Is Sheamus VS Reigns the modern day Cena VS Edge?

[That N Word]

Polarizing Babyface vs. Opportunist Heel

In the mid-2000's, Cena was the polarizing top babyface in WWE that WWE was trying they're best to get over with the crowd and no matter how hard they tried it failed.

Fast forward to the mid-2010's, Roman Reigns is the polarizing top babyface in WWE that they are trying to get over with the crowd.

Edge was the veteran from the previous era (Attitude) who was just then reaching the very top of his career who won Money In The Bank and cashed in on the top babyface in the whole company (Cena ) on behalf of an Authority figure (Vince.)

Sheamus is the veteran from the previous era (PG Era) who was just then reaching the very top of his career who won Money In The Bank and cashed in on the top babyface in the whole company (Reigns ) on behalf of an Authority figure (Triple H.)

WWE Championship/TLC
Both rivalries involved a TLC match at the December PPV for the WWE Championship.

Personal Rivalry. Reaching the top of the mountain and getting knocked right off of it
Edge and Cena rivalry was real personal and it began as Edge cashed in his MITB briefcase on Cena ending his very first world title run.

We can guarantee this Sheamus/Reigns rivalry will be personal for the same reasons. Reigns won his very first WWE title at Survivor Series and in somes minds cemtented his self as the new face of WWE and then having a opportunity stealing veteran from a previous era cash in MITB and take it all way from him.

Triple H connection
Cena's first rivalry after the Edge feud was Triple H. It's all but confirmed that Reigns next rivalry after Sheamus will be a showdown with The Game either at Royal Rumble or WrestleMania.

In the end of the storyline. The babyface leaves with the title
Cena walked away with the title at the end of the storyline. Just like Reigns will. Only difference is Reigns won't be against the rival. But against either Cena or Lesnar.

On another interesting note-
While both stories were going on the face of the previous era (Rock) in Cena's case and (Cena) in Reigns case were doing stuff in acting while these stories was going on. And there were speculation on both Rock and Cena potentially being done with WWE from the media both times.

 

[The Mattitude Era]

I would disagree. First, your characterization of Cena as being the struggling-to-get-over babyface is wrong. As much as the internets like to hate Cena, there's no denying how over he was from 2004-2007, with the exception of the occasional Chicago smark crowd.

Second, although Edge was a veteran in the sense that he had been WWE for like, what, 8 years, which really doesn't even seem that long of a time anymore, he felt new and fresh in the main event scene, with this really being his first foray into the main event scene. Seamus (and Reigns for that matter) has been there quite a bit.

Third, Cena and Edge's TLC match took place at the September pay-per-view Unforgiven 06 (unless there's some other TLC match between them of which I am not aware).

Cena and Edge really felt like we were watching two future star in there early main event work, whereas Sheamus/Reigns feels like we're watching a future main event star who has pretty much already been at the top of the mountain vs. some guy who has been around for 6 years and got pushed right out the gate and has been floating around ever since. Cena and Edge felt like we were watching two guys from the same era battling each other. Reigns/Sheamus feels like we're watching Reigns vs. someone beginning the latter half of his run.

I'm not saying one feud is any better or worse, but Cena/Edge ended up being a staple of their era. I just don't see that happening with Sheamus and Reigns. This feud feels more like a filler feud to get Reigns to Wrestlemania to, as you said, probably face Triple H. On the other hand, that's essentially how Cena/Edge first started. Edge cashed in, Cena and Edge feuded, Edge had sex with Lita on live TV, Ric Flair was there for some reason, and then Cena won and moved on to Triple H. It wasn't until later that summer where I feel like the Cena and Edge feud really took off.

So, although I see where you're getting at, and there are some interesting parallels, this feud really doesn't feel like a modern day Cena/Edge.

 

[Logisticalbooker86]

I see where you are trying to go with this thread, but I have to say good lord, NO.

The differences in the landscape, both on screen and off, are extreme. Cena had the belt for an extended period prior to Edge's cash-in.

