Rollins fiddles while Roman burns

[Mustang Sally]

Yes, matches in pro wrestling are scripted, yet what goes on backstage has to be as real as any form of show business....or any business that employs people. To that end, I wonder how Roman Reigns views the alterations WWE management made to his career path before and after WM31.....and how the powers-that-be view him now.

Plainly, he was scheduled to become WWE champion at the event, a plan that was apparently in place months before. All he needed to do was develop according to plan and the world was his. Yes, the months he lost to injury took away the badly needed experience he could have gained toward the company's (and his) goals. Only management can say whether that time would have gotten him there, or still left him short, but that time-out came at a very inopportune juncture in Roman's career, for sure.

But how do you think Roman felt when told of the change in plans? Were they really switching things up right until the main event came off? How close was he to actually becoming the world champion? Or did the alterations we read about pertain only to whether Seth Rollins would cash in successfully, as opposed to Brock Lesnar retaining the title since he signed a new contract that week?

In other words, when did Roman Reigns actually find out his bubble had been popped?

Of course, it could have been worse. At Fast Lane, the company had the perfect opportunity to get Roman out of the main event at WM31 by having him lose to Daniel Bryan. Can you imagine that? If it happened, the only Reigns sighting we might have gotten at WM31 would be watching him inserted into the Andre the Giant Battle Royal.

Presumably, the fact he still main-evented leaves intact his hopes for the near future. Certainly, the way he's been booked these past couple weeks seems to indicate he's still the favored son.... well situated to operate at the top of the card someday.

What do you think of Roman's apparent career derailment? Even if WWE wants him to measure up, do you believe he can?

 

[Max Headroom]

I'm sure it must have sucked for him when he found out that he would, in fact, not be winning the championship at Mania. However, as much as he must have hated it, deep down he probably knew it was the proper thing. Him winning the championship had a much higher risk of failure than it did reward. I never disliked Roman, and I want to see him succeed, but WM was much too early for him. Especially as he was out some of the year on injury.

I don't think his career has been derailed, per se, but it has just simply been slowed down form mega-fast-super-push to slow-burn-proper-push. He's not going out there jobbing, or looking like loser. He's still winning matches with the big fellas (he even finally pinned BS on RAW). But he's just not chasing the title directly right now, which is good. If he properly develops, and gets more over with the fans overall (he seems to be coming around), I can see him taking the strap at SummerSlam. But he surely wasn't/still isn't quite ready to hold it, and therefore he shouldn't just yet.

As for WWE wanting him to measure up, damn right they want him to. They wanted him to well before WM, but they should have known better. He's a great talent to have on hand, and a slower build would have done him wonders, instead of now having to focus on damage control due to moronic booking decisions. However, do I believe in him ever being able to measure up?

...I believe that! (heh)

He will come around, given proper time and proper booking. Just don't have him go anywhere handy to those cheesy story promos he was doing a while back, and have him stay away from the WWE strap for a little, while Orton goes after Rollins. Having him near that strap will just bring back bad memories, and keeping him away will give the people whom highly dislike him time to come around to him. I'm fairly certain most of the hate wasn't at Roman directly, just at the thought of him jumping up and being the guy, whilst having no real reason to have that privilege over some of the other wrestlers. Now that they know he isn't the major face guy, they can start to appreciate his good traits, and Roman also has time to work out his flaws without being under the microscope he would have been under if he won. As I said previously, I never hated the guy, I enjoy his presence, but I *really* did not want to see him winning at Mania. Now that that's not a risk, I enjoy seeing him slowly improve, to eventually be ready to properly hold that championship.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I've read various reports over the past few weeks that MIGHT shed some light on things, if they're legit.

According to everything I've read, many of Reigns' family were flat out pissed that he didn't walk out of WrestleMania as champion, his father was particularly upset that it didn't go down. Those same reports, however, have stated that Reigns himself was gracious about the whole thing, behaved professionally, conducted himself like a veteran and helped calm his father down. He & Lesnar, reportedly, were told about the change earlier in the week and, again reportedly, Reigns accepted it like a man and did his thing. If this is true, then my respect for Reigns continues to grow; not that I didn't respect the guy before or that I suddenly believe that he's ready for the spot, it's just that it's refreshing to hear about a pro behaving like a pro rather than some pissed off kid who didn't get the toy he wanted which, unfortunately, is something that's becoming pretty common in wrestling today as a whole.

