

Reigns is not working, regardless of his many positive attributes. I ultimately blame the booking as I see no real big single flaw with the guy. His mic work isn't why he's failing, it's what he's being given to say. Guys like CM Punk, John Cena and Daniel Bryan are able to take the WWE script and put their own signature on it because they have a connection to the crowd. All 3 of those guys were fans well before they ever wrestled. Reigns isn't a fan and the crowd prefers talents that at least sort of understand the appeal of wrestling. How can Reigns win our support when he's not sure why anyone would support a wrestler? He doesn't get it, and when he's out in the ring alone performing nobody can prop him up. Reigns needs to start loving what he does. If getting to the top of the card had been harder for him, he probably would care more.

 

[Navi]

Reigns is not working, regardless of his many positive attributes. I ultimately blame the booking as I see no real big single flaw with the guy. His mic work isn't why he's failing, it's what he's being given to say. Guys like CM Punk, John Cena and Daniel Bryan are able to take the WWE script and put their own signature on it because they have a connection to the crowd. All 3 of those guys were fans well before they ever wrestled. Reigns isn't a fan and the crowd prefers talents that at least sort of understand the appeal of wrestling. How can Reigns win our support when he's not sure why anyone would support a wrestler? He doesn't get it, and when he's out in the ring alone performing nobody can prop him up. Reigns needs to start loving what he does. If getting to the top of the card had been harder for him, he probably would care more.

Unless you know him personally, you really can't say he doesn't love the sport. You have to have some sort of passion for something that takes you away from your family and puts your body through the wringer on a nightly basis.

While it's true he wanted a career in football first, it's well documented, he really was born into wrestling. What do you say that is true, is the fact that he doesn't connect with the audience, and in any sort of entertainment endeavor that is crucial. If there is no connection then you're fighting a lost cause. I do see that happening with him, and I personally don't think he knows how to deal with like like a Cena or Rock would. They can play the audience like a fiddle, Reigns hasn't learned that trick yet. Doesn't matter what they do, he soldier's on and makes the crowd think he doesn't care about them, so why should they care about him.

Also you are right about appreciating something more when you work for it. He has been given a lot of chances that others haven't gotten because of I believe his family connections, but more importantly his looks. Maybe knocking him back down a few steps would make him appreciate what he's been handed, but I doubt highly that is going to happen. I mean the guy has been in the industry 4 years now, and this is the second year in a row he is headlining Wrestlemania. That's pretty sweet considering guys like Guerrero, Booker T, Jake the Snake Roberts, Punk and Ric Flair never headlined Wrestlemania, and they are much bigger names and better wrestlers than Reigns is. Sorry I forgot to include one of the most insanely over wrestlers the WWE has ever seen in Jeff Hardy. With all his accomplishments he was never a headliner either.

EDIT: Sorry for all the edits, but I forgot to say that if he hadn't got the initial help from his fellow Shield members Ambrose and Rollins, he wouldn't be where he is now. They masked a lot of his shortcomings which have become evident since the Shield broke up. So he's had quite a lot of help since he came on board with the WWE, too bad it seems to all have gone to waste.

 

[The Bearded One]

I like Roman Reigns. I really do. I think he has a good presence -- even if he's not the most charismatic guy -- and is good in the ring. Sure, his best matches are against the top wrestlers, and he won't be carrying anyone anytime soon, but he holds his own in those matches.

But his push just isn't working, and fans have seemingly latched onto Dean Ambrose being the next guy. I think wrestling has come to a really interesting point where the backstage stuff is almost, if not just as, important as what's taking place in front of the camera. The fans have rejected Reigns' manufactured underdog push in favor of Ambrose's "real life" underdog story. He's respected because he's fought and clawed his way up from the bottom, and has stayed relevant at the top of the card despite the WWE looking elsewhere for their next big star. Reigns' push doesn't feel as organic, but that might also be because backstage news has become so prevalent among wrestling fans. Twenty years ago I don't think Reigns has this same problem.

So people don't like Reigns because he isn't the one they chose. He's the one the WWE chose. And even though some people who boo him still might like him, they boo him to show the WWE that they want their voices heard.

I still think a Roman Reigns like the one we saw for those few nights in December where he was just a killer would be over huge right now. He's not an underdog, he's a an ass-kicker, and that's how he needs to be booked.

