Roman Reigns "Green"

[Aeon Mathix]

I see this all over the forums and cannot comprehend it so I had to make a thread about it. What is with all of these comments saying Roman Reigns is green on the mic and/or in the ring? What substantial evidence do you have to indicate that he is?

The guy has worked the majority of his matches in multi man matches and had his first real showing against Randy Orton, you know the guy you have to pretty much catch on a good day to have a great match with? How is this evident enough of Reigns' capability in the ring?

Mic work discussion is even more ridiculous around here. He isn't someone who is supposed to cut a 20 minute promo appealing to smarks. His character isn't defined as that. It's defined as someone who says simple things like punching someone in the jaw and backing that up.

We have no idea what is going to happen with Roman Reigns. He may succeed or he may fail. It doesn't matter whether anyone views him as ready or not. It's whether or not he is OVER and has the crowd behind him is what matters. John Cena or Batista weren't ready to take on the company, they learned by doing and that went pretty well for the both of them. They had the support of the fans and that's what it takes in professional wrestling.

It is just ridiculous to suggest that he is too green or needs help in the ring considering we have seen no indication of that at all. What because he hasn't wrestled an ironman match we judge him on his abilities? Because he doesn't have an indy following and is "WWE made" he seemingly doesn't know what he is doing in a wrestling ring? Or it could be that he has muscles and WWE has shown interest in him which triggers the internet's smark mechanism to find any possible flaw whether it exists or not to find a reason to hate him.

 

[WarroBODFan]

I think it's ridiculous if somebody suggests that Reigns isn't WWE ready, as he's certainly made his mark in the company these last few years as part of The Shield, and even when they first started, he looked comfortable in a WWE ring. I think some take more issue with the fact of whether he's "top guy" ready or not. Even as a Reigns fan myself, I can't help but feel that he could do with adding just a few more filler moves to his moveset. Whether that's a decision made by the 'E is another matter.

He's not "green", but some tweaks could help him, no doubt. But WWE see $$$ with this guy for a reason. They would not invest so much in a guy if they didn't believe in him, and would not give him a push if they were unsure about something. Sure, he's not the best on the mic, but you could say the same about many guys who've come and gone in the WWE throughout the years, and the same for guys still in the company. I'd prefer them to have him as an actions speak louder than words kinda guy anyway. Just have him as the cool cat who might just say a few words, look and sound like a badass, make ovaries explode and then go mess some people up in the ring.

As you said, he's an easy target by certain smarks, but if someone is legitimately not entertained by him, then don't worry about it. There's plenty of people like me who are. I'm not entertained by John Cena, but I'm not shouting it from the rooftops.

We might hear the odd boo or the odd crowd that don't give the reaction to Reigns we'd like, but he's still fairly over with the crowd. I think with the correct booking, he can get really over. Smarks are gonna smark though, don't worry about it.

 

[trendkiller]

I see this all over the forums and cannot comprehend it so I had to make a thread about it. What is with all of these comments saying Roman Reigns is green on the mic and/or in the ring? What substantial evidence do you have to indicate that he is?

Evidence? It's an opinion, not a scientific study.

I think he looks green in the ring because he doesn't feel organic; his reactions feel robotic and his line-delivery feels terribly mechanic. It's like he's always reading ahead on the script in his head before acting or talking.

It's hard to put a finger on any one thing, because it's this general sense that he's an actor on a stage that requires him to be organic, adaptable and smooth, while he's actually being mechanical, clunky and rigid (not physically speaking, but in the way he reacts in the ring).

For example, I don't know of anyone. Who pauses quite as much as he does. When he is talking to someone. In the ring or outside it. It's like he's reading out loud from a script. Devoid of emotion. Sentence by sentence. Like he's not in the situation he's in. What's that word? It's not quite believable. It's robotic. Much like this paragraph tries to illustrate.

So, rigid body-language coupled with robotic delivery, to me, makes him feel "green".

 

[Mudlup50]

Well I wish he did better on the mic, he's not bad by any means. But if he played the part of a quiet ass kicker we'd need someone to take over the void where Cena used to be(I mean on Raw how many minutes were dedicated to Cena/Heyman?). But to answer that question; Bray Wyatt, Cesaro, Ambrose, Rollins and other people coming up.

