So Roman can't cut promos?

[Trill Co$by]

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It's being said so damn much these days that it's almost starting to steer me towards gouging my own eyes out so I won't have to read it anymore... And yet, just last Summer Roman Reigns had plenty of people backing him when he said the simple phrase, "When Roman Reigns is in the building, you're damn right Cena sucks!"... It was just last Summer when all Reigns had to do was blare his music to get the crowd popping louder than ANYBODY on the roster, including Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, Brock Lesnar, and Daniel Bryan... Hell, in December alone, Reigns only had to come out and Superman Punch Big Show to get the crowd to pop.

But when he's being forced to read off promos given to him by some stupid writers, all of a sudden it's "Roman can't cut a promo" as if there's any previous merit to those claims... Reigns has it in him to cut promos, we've all seen it in the past. He's also got it in him to be entertaining, as we've seen in the past... So why are fans so resistant all of a sudden? Because Daniel Bryan's back? Because some stupid crowd in Philly booed him on ONE NIGHT?

I thoroughly enjoy watching Reigns, and I believe that if Vince lets Reigns be himself, we can see him become even better. Hell, just last night on Raw he was able to hold himself on the microphone with Rollins, HHH, Daniel Bryan, and Stephanie McMahon... but by the way people rag on him, you wouldn't know it.

 

[MartialHorror]

Right now, fans tend to exaggerate the badness of Reigns' promo selling. The problem right now is-

1) He's getting more promo time. Few people can carry a promo for very long. Even Bray tends to get boring when talking too much.

2) He's being written as if he's Cena 2.0, when Reigns should be portrayed as a man of few words, but whose words leave a stronger impact.

3) Various botches like forgetting his lines or saying something bizarre such as "Andre never had to call himself a giant".

When people say he can't cut a promo, it tends to be more out of frustration in regards to his push. Usually, 'the face of the company' can talk circles out of everyone else. And honestly, I don't think the Reigns backlash is that severe. Or at least as bad as we thought it was. He's been getting a more mixed reaction since the Rumble, although I don't see how having a match with Daniel Bryan will help win fans over.

 

[Soulblazed]

I'll say this much-IF WWE stopped scripting their wrestlers and gave EACH wrestler bullet points and that's it, then promos overall would be that much better..Because in my opinion, scripted promos are atrocious no matter who's cutting them, simply because they're scripted..They don't allow for any improvisation at all, nor do they allow said wrestler to show any of their real personality...

S#cial Sector, your examples are good..I'll add the Reigns/Lesnar/Heyman sit-down confrontation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKsej4TqcEQ

 

[L@RISANO]

After rewatching that first video, it is obvious that Vince and his want of Cena 2.0 has almost destroyed Roman Reigns beyond repair.


Also, another observation I made from that, is that since his 'acting classes', Reigns' delivery style has improved in terms of the scripted shit they have constantly fed him in an effort to make him do longer promos.


The parts about Cena sucks when Reigns is in the house, and the insults to Kane were clearly not from a script and seemed much more natural in terms of its delivery, but the other parts were much more robotic due to the scripting and obviously someone in the back directs him on how to deliver the scripted shit as well.



That said; last night, Reigns was short and to the point, and that is suitable at this point. To be honest, last night he was more on the Tweener side, as he was in the above video by the OP, in that he just wanted to kick ass and get to the top, and that is effectively how Roman Reigns should be portrayed until a character tweak is required at some point in the future.

 

[CrucifiedRaven]

I agree. Roman isn't the best on the mic, but he's not bad.

He's been put into this weird spot - where he has a chance to be the guy before he has actually found what works for him. So he comes out one week and is a man of few words. Then he comes out the next week and is reciting John Cena-esque lines and insults. And it's bad enough when Cena does it, but it's way worse when Roman does it because it simply doesn't fit him. But that's what they want him to be... Cena 2.0.

I think all people here wanted was for him to find what works for him, without the pressure of being a main event guy. Ambrose is going through it right now. Ambrose is sporadic and his mannerisms change on a weekly basis as well while he finds what works for him. But he's being allowed to do it naturally in the midcard while he works his way up. Reigns should be doing the same, but somewhere down the line Vince decided the title isn't just for the guys who deserve it (compare to how over The Rock, Austin, HHH, Mankind were before they ever won the big title), but that the title can help make an unready star (Del Rio, Sheamus, Reigns).

 

[Prince Vee]

No I certainly don't agree with this! He really is bad in cutting promos. I grew up watching the Rocky, Steve Austin, Triple H, CM Punk cutting promos that made me always think awful when Roman Reigns picks up the mic. Just being honest, I never got tired to the Authority cutting a Promo. I never got tired of hearing Seth Rollins but I can't stand the 2 minutes promos by Roman Reigns.

Apart from the way he delivers the lines its the facial expressions that's god awful! He acts like a badass in the ring but during promos he's giving grins, winks and shits.