Reigns is good enough to be a main eventer. Maybe not the level of headlining consecutive WrestleManias, but a main event talent nontheless.

 

[OYDK]

Here's the way I view the situation. It's really not that difficult to get Roman Reigns over. What you do is... you listen to the fans. They may be fickle, they may be annoying, they may be whatever, it really doesn't matter, they're making their voices heard. No matter what the reason, they want Dean Ambrose and they don't want Roman Reigns so here's my brilliant idea... you turn Roman.... heel.... on Dean Ambrose.

BOOM! I know, incredible right, nobody's ever thought of it. Yeah it's simple, yeah it's obvious, but it's literally the easiest, most efficient, and most effective way to get Roman Reigns to where the WWE want him. Plus, and I've said this forever, the guy is a natural heel. No matter how nice of a guy he is, people just want to hate him, so let them hate him. Eventually they'll want to cheer him but until then, he can be the top heel and Ambrose/Rollins can occupy the babyface roles for the foreseeable future.

Come on, who doesn't want to see Ambrose and Rollins together against a heel Reigns?

 

[nwocongo]

I used to be fairly indifferent to Reigns. Seeing how much the marks dislike him, makes me kind of root for him more, if you hate him that much find something better to do with your life than complain every Monday night that he's the top guy.

Sure his move set is limited, so were several top guys, he shows little bits of improvement in the ring so that's good enough for me. The Ultimate Warrior is a prime example of no in ring ability whenever someone complains about a new up and comer having a limited move set. His mic skills are lacking obviously, but creative deserves some of the blame for putting him in spots where he's doing long promos, it's their job to accentuate the strengths and hide the weaknesses.
The biggest reason he gets booed is that Royal Rumble fiasco, they absolutely buried him by bringing Bryan back for no apparent reason and then putting him over Bryan at Fastlane, but that's neither here nor there.

I loved what Bryan and Punk brought to the ring and the show in general but Bryan wants to start a family without having a pile of applesauce left for a brain and CM Punk as a person was an immature, passive aggressive kumquat who did not respect the political hierarchy backstage. I think a lot of it is BS too but a certain point you have to grow up and get over it or resign honorably and move on instead of walking out then after the fact airing out all the grievances you were too chickenshit to bring up while you were employed.

So yeah Reigns haters, get over it! The Golden Boys aren't coming back so be prepared to see The Shield guys and Lesnar duking it out for the top spot for a while. When I was 8 my favorite wrestlers were the 123 Kid and Razor, I didn't piss and moan the entire show that the main event was always Bret, Diesel, Taker, HBK or Yoko. I took the show for what it was, a fixed sporting event with cheesy storylines, our opinions aren't that important to Vinny Mac get over yourselves.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

There's another fundamental to consider... in some ways Reigns IS perfect for WWE because WWE is a show or in reality a soap operar SET in a wrestling company... Soaps often don't have the "best actors" in the main parts but good looking ones who the target audience can "fall for" to an extent... for WWE they want that to be a guy like Reigns or Cena...

Fans don't WANT WWE to be a soap... They want their wrestling company back and with the other points raised, Reigns is ALWAYS gonna suffer that backlash, just like Jeffery Dean is gonna be hated for killing Daryl as Negan... doesn't matter he's the best actor or bad ass enough to make it work... it makes it no longer the show people want or loved...

 

[Psykohurricane55]

i really don'T think that the fans are booing Reigns because they want their voices heard. Reigns as become the new guys that is cool to hate just for the sake of hating him. if the company was behind ambrose instead of reigns, they would hates ambrose same goes to pretty much anybody on the rosters. Has soon as they know that vince is behind somebody and want to make him a major star they will boo the guy because they want to pick who the next main event guy will be.

It sad to watch this happening because there is a place for more then one top babyface in the company and if the fans would let reigns get over, i could see reigns and ambrose become top babyface instead of just fighting the system for the fun of fighting the system.

 

[TheYoungEra]

I'm going to try to keep this as brief as I can but I make no promises LOL.

A couple people have hit this nail dead center on the head already, but I'll put my own little spin on it. First I'll go on record of saying that I have nothing against him personally. I could actually see being a fan if he'd been booked right.