More importantly, there is no comparison between Edge and Sheamus. Forgive the sophomoric pun, but that is like comparing apples to poop. Edge was RED HOT and ready to become a top heel. Ratings went up during his brief first run as champion. To this day both wrestling fans and Adam Copeland himself question why Edge had the rug pulled out from under him before Mania 22. Even most of the core audience is apathetic toward the Celtic warrior. Hell, the only thing that will keep me watching is the $9.99 price tag. I hope current RAW viewers continue to change the channel at a noticeable clip. The current product is DESPERATE for a kick in the ass.

People are apathetic to Sheamus and Reigns, fans are desperate for a more intriguing main event scene. Survivor Series was a gigantic missed opportunity. Monday Night RAW is going to border on unwatchable until the first episode of 2016.

I had to break my normal trend of not crapping on a feud before it happens but this one already belongs in the toilet.

 

[Deoxyribonucleic A.C.I.D.]

I have to disagree.. The only similarity they have is that both Edge and Sheamus cashed in on the Champion. But there are some major differences:

• Cena was already the top babyface at that time in the company, due to Batista's injury, a status that I don't think that Reigns have reached yet.
• Cena was World Champion for 280 days before the cash-in, while Reigns lost the belt the second he won it.
• Edge is years above Sheamus in terms of charisma, in-ring ability and drawing power.
• Edge and Cena's feud started in January 2006, paused for a moment, and then continued in May/June 2006 and lasted until September 2006. It is actually considered one of the best feuds of the decade, if not of all time. Sheamus vs Reigns will be easily forgotten. By that time (after Cena's feud with Angle), Cena started getting universal boos. However, Edge was such an amazing heel, that he actually made people love Cena again. Up to this day I believe that the right desicion would have been to have Edge hold the title up till' Mania and have Cena finally challenge and beat Edge there, instead of winning back 21 days later at the Rumble. Sheamus will never reach that level of heat and I doubt that Reigns will reach Cena's level as the top dog.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I think it's much too big of a stretch to view Reigns vs. Sheamus as a modern Cena vs. Edge.

Aside from other reasons that've been mentioned, which are extremely good ones btw, one reason why this doesn't have the same feel to it is that it has more of a "we think this is the best option considering what we've got to work with" situation. Sheamus has been in WWE for quite a while now and we've seen him have runs as United States Champion, we've seen him as WWE Champion twice and World Heavyweight Champion once; while Sheamus strikes me as someone who could be of great use in the tag team & upper mid-card title picture, there's not a ton of enthusiasm for him as WWE World Heavyweight Champion. It's not so much that he's been around for so long, though that does bear some weight, so much as there have just been a lot of other guys who've come along the past several years that fans are more interested and invested in. Unlike Edge, Sheamus gives me the feeling that he's mostly a placeholder rather than someone who'll be helping carry the company for the next 5 to 10 years.

Another factor, one very positive factor in my opinion, to consider is that WWE is no longer playing hot potato with the title. For instance, if Bryan hadn't been injured, there's a very strong possibility he'd have been champ from WrestleMania XXX to, at least, SummerSlam to Brock Lesnar. If he hadn't dropped the title, it's not at all unreasonable to think that he'd have held onto the title for the rest of 2014. Even if he did drop it to Lesnar, Bryan would've still been champ for almost 5 months, Lesnar held onto the title for the next 7.5 months and Rollins also in the 7.5 month range before he was hurt. During Edge's 4 runs as WWE Champion, 3 of those 4 runs lasted only 21 days.

When it comes to Roman Reigns, it's a different situation than Cena for a variety of reasons. While it's true that both have gotten heat by essentially being a corporate pick, a lot of people are down on Reigns because they don't see him as being remotely as good as Cena. While I agree that Cena was overexposed as a main eventer and was stale at times, his ability to warrant being in that spot could never be legitimately questioned because he made tons of money, he had the charisma, the in-ring ability and kept the fans interested. In Roman Reigns' case, there are a ton of unanswered questions and the only way they can really be answered is if Reigns is given time to be fleshed out as a main eventer. Reigns isn't remotely as charismatic as Cena, nor as comfortable on the mic or as good inside the ring and Raw is drawing some of the worst ratings of its entire history with Reigns as a centerpiece. Maybe things will improve for Reigns and maybe not, but it'll take time either way to find out.