I don't want him to be another Cena. My imaginary hierarchy would be like this

Reigns:Top guy but over 10 years might have 7 world title wins(if that)
Ambrose: Upper midcard guy sneaks in 3 world title wins
Bray: Upper midcard guy who doesn't need the belt, so 2 for him
Cesaro: Will be putting new talent over so 1 for him
Rollins: Reigns antithesis so give him like 6
Cena: Will probably get 2 more
Orton: Probably 2 more
Bryan: 4 more

So that's 27 in 10 years, throw in a straggler here and there to make it 30. That'd give each champ a run of about 4 months

I just don't want any body to have 10+ reigns in the next 10 years

 

[The Man of Steel]

He is so robotic.

He's good in the ring to an extent and has the look.. but he just dosent click with me. I cant put my finger on it, but he just seems... plain. I guess its because there is no emotion from him.. like someone said it's like hes reading a script, its painful. His ring gear sucks a big-time and he seems abit clumsy.

I like the guy but I cant think of a reason to invest in him in the long run.

 

[Bone For Tuna]

Reign’s definitely looks like he’s going to be a big deal, there’s no denying that but right now I honestly think compared to some of his peers such as Wyatt, Ambrose and Rollins, he isn’t quite on their level when it comes to having a character you can really get emotionally invested in and his in ring work isn’t quite enough to make me want to tune in week after week. Yeah, the Superman punch is cool and people pop for him when he comes out, but I think based simply on his look a shit load of people have made him out to be a far bigger deal than he is at this very moment. I’m not saying he won’t go on to be big player, I think he will but right now I think he’s far, far away from being able to carry the weight of a one on one closing match at WrestleMania. When you look at some of the other guys that are on the backburner too such as Barrett, Cesaro and the crop down at NXT I don’t know if I was running things if I would be so quick to put all my eggs in one basket and push Reign’s head and shoulders above the rest right now. The future of the WWE has never looked brighter with all the amazing young talent they have and have recently signed; they aren’t necessarily hurting for the next big thing at the moment I don’t think. Of course the goal is to make Reign’s as big of name as possible and make as much money as possible, but I don’t think they need to put the title on him tomorrow or even at this year’s WrestleMania to make that happen. He's young and given he doesn't suffer any serious injuries it looks as though the sky is the limit for him but if he's pushed down everyone's throats and goes on to win as many titles as Cena people are going to shit all over him too no matter how much he progresses as a performer in the years to come.

 

[sjdigitall]

Probably going to get alot of shit for even mentioning it but i think a Reigns heel turn is what is needed, the guy is still developing a character. He's playing the cool badass face alright at the moment but he needs more nastiness, he needs the get people to hate and despise him first because although he is doing okay in terms of crowd reaction a heel turn could be a catalyst to show a different side to his character

 

[Navi]

He is so robotic.

He's good in the ring to an extent and has the look.. but he just dosent click with me. I cant put my finger on it, but he just seems... plain. I guess its because there is no emotion from him.. like someone said it's like hes reading a script, its painful. His ring gear sucks a big-time and he seems abit clumsy.

As much as I like Roman Reigns I have to agree with the above post. You can almost write the match ahead of time before it even starts.

He has probably the best look in the WWE right now, and it is the look of a future champion, but his booking has been nothing short of horrendous. Out of the three Shield members he's had the worst. Which I find amazing considering how well the Shield was booked from the beginning. You don't take one guy out of three push him to the moon and give him a feud with Kane and Orton. That's just destined to fail.

Actually his best matches have been against everyone but them. He had a great matches with Del Rio, Miz and the match against Rollins last night was fantastic. With the right opponent he could do great things, but he's a powerhouse, not a high flyer or really a brawler, and isn't supposed to have 20 minute matches.

His problem on the mic is two things. First of all he speaks very softly at times and it's hard to hear him. Secondly he tends to put emphasis on the wrong words in the sentence and it comes off sounding weird somehow.

Don't give him long matches, he doesn't need them. Give him better opponents, ones that don't phone it in, Orton I'm looking at you. Change up his ring gear, that piping they've put on his clothes really takes away from it, leave it plain black. And last but not least, don't turn him heel. He spent almost two years as a heel with one of the best factions ever, and he will do well as a babyface. He just needs to be given some time, I mean don't forget the guy has only been wrestling for the last 4 years, and in that time he's come a long way. If he's come this far in 4 years, think of how far he could go given another 4 years.