I have no doubt Reigns wasn't bummed out and had to be personally disappointed. I really don't see how he couldn't be and that he didn't feel frustrated as hell considering the spot, the show, his family being there, etc. I think anyone who cares one whit about their career as a wrestler would feel the exact same way but, again, if all these reports are true, I very much applaud the way he's been handling it. He hasn't been moping or whining, hasn't been sulking backstage, hasn't taken to social media to blast everyone, etc.

 

[wrestler36]

I don't think it's career derailment at all and that it is just a short term setback, if even a setback. Sure Reigns didn't win the title, but showed how tough he was at WM, taking a bigger beating than Cena and UT and surviving. Reigns is still growing and getting better, whereas Rollins spent years in the independence, then FCW, so he's much more polished. In the long run, Reigns will be fine and will win over the audience

 

[Kodo Sawaki]

According to reports Brock, Reigns and Rollins found out on the day at Mania that there is gona be cash in. Before that it was wheather Brock will go out because of contract and before Rumble and that reaction to Reigns it was set in stone for Reigns to win at the end. So if it is according to reports, the Mania day.

Its kind of WWE thing really. What they want and what they get is usually two separate things at the end. They wanted Batista, Cena emerged as top face after. They didnt want Bryan, they got whole Wrestlemania succesfully revolving around guy. They wanted Reigns, they got Rollins.

Can Reigns emerge as major star? Yes if they play it right. If they had him go to, for example, HHH instead of Big Show my opinion is that he could be pretty over as face right now and he could, for example go after Rollins now. Instead they put him with Big Show, gave him Superstar of the year award, RR win and make him look as somebody who was just handed everything on the silver plate. And crowd hated that. If they used his reaction after Shield to garner more face reaction with something meaningfull instead of just trying to hand him over the world, maybe he would be who WWE wants him to be right now. They still have time for that if they build it right, but this time they should be more carefull. Otherwise he would just be another Ryback, guy who was handpicked to succeed but never really lived by expectations and got lost in shuffle.

 

[Navi]

Yes, matches in pro wrestling are scripted, yet what goes on backstage has to be as real as any form of show business....or any business that employs people. To that end, I wonder how Roman Reigns views the alterations WWE management made to his career path before and after WM31.....and how the powers-that-be view him now.

I don't think that anyone other than Roman Reigns or WWE management can answer those questions. Anything we come up with here is just guesswork and supposition.

I read two different sets of reports that seems to tell different stories, so I don't know which one was true. The first stated that Lesnar knew who he was dropping the title too before he went on ESPN to break the news that he was staying, and Rollins knew about the cash in as well. The second report is basically the same it says Lesnar knew, but Rollins found out during the Rock/Rousey segment that he was cashing in. Both reports state Reigns knew nothing until Wrestlemania was underway. That last part I believe, I watched Reigns interviews during the week and he's just not that good of an actor yet. Also he would have informed his family and they wouldn't have been so pissed off. I read those reports as well.

Going forward keep him close to the title picture but not directly in it. He has to as I've said before re-connect with the fans he's lost. In order to do that though he needs a good feud, or he needs to hold a lesser title like the US or IC for awhile. Putting him in a feud with Rusev or Cena and having him win the US title would go a long way to cementing him as a singles wrestler. Something that hasn't happened yet.

And for crying out loud keep him away from 6 man tag matches and the Big Show and Kane. Right now he's on the B show on the European tour and he's feuding again with of all people, Big Show. I still to this day have no idea why Big Show is main eventing anything. Kane at least loses, not Big Show.

The only thing that will help Reigns now is time, and hopefully the WWE is willing to give him that. They weren't in the past and that's what screwed them over.

 

[Good Golly It's Ollie]

According to reports Brock, Reigns and Rollins found out on the day at Mania that there is gona be cash in. Before that it was wheather Brock will go out because of contract and before Rumble and that reaction to Reigns it was set in stone for Reigns to win at the end. So if it is according to reports, the Mania day.

I thought this was always the case since a wrestler spoiled a match outcome like 20 years ago.

I think Roman's success depends on the fans calming down and not booing him to shreds. If he can rise out of it like Cena did he'll be fine. I'm thinking he should properly heel it up now to ride the wave. Edge overcame legit heat in this kind of manner.

