Would giving Reigns a Roman Empire type gimmick be a good idea?

[Just Zay'n]

It may seem lame, but it all comes down to proper execution in the end. Hell (pun intended), Undertaker's gimmick is that of a literally dead man, and he made it work to the extent of becoming one of the (if not the) greatest of all time. Not to mention the fact that other cheesy gimmicks haven't necessarily failed.

And before anyone jumps down my throat, I'm not saying that Reigns' skills are comparable to that of 'Taker - just highlighting the possibility that playing a 'character' may be more of a fit for Reigns, as opposed to just being 'himself'. He obviously needs a new gimmick anyway, he can't keep the Shield's attire and music forever. It would work well as a heel gimmick as well - come out looking all badass, beat someone up, say nothing, leave.

 

[Prince Vee]

I'm not a fan of what you're saying but I reckon I can understand what you're trying to do. Roman Reigns will be a good heel and there's no doubt about that. Perhaps he should change his gimmick slightly and his ring gear to Barbarian style trunks and should proclaim himself as the uncrowned king of the WWE. Then it might draw more heat and can work. Just my verdict.

 

[Azane]

Undertaker's gimmick was a product of the Early 90's when WWF Was a Comic book universe.

Today WWE is a reality show, The only people with real gimmicks right now are Kane + Undertaker, Grandfathered in, and the Wyatts, which is about the only real exception. Everyone else is down to earth and realistic.

Roman has a million possibilities to where he can evolve his character, from enforcer, to silent badass to Samoan killing machine, I don't see a Samoan dressing up as a Roman getting over at all. I'm talking Akeem bad when I say it wouldn't work at all.

 

[Funkydr79]

I would love to see a Samoan faction started. Bring Samoa Joe up and have a Somoan Four Horsemen. Roman can be the enforcer, Joe the head of the group (best mic skills), and the Uso's are a talented tag team. It gives something for all of them to do. Plus, you can bring Nia Jax and Tamina (and maybe Naomi) into the group.

The other option is to do the same thing, minus Joe. Have Joe come up as the protagonist against this heel faction. The one Somoan in wrestling who isn't a part of the Anoa'i clan.

 

[gers09]

I get where you are coming from i just don't like the empire bit the era off the character gimmick is gone it real life now. I think just turn him heel and make in a real bad ass no promos just come out kick ass and leave but drop the Shield bit of him new attire and music it old and dated with out dean and seth coming out with him makes him looks he in the past and still thinks he part of the Shield he needs a new clean start. Night after wm shane in the ring talking about beating taker and how he now controls raw says it going to be a new raw a fair and just one brings out the new wwe world heavyweight champ. shane says he was right not to join the authority and to listen to the wwe universe and how he will help reigns become the star he should be reigns says he would never join them and still wouldn't but he doesn't need shane and certainly doesn't need the wwe universe he wanted them on his side and they refused week after week night after night and they can go to hell for all he cares the attacks shane.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

You mean sort of a Roman soldier or gladiator inspired gimmick? It's something that MIGHT have worked 20-25 years ago, but it'd be ridiculed with hedonistic abandoned by too many fans today. Many of today's fans are too smarky, too jaded for their own good to suspend disbelief over much of wrestling itself these days, so they'd absolutely rip into this without remotely giving it a chance.

One reason why the Undertaker continues to thrive is nostalgia, he's also someone that's really respected by a lot of fans. If you tried to debut Taker's gimmick in some fashion today with some guy in his mid to late 30s, there'd be fans who'd all but laugh him out of the ring no matter how big, strong, athletic or intimidating he was. They'd crucify Roman Reigns and blast WWE mercilessly for doing something like this partially because it does sound a bit goofy when you get right down to it in this day and age, and, partially, because there are fans who're gonna crap all over Roman Reigns no matter what; they've decided to dislike the guy regardless of what happens from here on in.