His biggest issue right now though, is the WWE has a lot of guys coming up behind him, and can easily switch him out if need be. I see him in a make it or break it situation, and maybe that's why his confidence has shown a few cracks over the last month. Horrible booking, talented guys breathing down your neck, yea it has to have some effect.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

When he cut his promo last night I felt like he just cut himself off in the middle of something that was not working and threw out a "Believe dat" just so he could get away from the microphone and Renee Young's f' me eyes. Call that what you want, being "green" on the mic or just being uncomfortable but regatdless, it is a problem. I want to give him my full attention. He does a lot of cool things but overall the character is failing for me. That doesn't mean he doesn't belong in WWE but due to rumors, relatives, and booking decisions you start to set your expectations a little higher for him.

At least by calling him green, it gives him an excuse and some time to get his shit together. It is much better than calling him worthless.

Or maybe he is just really in to the environment and we are misunderstanding what people are trying to say.

 

[JoeyJoeJoe]

He's exceptionally green on the mic, and sometimes it can be painful. He goes to a couple of very weak catchphrases, usually repeats what someone just said to him to stall for time, and always says that he's going to get right to the point...which is wrestling-code for "I can't talk". Some guys can deliver great promos without much effort, and some never can, but almost all of them can improve with time and practice. He may never be a great talker, but he can be good enough.

So his promos stink. He still puts on good matches, and he's got a great look. Sometimes, that is just enough to get someone to the top. It may not keep him there, but that's not the WWE's worst problem in the world. A lot of people think that because he can't cut the promos, that he shouldn't really be pushed to the main event at WrestleMania. I disagree. There's something to be said for going with the guy who has the hot hand, and right now Reigns has got it. The key will be building up a quality storyline around him. It worked for Daniel Bryan last year (another guy who's promo skills are generally lacking), and it paid off in a very entertaining main event that had an emotional impact.

 

[Wrestlingfan100]

he's been in the biz 4 years that's how you know he's green.
Plain and simple.

 

[CrucifiedRaven]

Randy Orton and Batista both sucked on the mic as top babyfaces when they won their first championships. Orton is now one of the best. A little slow, but he's certainly more than comfortable cutting a long promo. It comes with experience. Austin had been around for 8-9 years, before his run. Not everyone is going to be The Rock. In fact, nobody since has come close.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

At this point it may be a good idea to just not give Reigns the mic too much. When he keeps it short and to the point his mic skills at least work but he seems so out of place on the stick and the more he gets it the more his flaws are exposed.

There are some easy ways around this for sure. Goldberg became the most popular wrestler at one point never once touching the mic or giving a promo and Reigns is charismatic and dominant enough that he could just be one of those guys that lets his in ring work do the talking. He has a high impact style and as long as he can make his moves look high impact he should be fine (SIDE NOTE: lose the fucking spear, you suck at it.). Sometimes people don't need great mic skills and great in ring skills, sometimes they just need to go out to the ring, kick ass and leave. Reigns has the tools to be one of those guys and that can be enough to get him to the top of the mountain.

Down the road he can add in mic skills when he gets better at it but for now its just stupid to do so. Reigns has a lot going for him, a lot of strengths, some of those are unique only to him with the current roster so why expose his faults when it simply doesn't need to happen?

 

[FightOwensFight]

With Reigns, his mic work will get better with time. Most people take time to get comfortable in that setting and no amount of practice can prepare you for speaking like that in front of thousands of people. In-ring performance is where I think the concern should be.

People complain about Cena and his "5 Moves of Doom". What does Reigns have? I imagine they are keeping it simple, but it is still a concern. My biggest issue is that, for someone with his size and athletic ability, his spear often looks horrible. It is probably also a problem of the person selling it, but too often it looks like there is no impact. Reigns should be nearly splitting people in half with that move. Instead it looks like he is slowly running up to them and nudging them to the ground.

 

[L@RISANO]

As much as I like Roman Reigns I have to agree with the above post. You can almost write the match ahead of time before it even starts.

He has probably the best look in the WWE right now, and it is the look of a future champion, but his booking has been nothing short of horrendous. Out of the three Shield members he's had the worst. Which I find amazing considering how well the Shield was booked from the beginning. You don't take one guy out of three push him to the moon and give him a feud with Kane and Orton. That's just destined to fail.

Actually his best matches have been against everyone but them. He had a great matches with Del Rio, Miz and the match against Rollins last night was fantastic. With the right opponent he could do great things, but he's a powerhouse, not a high flyer or really a brawler, and isn't supposed to have 20 minute matches.