 

[Mustang Sally]

According to everything I've read, many of Reigns' family were flat out pissed that he didn't walk out of WrestleMania as champion, his father was particularly upset that it didn't go down. Those same reports, however, have stated that Reigns himself was gracious about the whole thing, behaved professionally, conducted himself like a veteran and helped calm his father down.

Well, I certainly like the sound of that. I don't care what his family thought ....and Roman obviously had to be disappointed......but if he was smart enough to take it like an adult and not allow the letdown to affect his performance or locker room attitude, he's miles ahead of the game.....and probably impressed the WWE brass in the process.

The guy is still young and has plenty of time to make it big in WWE. Watching his old buddy Seth leap ahead of him in the "rankings" had to hurt, but I'm looking forward to enjoying Roman's career for a long time to come (still want to see his upper body, unencumbered ) and fully believe he did himself a favor by not ranting & raving........at least as far as we know.

 

[HORRORHOLIC]

Reigns losing this year will be much better for his career in the long run. He'll have his time.

 

[L@RISANO]

Yes, matches in pro wrestling are scripted, yet what goes on backstage has to be as real as any form of show business....or any business that employs people. To that end, I wonder how Roman Reigns views the alterations WWE management made to his career path before and after WM31.....and how the powers-that-be view him now.

Plainly, he was scheduled to become WWE champion at the event, a plan that was apparently in place months before. All he needed to do was develop according to plan and the world was his. Yes, the months he lost to injury took away the badly needed experience he could have gained toward the company's (and his) goals. Only management can say whether that time would have gotten him there, or still left him short, but that time-out came at a very inopportune juncture in Roman's career, for sure.

But how do you think Roman felt when told of the change in plans? Were they really switching things up right until the main event came off? How close was he to actually becoming the world champion? Or did the alterations we read about pertain only to whether Seth Rollins would cash in successfully, as opposed to Brock Lesnar retaining the title since he signed a new contract that week?

In other words, when did Roman Reigns actually find out his bubble had been popped?

Of course, it could have been worse. At Fast Lane, the company had the perfect opportunity to get Roman out of the main event at WM31 by having him lose to Daniel Bryan. Can you imagine that? If it happened, the only Reigns sighting we might have gotten at WM31 would be watching him inserted into the Andre the Giant Battle Royal.

Presumably, the fact he still main-evented leaves intact his hopes for the near future. Certainly, the way he's been booked these past couple weeks seems to indicate he's still the favored son.... well situated to operate at the top of the card someday.

What do you think of Roman's apparent career derailment? Even if WWE wants him to measure up, do you believe he can?

Given the sustained crowd reactions in a negative light for him after his poorly thought out return from injury, and given that reports state Roman as being understanding,etc. regarding the change in plans... I wouldn't be surprised if Roman himself is breathing a sigh of relief for his Main Event chances in the WWE. I truly feel that had he won at Mania, he would have had to endure a shitstorm much much worse than "Die Rocky Die" and it would have most surely ended any chance of him being accepted by the naysayers/haters and also those on the neutral side(especially casual fans).



I do feel they changed the plan quite close to or at Mania itself as reported, and that will be a blessing in disguise for Roman Reigns in the long run, as now he can truly be built up properly.
The only gripe I have is that his injury robbed us of a truly great SHIELD break-up angle(but that still has a chance of playing out given how Mania ended)



I think the WWE is still very much high on Roman Reigns and his booking since Mania reflects that. Yes, they have put the much needed brakes on the all out Superpush, but I have wondered if it was always going to be Roman or Seth leaving Mania as Champion either depending on how things go in the lead-up and it just might have been a case of Plan A(Roman) being scrapped in favour of Plan B(Seth) as the latter had progressed as required whilst Plan A could wait till later.



Hopefully, given Roman was screwed out of a title chance again last RAW by the Authority... I do hope he goes on an all out collision course with the Authority as he was supposed to post-Payback 2014, and he ends up against a "rejuvenated" Triple H(rejuvenated by way of a W vs Sting at Mania at WrestleMania), before getting to Rollins at possibly HiaC.
(IF HHH & Stephanie vs Rock/Rousey is a plan for Mania32, I can see Reigns vs HHH being a starting point for that to happen in some form)


Ntm, I'd dearly love to see Roman Reigns vs Brock Lesnar at some point but in a less clear and obvious journey towards it unlike the Mania31 version.

