So where does Reigns go next?

[hollowpoint]

Giving Reigns a meaningful feud would be a great start to building him up to being a credible main event player. The problem with his current status is he hasn't built any credit with the fans as a singles performer. Before his match with Lesnar and Bryan the month before, he didn't really go up against anyone of note. If try to force someone down the WWE Universe's throat, the universe will reject him/her every time. There are several feuds that you can do with Reigns to allow him to grow as a singles competitor.

1. Reigns v Wyatt - Both are coming off of WM losses, both looking to get past that upper mid card level. Wyatt does a great job at being the demonic heel that creates his own reasoning for hating you.

2. Reigns v Sheamus - Sheamus's heel return sets him up nicely as a great foil to Reigns. Both of them need to re establish them selves in the pecking order that is the top of the card.

3. Reigns v Rusev - Once he's done with his program with Cena, he's gonna need another feud to bounce into in order to catapult him into the main event picture. He has just enough heat on him to make Reigns feel like a great babyface. As long as Reigns doesn't over do his promos like they tend to allow him to do, both should benefit from this.

Just a few ideas that allow Reigns to stay in his current persona and gain experience and build the right way towards the title. We all know that's not how it's going to turn out though.

 

[rmp0012002]

I really don't know how they straighten out the Reigns situation as they screwed up Batista and he was gone. Promotions are suppose to be on the side of the faces but Vince and crew want to be involved in the storylines and always as heels. As long as Reigns has that connection as being pushed by Vince he will be disliked. I don't know how you separate them now.

 

[Mustang Sally]

Eh? Pretty sure the same people who boo Roman mercilessly are the same who will surely pick Rusev over him..........At the end of the day, Roman Reigns is hated because he is quite obviously being groomed to be "the Guy" and those who boo him in droves are adamant that he shouldn't be in such a position.

True, but what better way to try and convince the fan base that Reigns is earning his stripes by matching him with guys like Rusev? If it's true that Roman is "hated," then there are two choices: either management making the decision he's a hopeless case and booting him out of WWE after his contract expires.....or putting him in against the toughest opponents and letting him work his way up the ladder.

Roman needn't be immediately thrown in against Rollins and Lesnar, not if the powers-that-be have decided to break Roman down and build him up again.

You say many fans would pick Rusev over Reigns? Fine, let 'em do that .....and give us the spectacle of two guys with mega-pushes of their own battling each other. If Roman wins and shoots down the predictions of his critics (kayfabe, of course), he'll be able to say he earned his way to top status.

Or, WWE could take it the way they did with the original Chosen One....my favorite, Drew McIntyre....who, once management decided his original push didn't pan out, banished him to the Land of Shit and eventually canned him.

Throw Roman Reigns in there......let him sink or swim as far as winning over the fans. I think he'll get it done.

 

[L@RISANO]

True, but what better way to try and convince the fan base that Reigns is earning his stripes by matching him with guys like Rusev? If it's true that Roman is "hated," then there are two choices: either management making the decision he's a hopeless case and booting him out of WWE after his contract expires.....or putting him in against the toughest opponents and letting him work his way up the ladder.

Roman needn't be immediately thrown in against Rollins and Lesnar, not if the powers-that-be have decided to break Roman down and build him up again.

You say many fans would pick Rusev over Reigns? Fine, let 'em do that .....and give us the spectacle of two guys with mega-pushes of their own battling each other. If Roman wins and shoots down the predictions of his critics (kayfabe, of course), he'll be able to say he earned his way to top status.

Or, WWE could take it the way they did with the original Chosen One....my favorite, Drew McIntyre....who, once management decided his original push didn't pan out, banished him to the Land of Shit and eventually canned him.

Throw Roman Reigns in there......let him sink or swim as far as winning over the fans. I think he'll get it done.

I'll admit I didn't see much of Drew McIntyre's run, but was his push as huge as Reigns' has been? I highly doubt it, based on the little research I have done.

Also, Reigns is 'hated' because he is getting the push to the very top and many believe he hasn't paid his dues and has very evident weaknesses... basically, the Roman haters are actually haters of Joe Anoa'i and his lack of credentials and have made him a scapegoat for the bad decision of the WWE Top Brass(in their eyes) to push him as the Cena successor.


Again, I maintain that embracing the hate would be a great way to go for Roman, and there should be an effort to take him away from the very top of the card if the current reaction persists. Keep him 'strong' as they have, but away from the title scene for a while, and end the current babyface push attempt as it is clearly being forced against the tide.


So, basically, I agree with your point that he needs to have lesser feuds to 'build up' but Not as a Babyface, as the fans aren't ready to accept this Roman Reigns push, because they see it as a clear at attempt at Cena 2.0, and that is something that many people Do Not want whatsoever.


As I read somewhere, with Cena as the Superman for the past decade, people have grown tired of it, yet Vince insists on pushing Roman as Superman as well.
People want BATMAN, Vince. People Want BATMAN!



Oh, and lastly, notice that Roman Reigns put on great matches in terms of storytelling especially, against very different opponents in Daniel Bryan and Brock Lesnar at back to back PPVs, and at SummerSlam, he also had a good match against Randy Orton. He more than held his own against all 3 of them, so it is clear he has potential and the "IT" factor. Thus, I am confident he will succeed eventually... just, lMO, the brakes need to be applied for the next year if possible and also, WWE should try to Not make it so obvious that he is getting the Big Push to be the Guy as it invites unwarranted hate to the point that many aren't even willing to give him a chance.

 

[crossface for ever]

I doubt that it's even possible but for me Id really like to see Reigns in a feud with a returning Batista. The story writes itself with Reigns saying he was screwed out of his WM title shot after winning the RR and then here comes Batista who has exactly the same claim. I really think tjese two could put on some solid matches and even if Reigns never went over he could show the resilience he did Sunday taking a very convincing beating from the animal and it would help get the fans behind him

 

[pepentorresHHH]

TBH..... although it will NOT be the most popular decision he needs to finish up his program over the world heavyweight title... he will probably be in a triple threat match at Extreme Rules and then one on one with Rollins at Payback.... he needs to lose BOTH matches.....
Randy can take the pinball in extreme rules but ultimately Reigns needs to fall short against Rollins.

Rollis is much more improved than Reigns at the present time and thus WWE needs to make his title reign a success and that includes beating Reigns again (he already lost to rollins 3 weeks before Mania on Raw).

From there i would say put him on feuds.... heel is preferable since people don't want to cheer for him.... make him hated.... go through feuds that can make him improve on the mic and in the ring. He can stay babyface of course but that is fighting a losing battle right now.
Make him go through programs with Rusev, Wyatt, maybe bryan again, Ambrose. Show the people he isn't just being given the top spot, he earned it.

As far as the world title he will win it in 2016 but it shouldn't happen at WM because you risk ruining the rumble and the road to wrestle mania again