1). He hasn't earned it. He was literally TELEPORTED straight from The Shield to the top of the mountain in record time - ahead of Dean Ambrose (Rollins was already champion), who greatly outclasses him and was, himself, primed for that spot (especially in the eyes of fans). I feel like we'd all be singing a different tune if he'd been made to take his own proverbial walk through the wilderness. I don't care who you are in the business, a good mid-card run is essential. It's the proving ground, the measuring stick, if you will. There's a very good reason it exists in the first place. Reigns didn't get that at all. He had half of one Tag Team title reign while he was in The Shield. That's it. And come to think of it, those belts were rarely defended during that reign. He was skipped ahead to the front of the line.

2). The utter RIDICULOUSNESS of his push/program and it coming at the expense of others who are vastly more deserving. His push and the will and efforts of Vince McMahon to see that push succeed are so out-of-this-world crazy it is almost unbearable to watch. It's been the most forced push in wrestling history. He was handed Slammy after Slammy - including a very controversial Superstar of the Year for a year he wasn't even there for.

They either buried or outright robbed talent after talent after talent to "make Roman look strong"/"keep Roman looking strong" - guys in which the fans were incredibly invested and who deserved the shots a whole lot more than Reigns did. Guys like Dolph Ziggler, the Wyatt Family, Kevin Owens, Daniel Bryan, Cesaro, and even Dean Ambrose (on several occasions now) were either buried outright or robbed of all momentum or accolade contention to force this guy over. Of course, fans are going to respond negatively when their favorites are finally put in contention for greater things only to be steamrolled in the end by such a blatantly forced push. They even broke down and wasted a TWO back-to-back Royal Rumble matches to keep him "looking strong" - again, opportunities that others deserved so much more.

And, God help me, I've never seen a man get more World title shots than Roman Reigns. There are venerable legends sitting in the Hall of Fame right now who didn't get as many title shots in their whole careers as Reigns has gotten in the last year. A testament to the illogical irrationality of WWE booking, there were actually times during his program where he was legitimately given title shots in retribution or as punishment. WTF kind of sense does that even make?!?!?! He was actually given title shots WHILE HE WAS ALREADY #1 CONTENDER (as a matter of fact, I believe this actually happened TWICE) - he was given title shots while he already had title shots LOL. And in one of those occasions, the WWE even set up an ENTIRE TOURNAMENT full of people for him to bury en route to a secondary #1 contender shot that was replacing one he hadn't yet utilized. And AGAIN, they stepped over some extremely talented guys to make that happen. I think I've made my point on this one LOL.

3). He's "the anointed one"/Vince's chosen successor to John Cena. This wouldn't be a problem if Reigns had actually been developed first (see my first point above and my next one below) or if he actually had the talent to fill such a position. Unfortunately, after all we've been subjected to with Cena - and I say that while still given him credit where credit is due - I don't think anybody wants that, and unfortunately, the stink of being Cena 2.0 has tainted him as far as fans are concerned - especially when that status means on-going years of watching deserving guys get buried - 'all crew expendable' in the name of keeping him strong.

4). Lack of development. This kind of runs parallel to my first point, but still stands on its own. He hasn't evolved. Ambrose and Rollins did in spades. Reigns? He's still the one-man Shield. Again, I really feel like things would be different if he'd actually been made to come into himself in the mid-card with a few good programs there. It also doesn't help at all that the WWE actually thought they could just get away with putting him into an exact duplication of Daniel Bryan's story. He's a monster. You can't make a monster the ultimate underdog. Sorry. Then you pair that with the fact that that story involves him feuding with the Authority - which has LONG OVERSTAYED its welcome. It's just bad news any way you slice it.

So he's been given title shot after title shot, Slammy after Slammy, and Rumble after Rumble (I know he didn't win each one, but they were still put on with the expressed purpose of being to his benefit) all while remaining largely formless and shapeless, without confidence or character, without depth or charisma. But God love him, he can show up and sh** muscles and that's all Vince needs in his champion. It really is sad, because like I said, I want to like this guy, and I know others do, too. I admit that. The potential did exist for him to become better than his office. Unfortunately, though, I think the damage has already been done.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

See, this is exactly what I'm getting at, y'all have no idea what you're actually accusing him of. Which is why WWE won't listen, because they can't see the logic in listening to people who are illogical.