 

[FreezeIzGAWD]

I just think it proves the new age fans are BYTCHES.......

They hated on this man for absolutely no honest reason. They destroyed his dream just because their midget goat face didn't get his way and IT IS DISGUSTING!!!

Y'all always talk about the E burying someone well U Bums buried this guy FOR ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

I am just curious by the way as to what U nerds feel he should do to receive his shot by the way.....

Improve his mic skills? Yeah because DB is exciting on the mic right?

It won't matter. U guys will continue to hate on this guy just because he is everything U hate....

A handsome, muscular guy with money and that makes U realize your lives suck. Otherwise U would not keep this Man from getting his money....

Jay Z said it best what U eat don't make me SHYT......

U nerds should remember that

 

[Kyphael]

The fans turned on Reigns because he is another corporate cutout champion manufactured and shoved down the audience's throat. What has Reigns done to deserve his spot? Play Football for a minute, be Sika's son, and have a good look/build? It may be ENTERTAINMENT but there is still a hardcore WRESTLING fan base that watched ECW, WCW, the attitude era, watched the good years of TNA, watches the indies, new Japan, and Ring of Honor, is very rabid, and not afraid to voice their opinion when they see bullsh*t.

Bryan isn't just over with this rabid crowd, though, he is over "UNIVERSALLY" with WWE's ENTIRE fanbase. His chants are repeated in High School and NBA games, he's probably the most recent wrestler to be recognized by nearly everyone, yet Reigns is supposed to be "the one?" Get the f*ck out of here. Reigns reeks of Drew Galloway.

Bryan is not only organically over, he EARNED it by wrestling years in the indies, in Japan, slowly building respect from not only his peers but anyone with access to a computer who will look him up on google, while Reigns comes in and is supposed to take his spot even though he's red hot and in his prime? That's like Vince in 98 ignoring the crowd and hot shooting The Rock in front of Austin to Wrestlemania 14 against Michaels because Rock was younger, and has a look he liked while Austin was over organically but didn't look as good as The Rock.

The Rock would have crashed and burned, badly, and would have never found his identity while Austin wasted away in the mid-card with an Intercontinental title. WWE is LUCKY it monopolized professional wrestling because if they were still in competition, the crap with Bryan/Reigns this year wouldn't have flown. Fans would have called BS and switched over to the alternative if there was one (no, TNA is not an alternative, it is a pitiful nuisance that is even on less homes than before and I say that with no reflection whatsoever on their roster--they're run by idiots.)

Rollins was the wild card. WWE's number one full time heel. They didn't want the title on Bryan, but also couldn't put it on Reigns without disastrous results, so he was their ace in the hole, their "Edge" to save face.

 

[Mac]

The best thing for him is to lose that match. At this point Reigns is damaged goods, for him to shed the negative stigma he needs a total reboot. Take him off television for 2/3 months, change his ring gear and music and pretty much start from the bottom and let him develop and get over at his own pace. Then when he's truly ready you begin to push him towards the main event again.

 

[Navi]

The best thing for him is to lose that match. At this point Reigns is damaged goods, for him to shed the negative stigma he needs a total reboot. Take him off television for 2/3 months, change his ring gear and music and pretty much start from the bottom and let him develop and get over at his own pace. Then when he's truly ready you begin to push him towards the main event again.

If they take him off TV now it will show the fans that the WWE have lost all faith in him, and might as well put the final nail in his coffin. I agree with repackaging him, but what he needs is a feud other than Big Show. For some reason they just can't seem to get these two apart and it's freaking annoying as shit.

 

[Kyphael]

I disagree on taking him off TV as well but agree with re-packaging. Why does Roman still wrestle in freaking Shield gear? He even still has the same damn entrance music and entrance. For someone WWE put so much faith in, they sure as hell had no creativity to give him a new identity, or they don't think he can develop one on his own so they have him ride The Shield's coattail long after Seth Rollins successfully developed an identity and new look and got over as the best heel since CM Punk.