So no, in Cena vs. Edge, we have two guys who were set to be among the top stars of the next decade. In Reigns vs. Sheamus, we have one guy whom the jury is very much still out on in terms of being one of the genuinely long run top stars and one that's more of a mid-card to upper mid-carder acting as a placeholder.

 

[Sexcellence of Sexecution]

No.

John Cena was over.

 

[Vanilla Midget]

I think you're reaching a bit too far. By the time Cena became polarizing, he was the most over face in the company and already WWE champion. Reigns was pretty over in 2014, as part of the Shield. Cena's reactions didn't diminish until 2006, four years after debut.

Edge was already in WWE for 8 years by the time he captured a World title. Sheamus had debuted on the C show ECW in 2009, come December he was WWE Champion on the A show. Edge grew before our eyes, from loner, to vampire, to tag team guy, to IC champ, to gone with neck injury, back to IC, back to tag, then an A hole, then a world champion.

Edge was shaped and formed before our eyes, whereas Sheamus was plucked from obscurity and placed before us and we were instructed we should care.

I don't not like Sheamus, I don't love him either. This might be a different story if WWE let us see him grow. Instead we just got him, but without the nostalgia, without the toiling in the midcard.

It's important to remember that a lot more of Sheamus' career took place off camera than Edge, but what matters most is what WWE televises, what is considered to be canon.

Edge was a great foil for Cena because Edge had evolved and was a multi layered character that despite being a heel and an opportunist, he had essentially earned his spot. Roman and Sheamus both haven't done that. Sheamus started at the top and rarely left, he was always pushed. Roman has similarly been pushed without proper time to connect.

Edge was an opportunist who worked a dumb vampire gimmick and came out on top, Cena was a ludicrous Vanilla Ice throwback that you just wanted to see succeed. Roman and Sheamus didn't work dumb gimmicks, or wrestle for midcard titles prior to winning world titles.

I see the connection, but I think you're reaching as there's really no similarity between the one for the best rivalries of the 2000s and everyone's favourite guys to crap on.

 

[N!CKALAS CAGE]

Not even close.

John Cena was polarizing, but he was already established as the top face of the company and the cash in angle established Edge as the top heel. That angle felt fresh and natural and really shook things up where as Reigns vs Sheamus just feels forced and it really does feel like "plan b," since Rollins is hurt.

Somehow, Sheamus vs Reigns already feels stale. Even with a new look and gimmick, Sheamus still comes off as the same goofy babyface from two years ago. Edge was the ultimate self centered douchebag that we loved to hate and he never got stale.

Plus Sheamus was already champion before so it doesn't feel as special as when Edge finally won the big one.

Cena vs Edge is one of the best and most memorable feuds in the last 15 years. I doubt Sheamus and Reigns will even be one of the best feuds in the last two years.

 

[Jeff Deliverer of Mail]

If you are going with Story wise on a rail...kind of sounds the same type of feud. But in the world of WWE , Movies, Music , Video Games and whatnot...history will repeat itself over and over and over again. We will see the same types of stories told over and over again. What else can really be done with wrestling, it's two guys/girls fighting in a ring, the outside story connects with it but really, how far can you go with it ? It'll all meld together in a sameness eventually.

Wrestling wise.... John Cena and Edge ( THEN ) -- Roman Reigns vs Sheamus ( NOW) is a completely different match, ring wise. Roman Reigns is a brawler powerhouse taking on a brawler powerhouse. Cena was a technical brawler powerhouse taking on a technical, high flyer in Edge.

 

[Mustang Sally]

We can guarantee this Sheamus/Reigns rivalry will be personal for the same reasons.

The OP has created a thoughtful topic with some really interesting parallels.

Still, if WWE Creative is able to make Roman-Sheamus into a personal rivalry, they'll really be outdoing themselves. Now or in the past, I can't recall any heat between them and it might be quite hard to create some.

The problem is Sheamus. Through no fault of his own, he's been left to flounder on the midcard since returning from a long hiatus. Except for his haircut and face jewelry, which fans have appropriately ridiculed, he's been in Nowhere Land as far as booking. His matches have amounted to nothing; his alliances and rivalries are virtually non-existent. He wins & loses to no reward or consequence. Now, he's suddenly going into a personal conflict with Roman Reigns?