You are misinterpreting the IWC's inability to eloquently express their feelings with a lack of logic. Most people here are boys and men who don't really take stock in searching deep down inside to understand their emotions on a professional wrestler and the programs he is working. We don't measure the blood in our engorged dicks like some Nielsen erection barometer ratings system to determine how much we like something. We're not some washed up celebrity who spent years in rehab and therapy learning about themselves and what makes us who we are. Even if we were this introspective about our feelings, we probably wouldn't waste our time expressing it appropriately here.

But you're not totally wrong. The marketing line about "the fans decide" is bullshit. Dollars, loyalty, and professionalism decide who gets pushed and who gets what spot. Vince cares somewhat about the guys who have done good work for him in the past. All else equal he is more likely to support a veteran or relative of one of his guys. But ultimately money is what drives Vince's decision. Putting the right guys in place to make money. Apparently he believes having Roman in this spot is best for business. He doesn't care about boos, as long as he believes those boos are not costing him money. It will be interesting after Mania and as stars return of Vince still sees Roman as the main event face he represents today. Time will tell.

 

[Jericho91]

Roman Reigns is better well suited as a HEEL from the get go. Ever since his debut with the shield, it goes perfectly with his look. He'll be more praised that way by fans in general. It's pretty obvious that most fans in WM32 will route for Triple H at this point based on what we've seen in the past few weeks on Raw. Every time Triple H gets the upper hand the fans in the arena love it and you get loud pops out of that.

What the WWE should do with Reigns after WM32 is turn him HEEL regardless of the outcome, win or lose against Triple H. Overall fans will be happy if Reigns ends up losing anyway, which i believe is the better direction. The WWE Universe would rather have Triple H keep the title instead of Reigns and even better, if they give the WWE Title to someone else that's more worthy of it at the moment.

 

[rmp0012002]

Like him or not Hunter has earned the respect of the fans and deserves his spot on the big stage. Reigns was a singles wrestler for all of three months when Vince christened him the chosen one and that gained no respect from anyone. Let a wrestler be himself and book him to his strengths and he has a lot better chance. Win or not come WM Reigns is still getting booed. Reigns could have been "that" guy easily but Vince screwed up by pushing him too fast. I feel bad for Reigns because he didn't cause this mess.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

You are misinterpreting the IWC's inability to eloquently express their feelings with a lack of logic. Most people here are boys and men who don't really take stock in searching deep down inside to understand their emotions on a professional wrestler and the programs he is working. We don't measure the blood in our engorged dicks like some Nielsen erection barometer ratings system to determine how much we like something. We're not some washed up celebrity who spent years in rehab and therapy learning about themselves and what makes us who we are. Even if we were this introspective about our feelings, we probably wouldn't waste our time expressing it appropriately here.

But you're not totally wrong. The marketing line about "the fans decide" is bullshit. Dollars, loyalty, and professionalism decide who gets pushed and who gets what spot. Vince cares somewhat about the guys who have done good work for him in the past. All else equal he is more likely to support a veteran or relative of one of his guys. But ultimately money is what drives Vince's decision. Putting the right guys in place to make money. Apparently he believes having Roman in this spot is best for business. He doesn't care about boos, as long as he believes those boos are not costing him money. It will be interesting after Mania and as stars return of Vince still sees Roman as the main event face he represents today. Time will tell.

Actually, and I well believe the story on the main page today... a Marketing Survey decides... Kayfabe died and the modern "illusion" of WWE is that it's anything less than a soap that does live shows/toys... and that the fans and IWC have ANY real input whatsover into it... We're working ourselves...

 

[SHAGAMANIA 3:16]

Apparently he's actually quite popular among the casuals.
http://www.wrestlezone.com/news/691...dy-think-of-jeff-hardy-vs-drew-galloway-video

He does get positive reactions from the casuals but the haters are always the loudest always trying to hijack the show, casuals don't have as much energy and often don't defend their beloved Cena and Reigns when their getting booed, only on their big PPV matches.

 

[Navi]

If Reigns is bringing in the money then they'll continue to push him as far as they can. I don't know who's buying all this stuff though because here in Toronto you go to a show and you don't see a lot of Reigns shirts. It's mostly Cena, Bryan, Owens and Macho Man. Lot's buy the Macho Man shirts because Walmart sells them for 10 bucks.

Don't know about other cities and what their fans are wearing there though, but see don't see a lot of Reigns shirts when they pan the audience. Or maybe I'm missing them.