And while on that, Dean Ambrose ALSO needs a new look. Jeans and a wife beater? I know the dude doesn't have the best physique but he has a decent look, and they cover him up like a PG-ass ECW reject. Put some black trunks with barb wire design, knee pads, have him tape his knuckles and beat the shit out of his opponents that way, he'll look more gritty than this cartoon-like brawler they have him play. Plus, skinny jeans must be so inhibiting to flexibility.

Austin said it best. "With your little gimmick trunks, your stupid little beard." I hate cartoon looks and gimmicks. You should stand out based on personality, promo ability and in-ring prowess, not have to dress the part.

 

[MartialHorror]

On the other hand, even though he lost Mania, it seems like he's over with the fans once again. Despite being in a match with Ziggler and Bryan as his partners, he got the most pops and chants. So Roman can be rebuilt into a worthy champion.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

I expect Roman Reigns would have been extremely disappointed when he found out the scheduled plans had changed and that he WOULD NOT be walking out of WrestleMania the WWE World Heavyweight Champion. That was obviously WWE's plan, but I think they eventually made the right decision to go with Rollins and not Reigns- he just isn't ready yet. He's getting there but unforunately WrestleMania came too quickly for him, as he missed quite a few months with injury, therefore losing time infront of the camera.

Roman is still very green, he's a young guy with a great look, natural charisma and an excellent athlete but WWE were forcing him down people's throats, telling us LIKE THIS MAN, CHEER FOR HIM and the fans just didn't go for it. They didn't like his overly scripted promos and the way he was booked to look overly dominant in every match. By giving the title to Rollins, a much more experienced and polished performer, this gives Reigns more time to build his persona, improve his character and be ready and raring to go when the time does come for him to become WWE World Heavyweight Champion.

I think the best thing would have been for him to become Intercontinental Champion or US Champion, and get some experience of some high-profile matches and the pressure of being a champion, without having the company on his shoulders.

 

[Blade]

I've always wondered how devastating it must be when you're told you'll win the title, then it's ripped from your hands in the 11th hour. Daniel Bryan at Summerslam 2013, and Reigns this year. There's also Batista last year, though I can't imagine that hurt as much since he had won the title before.

Anyway, credit to those guys for all acting professionally after the plans were changed. God knows I probably wouldn't. But none of them 'CM Punked' on the situation.

In Reigns' case specifically, I would still bet my house on him winning the World Title at some point in the next year or two. The WWE assumed that when Reigns came back from injury, he'd be universally beloved, and the heat would bring him all the way to the WWE Title, like Triple H, Cena and Edge before him. Except, Reigns is nowhere near at the level of those guys when they returned. Reigns needed to be rebuild from a lower position.

Reigns needs to be patient, and work hard. And he needs WWE to calm down a little bit in regards to his bookings. If that happens, Reigns will be just fine.

 

[Wald]

If I were Reigns I'd be more concerned with how he has been presented since Mania than what went down during the match. There is no shame in not beating Brock Lesnar in a match, no shame in putting on one of the best Wrestlemania main events in history and no shame in having Rollins sneak the title win when it looked like it was in Roman's hands.

Thta said, since Wrestlemania he has been presented quite poorly. He didn't say anything on the Raw after Mania, gave some generic comments on Smackdown and again wasn't that well featured on last week's Raw. It seems like a depush because he has been treated a bit like he is just another guy, where as in fact he should be out there beating his drum and saying that he's the guy who had Brock reeling and that he would be champion right now if it weren't for Rollins' cowardly actions. He should be demanding the match against Rollins at Payback and he should be chasing the guy out of the arena every night. I also would have had him go out in front of the Raw after Mania crowd and told them that he had shut up each and every one of critics during his match with Brock. Just say something along the lines of, 'I can't wrestle? I had Brock beat and you all know it', anything to give his fans something to rally behind.

 

[Mustang Sally]

It seems like a depush because he has been treated a bit like he is just another guy, where as in fact he should be out there beating his drum and saying that he's the guy who had Brock reeling and that he would be champion right now if it weren't for Rollins' cowardly actions.

Yours is a valid point, yet I keep thinking the way they're doing it now is more in line with Reigns' understated personality; he doesn't do it with his mouth, he does it with his fists. I figure the fact he hasn't spoken much is part of WWE management's plan to tear him down a bit in order to build him up again......while still keeping him in the spotlight as the heir apparent, which is a tough road to navigate. To that end, he's fighting in 6-man tag teams again and squaring off one-on-one against Big Show. Yes, lots of folks can't stand that, yet it seems a good step at this point in Roman's re-development.