If you didn't notice, after calling Seth Rollins a "Suffering succotash sucked up sell out" he gave a wink to a crowd which was like what the f***!!?

Cheers!!

 

[Navi]

That first clip is one of the best he's ever done, but he's still not that great. I don't know quite how to put my finger on it, but he looks very unnatural on the mic. He has this weird way of putting the emphasis on the wrong words, and it somehow just throws everything off. His facial expression's, the way he screws up his face doesn't work either.

If you compare him to Cena and Rollins, they sound natural, like they are just having a conversation with the crowd. Reigns doesn't come across like that. It's almost like he's trying too hard to get it right, and it comes out all wrong.

I put him in the same boat as Hogan, it's too theatrical in a sense, like he's reciting words from a script and not being himself. He's going to take a lot of work for sure. One day he'll get it, but he's far from it right now.

 

[OYDK]

You're first clip is by far the best promo Reigns has ever cut in the WWE, and honestly, it was decent. The facts are, Reigns is not the best promo guy in the business... he's not in the top 5 and yet he's being pushed to Austin, Hogan, Cena levels. Austin, Hogan, Cena, Rock etc. got their big push BECAUSE they were able to run circles around the roster on the mic. They could sell you shit in a handbag, and you'd buy it. This is why a lot of people have a problem with Roman Reigns on the mic. It's not the he SUCKS per say, it's just that he's not in the same league as the guys that we're comparing him to.

The point is, if you want to be the "face" of the WWE, it's a must that you can make people buy what you're selling and unfortunately, Reigns can't do that very well at this point with his words.

 

[mr_dna]

Its exactly what i have thought people are against it because they knew it was coming and they know he is being pushed .

Then again these horrid promos the last month or so haven't helped .Before that they wernt bad just not great. But he don't need to have long talked out promos just select words to make him look strong like the cena sucks comment it was to the point .

Plus if they really want to help him get him some help from The Rock or even get him to spend some time with Dusty or Paul Heyman ... Plus if they want some good promos maybe get Dave Meltzer to write a few as he guides/writes the rocks promos

 

[MCMG]

Maybe he isn't an absolute natural but that promo was pretty good. I think's he speaks pretty well and has good delivery. The content, of his promos, are questionable. I reckon they panicked after the injury and messed him up.

Reigns was on the right track. The injury and the return of Bryan had a huge effect. He should have been this supercool, kick-ass guy. Someone everyone can get behind and, as you can see/hear, the crowd got behind him. He was then presented as Cena 2.0 which is ridiculous. He needs to be Roman Reigns at I hope a feud with Bryan/Rollins and eventually Lesnar can get him back there.

 

[Mustang Sally]

I have no idea what Reigns' voice sounds like but just watching him deliver promos indicates the cadence of his speech is off when he's interacting with someone. Even when being fed lines by Renee Young, he keeps too much eye contact with her and seems to lose his way in interviews.

He's better when handling it alone. Even in that ridiculous "Roman & the Beanstalk" business he did from the ring, he was better than usual because he didn't have to exchange words with anyone. In that speech, the subject matter was the problem more than his delivery. Yes, he was still no John Cena on the mic, but given time, he'll get it.

Look, the promo difficulties can be overcome and I'm sure they're working with him constantly. On the other hand, his ring repertoire presents a different set of problems; sometimes, you've got it or you don't and it's tough to say whether Roman Reigns can get it.

On the third hand, a performer like Hulk Hogan became a legendary success story with a limited ring style and slow, wooden movements. Roman Reigns is already better than that.

So, maybe Vince McMahon delays the Reigns' Express for however many months it takes to get him where he needs to be. He's still got that incredible look, which won't be fading anytime soon.

Don't give up on Roman.

 

[kadroan]

I think Reigns is good doing promos when he's being himself. The segment where him and Brock had a few weeks ago was great. I liked that segment he had with Vickie last summer to get in the battle royal was good, too.

 

[BASSER911414]

If you didn't notice, after calling Seth Rollins a "Suffering succotash sucked up sell out" he gave a wink to a crowd which was like what the f***!!?

Cheers!!

He was breaking the fourth wall my friend. He knew what kind of crappy line that was hence the, 'That was not easy for me to say.' Then he winks to the audience to let them know he knows whats being said about him.

 

[CrucifiedRaven]

Let's not forget that just because Reigns is pegged as the "next guy" right now, doesn't mean he will actually fulfill that.

Randy Orton was also pegged as the "next guy" before losing the spot to both Batista and John Cena (and then Cena beat out Batista). Orton lost his spot because he just wasn't ready for it. Exactly the same as Reigns... it took him 3 more years to finally reach the potential everyone saw in him.

I don't know if Reigns can be the next John Cena. He can definitely be another Batista though circa 2005-2007, at least, I think.

 

[wwelory619]

I am a Roman fan, and I have to admit he sucks at promos. Due to his mic skills being close to Lesnars, maybe a bit better, WWE should give him a manager, maybe Heyman if Lesnar loses and leaves for good.