We shouldn't sell Sheamus short. He's been criticized retroactively on this forum, yet I thought he got over initially as a heel.....and then as a face, which seemed unlikely, but worked. He can do it again, but it's gonna take some fancy writing to get it off the ground.

My suggestion? Get a girl! Find a young lass, dewy eyed and oh-so-vulnerable .......and let these two monsters duke it out for her hand.

 

[Logisticalbooker86]

My original response to this thread can be found above. I am going another direction with my follow-up, and it might even need its own thread.

With the exception of Brock Lesnar, WWE has totally forgotten how to build a badass babyface. For proof, look no further than RAW last week. Roman Reigns SMILED as he entered through the crowd. He should have been pissed off and on the hunt, spearing the hell out of heels even loosely associated with the authority.

The opening segment should have showcased Reigns as a caged animal, not a smiling babyface who never gives up. That role has been perfected by John Cena. Reigns needs to be positioned as a shit talking badass who can back it up. As long as he smiles and plays an all American babyface, he will never be the hero WWE wants him to be.

 

[That N Word]

What I should have named the thread is some interesting parallels between the two feuds lol. That's what I meant with the topic not so much of this feud is as good as that one or the match will be as good as that one.

 

[Noshowers]

I think you're reaching a bit too far. By the time Cena became polarizing, he was the most over face in the company and already WWE champion. Reigns was pretty over in 2014, as part of the Shield. Cena's reactions didn't diminish until 2006, four years after debut.

Edge was already in WWE for 8 years by the time he captured a World title. Sheamus had debuted on the C show ECW in 2009, come December he was WWE Champion on the A show. Edge grew before our eyes, from loner, to vampire, to tag team guy, to IC champ, to gone with neck injury, back to IC, back to tag, then an A hole, then a world champion.

Edge was shaped and formed before our eyes, whereas Sheamus was plucked from obscurity and placed before us and we were instructed we should care.

I don't not like Sheamus, I don't love him either. This might be a different story if WWE let us see him grow. Instead we just got him, but without the nostalgia, without the toiling in the midcard.

It's important to remember that a lot more of Sheamus' career took place off camera than Edge, but what matters most is what WWE televises, what is considered to be canon.

Edge was a great foil for Cena because Edge had evolved and was a multi layered character that despite being a heel and an opportunist, he had essentially earned his spot. Roman and Sheamus both haven't done that. Sheamus started at the top and rarely left, he was always pushed. Roman has similarly been pushed without proper time to connect.

Edge was an opportunist who worked a dumb vampire gimmick and came out on top, Cena was a ludicrous Vanilla Ice throwback that you just wanted to see succeed. Roman and Sheamus didn't work dumb gimmicks, or wrestle for midcard titles prior to winning world titles.

I see the connection, but I think you're reaching as there's really no similarity between the one for the best rivalries of the 2000s and everyone's favourite guys to crap on.

I like this post a lot. Edge grew into his character ORGANICALLY and we saw his iterations, each one taking him to higher heights then the previous. Heck I remember him getting squashed in WCW also and it was great to see him improve and EARN his shot at the belt...and was all the more rewarding to see him finally get it even if it was through underhanded means.

ORGANIC and EARN are the key words here.

Sheamus was presented as a pick by HHH and within months held the top belt, complete opposite of Edge.

Like him or not (and I tend to not like him), Cena did grow and evolve and at the time was over and legitimate. He had held the belt for an extended time and had most of the crowd behind him at the time.

Reigns is nowhere near close to that, which is extremely sad to be honest. He has not grown from letting Ambrose and Rollins do the talking for him in the Shield, so his character is about as artificial as I have ever seen. If the man was following where the crowd and such was taking his character he already would have flipped them the bird and sold out to the dark side long ago.

 

[ShinChan]

I think no!
Roman Reigns and John Cena arenot comparable!
Sheamus and Edge arenot comparable either!
But Yes! maybe for Vince not for me

 

[That N Word]

I think no!
Roman Reigns and John Cena arenot comparable!
Sheamus and Edge arenot comparable either!
But Yes! maybe for Vince not for me

Not at all comparing them to each other except for them being in the same roles and it being a similar story with a lot of paralells to each other.