The thing is, there's no rush.....in fact, it was rushing the first time around that placed Reigns in the tough spot he was in.

Final point: as to the idea of him being seemingly de-pushed, it should be pointed out that after headlining a Wrestlemania against a dynamic opponent like Brock Lesnar, any-damn-thing that follows will seem like a de-push, no?

 

[Navi]

If I were Reigns I'd be more concerned with how he has been presented since Mania than what went down during the match. There is no shame in not beating Brock Lesnar in a match, no shame in putting on one of the best Wrestlemania main events in history and no shame in having Rollins sneak the title win when it looked like it was in Roman's hands.

Thta said, since Wrestlemania he has been presented quite poorly. He didn't say anything on the Raw after Mania, gave some generic comments on Smackdown and again wasn't that well featured on last week's Raw. It seems like a depush because he has been treated a bit like he is just another guy, where as in fact he should be out there beating his drum and saying that he's the guy who had Brock reeling and that he would be champion right now if it weren't for Rollins' cowardly actions. He should be demanding the match against Rollins at Payback and he should be chasing the guy out of the arena every night. I also would have had him go out in front of the Raw after Mania crowd and told them that he had shut up each and every one of critics during his match with Brock. Just say something along the lines of, 'I can't wrestle? I had Brock beat and you all know it', anything to give his fans something to rally behind.

Good points and it's the one thing that has bothered me about Reigns since the Shield broke up. You think this guy would be really, and I mean really pissed off. He just doesn't seem to care at all.

When Rollins turned on them, Ambrose went after him, Reigns well I can't remember what he did. He had a feud with Big Show and a couple of matches with Kane, but really nothing else. When Ambrose had to film the movie Reigns did step in for him in the Rollins feud, but that was about it. It's almost like they forgot about him. He should have been tearing through the Authority like a madman. But he didn't.

After Mania you'd think he would want to kill Rollins. All he said as much in an interview was about being at the top of the mountain and taken off. Every time Rollins hits the ring I want to see Reigns right behind him ready to beat the shit out of him. The fans would eat it up and be on his side, what a way to get them back. But instead he sits down with Saxton and tells his story, and then starts up with Big Show again.

The missed opportunities that have happened with Reigns are inexcusable. The WWE wants him as the next face of the company, but they book him like shit. It's obvious that the fans have turned on him, so instead of trying to get them back, push them away even more but putting him in a painfully boring feud. It's almost impossible to believe that Rollins and Reigns work for the same creative team when you look at the way their booked as individuals.

I realize that Orton has a stake in this as well, but Orton could be going after HHH or Big Show or Kane, for standing by and letting Rollins curb stomp him. Leave Rollins for Reigns, he needs it more. Lesnar went after Rollins the next night on RAW, Reigns was no where to be seen. Now that Lesnar is under suspension Reigns should be gunning on every show for Rollins, and let the Authority throw everything they can against him. Not only would it look like he actually cares, but the fans would start caring as well. He would build up his credibility and isn't that what the WWE wants. If they want to put the title on him, going about it they way they are, isn't the way to go. You have to strike while the iron is hot, I have no idea why they don't.

 

[MartialHorror]

Good points and it's the one thing that has bothered me about Reigns since the Shield broke up. You think this guy would be really, and I mean really pissed off. He just doesn't seem to care at all.

When Rollins turned on them, Ambrose went after him, Reigns well I can't remember what he did. He had a feud with Big Show and a couple of matches with Kane, but really nothing else. When Ambrose had to film the movie Reigns did step in for him in the Rollins feud, but that was about it. It's almost like they forgot about him. He should have been tearing through the Authority like a madman. But he didn't.

After Mania you'd think he would want to kill Rollins. All he said as much in an interview was about being at the top of the mountain and taken off. Every time Rollins hits the ring I want to see Reigns right behind him ready to beat the shit out of him. The fans would eat it up and be on his side, what a way to get them back. But instead he sits down with Saxton and tells his story, and then starts up with Big Show again.

The missed opportunities that have happened with Reigns are inexcusable. The WWE wants him as the next face of the company, but they book him like shit. It's obvious that the fans have turned on him, so instead of trying to get them back, push them away even more but putting him in a painfully boring feud. It's almost impossible to believe that Rollins and Reigns work for the same creative team when you look at the way their booked as individuals.