I'm of the opinion WWE's best shot for Reigns is to turn him heel and go full out, badass heel with him. Don't try to make him cute, don't try to make him witty, don't give him one liners or catchphrases to taunt the fans with; just go the route of making him a vicious, ass kicking savage with no remorse for anyone. Would it work? For some, I've no doubt but, as I said earlier, there are some who'll hate Reigns out of principle. Another problem is that sort of character, for all intents and purposes, sounds a lot like Brock Lesnar where Lesnar had the advantage of some nostalgia himself, due to many fans still fawning over his roughly 2 year run back in the 2000s, and establishing himself as a legit badass in his MMA career. While said career's greatness has been heavily inflated in WWE, Lesnar did draw a helluva lot of money, he did win the UFC Heavyweight Championship and he did defeat a respected & beloved MMA legend in the process. Lesnar also has Paul Heyman doing his talking for him and Heyman does a masterful job of constantly hyping Lesnar in a passionate way. I don't know if WWE would be able to duplicate that sort of success and would probably be criticized if they did try that same formula with Reigns. Maybe if they kept his mic time short & sweet, kept the intensity up and he looked like a savage during matches & beatdowns, it might work. All I can say for certain is that it's not gonna happen with Reigns using the formula they have now.

 

[772Attitude]

Give him the same kind of heel run the Taker had back in 2002/2003 without the biker gimmick. Come down to the ring and beat the respect / fear into other faces and take them out of action. That would put Reigns over with the crowd big time.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

It would work well as a heel gimmick as well - come out looking all badass, beat someone up, say nothing, leave.

The only issue here is you haven't actually explained what the gimmick you are reffering to even is? What does The Roman Empire have to do with kicking ass and then leaving?


Your post makes no sense without elaborating on just what the hell you are talking about, or how it would work

 

[Sexcellence of Sexecution]

Yeah, that totally sounds like it would work.

I don't know what else to add really. Your argument is to make Roman Reigns a literal Roman. Because Roman.
That's fucking stupid.

 

[Just Zay'n]

Yeah, that totally sounds like it would work.

I don't know what else to add really. Your argument is to make Roman Reigns a literal Roman. Because Roman.
That's fucking stupid.

What part of WWE is not 'fucking stupid', from a conceptual standpoint? We're literally watching two grown men pretend to beat each other up. Seriously, if you think you're watching some kind of meaningful, in-depth and serious TV, then you're really kidding yourself. It's entertaining; I'm just sayin' that you seem like even more of a mark if you want it to seem even more realistic, knowing that it isn't.

As for the gimmick, the Roman warrior type thing would just be an aesthetic, mostly just for his ring entrance and not when he's actually in the ring. Like Sheamus. He has a Celtic warrior type gimmick, with a warlike theme, but he doesn't get on the mic and scream "They'll never take... OUR FREEDOM!" (Scottish I know, but you catch my drift).

 

[Deoxyribonucleic A.C.I.D.]

If by Roman Empire gimmick you mean Roman dressing up as a Roman soldier or a Roman emperor and walking down the ring and wrestling like that.. I just can't see that work. It would work if Roman was a jobber and it would get him insanely over as a babyface (see Damien Mizdow).

However what Roman could do, is to start a Roman Empire. He can be the vicious leader that recruits members every week and in the end he can build his own empire within the WWE. If WWE really wanted to make this work, they could have Roman recruit members not only from the WWE but from all around the world, in companies like ROH or NJPW. That could really be an empire, a modern day, wrestle-lized version of the Roman Empire.

 

[Just Zay'n]

OK, I suppose I should elaborate on exactly what I mean. It's not necessarily as over the top as you might think.

They should put him in trunks like 99% of the roster, and like he had when he first started at NXT.

I don't mean dressing up in full Roman solider uniform, yes that would be utterly dumb. He just comes down to the ring with the leather/mail apron and greaves, wearing nothing on top (no tunic, helmet, cape or any of that crap). Which would look badass with the tribal tatts as well.

The overall thing I'm going for here is pretty much the same feel as Triple H's WrestleMania 30 entrance. Give him that style of epic film music, and maybe some fire pyro as well (kinda like Booker T's entrance, not Kane's). It's just an entrance, similar to how Sheamus has a Celtic warrior style entrance, however he doesn't exactly act and wrestle like a Celtic warrior. Just have Reigns wrestle in normal trunks, and use the Roman aesthetic for the entrance only.