His problem on the mic is two things. First of all he speaks very softly at times and it's hard to hear him. Secondly he tends to put emphasis on the wrong words in the sentence and it comes off sounding weird somehow.

Don't give him long matches, he doesn't need them. Give him better opponents, ones that don't phone it in, Orton I'm looking at you. Change up his ring gear, that piping they've put on his clothes really takes away from it, leave it plain black. And last but not least, don't turn him heel. He spent almost two years as a heel with one of the best factions ever, and he will do well as a babyface. He just needs to be given some time, I mean don't forget the guy has only been wrestling for the last 4 years, and in that time he's come a long way. If he's come this far in 4 years, think of how far he could go given another 4 years.

His biggest issue right now though, is the WWE has a lot of guys coming up behind him, and can easily switch him out if need be. I see him in a make it or break it situation, and maybe that's why his confidence has shown a few cracks over the last month. Horrible booking, talented guys breathing down your neck, yea it has to have some effect.

Seems to be on point, the above post.

With regards to Roman Reigns on the mic;
I think he is still finding a comfort zone in terms of delivery, and that is seen regularly as his style has changed quite a bit each time he gets mic time. I'd say using his normal voice for delivery more often, rather than the 'silky' style he used last night might work better in the long run. Anyone thinking he can ever be gold on the mic, is mistaken(I say that as a huge fan of him), he isn't a long promo type of guy by any stretch of imagination, thus, comparisons with Batista and Orton in that regard is justified.


As for in-ring work; Yes, he does need to introduce new moves gradually, but I'd argue, he has been doing that since SummerSlam especially. Take last night's match vs Rollins, which was fantastic and fluid(by far his best since going Single), he did some moves that he doesn't do normally and the storytelling in the match was brilliant,lMO, in terms of Seth's promo of "Brains vs Brawn" being played out to perfection.

As Navi has pointed out; Booking him with Kane and Orton was a bad move for his momentum, whilst the other 2 went into a 1-on-1 Hot Feud with a true backstory behind it, which fans were invested in and has helped both arguably get ahead of Roman Reigns in the fans' eyes.



NoC will see Roman Reigns vs Seth Rollins part 2, and last night's match was great, I am hoping to see more of the same or better, as Reigns finally has someone that can match him perfectly, and it showed last night.

Whilst this is obviously a minor feud(with Rollins) until Dean Ambrose returns; where Roman goes post-NoC(Hopefully to HHH and not back to Orton) and who he faces will ultimately decide where he will end up come the Road to Wrestlemania 31,lMO.

 

[ABMorales787]

Since when are big tough guys more than 2 words deep and a punch in the face? He's entertaining, he gets a pop and is competent. Does he need anything else other than creative backing? No. He doesn't.

He was placed in the semi-main event of Summerslam and did quite well. If he's green, then the man must be a veggie. Cause he seems ready for harvest.

 

[Nate DaMac]

It appears that most of you have no idea what being green means. It's inexperience. It's why Jericho called Goldberg :Greenberg" during the feud (if you could call it that) in WCW. He is green, he's only been wrestling for about 4 years and a year and a half of that has been on TV. However, for a guy only 4 years into the business he's showing ability well beyond his years and I suspect that it will only get better.

His promos suck because whoever writes them sucks. When you don't have the clout or reputation to overrule the creative staff, you're stuck with whatever garbage they're feeding you. He's not a good actor, but if you listen to him in any of his interviews he's more than competent as a speaker.

That's one of the key problems in the WWE today; you have people who have worked towards getting a job writing in television who end writing a wrestling program. These are people who aren't used to having a live audience tell them what works and what doesn't, they engineer the reaction they desire via canned laughter or the "Oohs" and Awwws" in sitcoms. There's a reason why the best written shows are dramas and sitcoms are trash, generally speaking. I'm going off on a tangent here.

Anywho, wrestlers aren't actors. You don't just feed them dialogue and expect them to know what to do with it. Reigns is a prime example of that. He was a much better talker when he was with the Shield, especially in the backstage segments when they were clearly talking off-script.

Furthermore, you can tell that guys like Rollins and Ambrose aren't reading a script verbatim. They're just following key points and putting it together their own way. That's because they've been doing this for a long time and they already know how to cut a promo. Reigns isn't given that leeway because this is his first go around with solo promos. He's green.

This a fucking scattered mess of a post but I think I have some good points here.