I realize that Orton has a stake in this as well, but Orton could be going after HHH or Big Show or Kane, for standing by and letting Rollins curb stomp him. Leave Rollins for Reigns, he needs it more. Lesnar went after Rollins the next night on RAW, Reigns was no where to be seen. Now that Lesnar is under suspension Reigns should be gunning on every show for Rollins, and let the Authority throw everything they can against him. Not only would it look like he actually cares, but the fans would start caring as well. He would build up his credibility and isn't that what the WWE wants. If they want to put the title on him, going about it they way they are, isn't the way to go. You have to strike while the iron is hot, I have no idea why they don't.

To be fair, he was targeting the authority- feuded with Randy Orton- and was in the beginning stages of his feud with Rollins when he had a hernia. There was also a rumor that he was going to have a PPV match with Triple H.

The Big Show feud came about from Cena's PPV match with Rollins, if memory serves. So while it's flimsy on a storytelling angle, there just hasn't been any room for a real Reigns/Rollins feud.

 

[Mudlup50]

I think part of the problem is the exact reason Rollins is so perfect as world champion right now, everyone is in a feud with him. You figure after Mania he had how many feuds that didn't really get closure?

1. Lesnar: They had been building towards this since Night Of Champions when Rollins cost Lesnar his second(third) match with Cena.
2. Reigns: He can argue he got costed the title at Mania by Rollins, plus Rollins broke the Shield up("which might be too long ago to reference") but he could also point out he's beat Rollins fair and square before
3. Orton: The feud was supposed to end because Orton RKOed him at Mania? There was no blow off for the feud yet so it had to continue
4. Cena: How did this feud end? Didn't Cena just kinda move on from him to Rusev? So this feud never ended and Cena could reignite his feud with Rollins due to respect or something to that effect
5. Ambrose: The feud that never really ended. Right as Ambrose had Rollins beat, Wyatt interfered so this feud never ended, which arguably cost Ambrose big.

You figure you suspend Lesnar and save him for a big 4 PPV, hand Cena the US belt, have Ambrose push away, and give Orton a match at the title. Reigns would be next in line, he finishes his stuff with Big Show at Extreme Rules and gets a title match at the next PPV, which he should lose. I think the current plan should be to give Reigns like a year long stretch where he just can't get the job done, he can't capture the WWE WHC and the fans will rally behind him sooner or later.

Anyway you wanna know why Rollins is way more over right now than Reigns, look at what they've done since the Shield split up.

Rollins: Joined the most hated faction of the modern era, feuded with Ambrose in what most would agree was the Feud of the Year, feuded with John Cena, took Randy Orton out of action, almost beat Lesnar and Cena in the same night, built to Mania by "feuding" with Jon Stewart and cashed in at Mania...

Reigns: Feuded with Orton which was a boring feud anyway, had a month minifeud with Rollins which was forgettable aside from Rollins eating the clean loss before their PPV match, feuded with Big Show who let's face it can not get anyone over anymore, feuded with Kane who is in the same boat as the Big Show, won the Royal Rumble which is more memorable because the fans crapped on it, and then lost to Lesnar at Mania.

Rollins has had the push behind him the whole time. Hopefully Rollins holds on to the belt till maybe SummerSlam where I could see him dropping it to maybe Daniel Bryan or Cena. Have Reigns toil and maybe get his run next year. Ambrose needs to win his important matches if he wants to be the WWE WHC.

 

[multiverseman.com]

To me, the follow up to Wrestlemania was nearly as bad as the lead in for Reigns. Before, love him or hate him, he was a hot topic.

Now he's a rudderless ship, a guy that people are barely even talking about anymore. They didn't play up his anger at losing or even find him a new feud. He's just....there.

 

[Mac]

If they take him off TV now it will show the fans that the WWE have lost all faith in him, and might as well put the final nail in his coffin. I agree with repackaging him, but what he needs is a feud other than Big Show. For some reason they just can't seem to get these two apart and it's freaking annoying as shit.

That's not the case at all you can easily write him off via injury angle. During that time it will allow him and the fans a break from each other. You bring him back with a repackaged look and new theme. You then build him up the way he should've been built in the first place.