Roman Reigns as the ace post-Wrestlemania

[FMKK]

It's pretty clear that Reigns is going to defeat Lesnar and win the Universal Championship on Sunday, blowing off stories that go back as far as Wrestlemania 30 in 2014. Does this mean he's finally going to be booked as the ace babyface that he's supposedly been for the last two or three years? He's obviously been booked as a top star - defeating HHH and Undertaker in Mania main events is proof of that - but he's never had the extended run as the top champion that one would expect from a babyface ace. The closest he's ever come to that was in 2016 when he beat HHH for the title and then had the excellent feud with AJ Styles but the Adderal suspension derailed that run. It''s unfortunately because that was probably the best presentation of his character since the main event push began in 2015.

 

With that being said, is there a chance now that we'll get the title run they've held off on for all these years? The potential opponents are in place for it to be a truly legendary run, a la Cena in 2006-07. In fact, the potential feuds they could run would easily be enough for a great year long title reign or longer - Rollins, Balor, Joe, Strowman, Ambrose, Cena, Lashley if he comes in, Miz could be a transitional challenger, whoever gets called up from NXT and transferred from Smackdown could be in the mix too. There's a good mix there of faces and heels that a polarised crowd could whip up a great atmosphere for. He's still not universally over as a babyface but the Lesnar angles have gotten us to a point where more fans are vocally in favour of Reigns than ever before, recreating the hot dynamic Cena had going. There's also a healthy mix of challengers that you could easily feed him and opponents who are worthy of big time feuds and matches. I feel like the stars are aligning for something special here that would really make the guy seem like the man in WWE.

 

The second question is whether WWE are interested in this sort of booking anymore. We've all talked about how the brand is the star above any of the individuals on numerous occasions. It's also really striking to me how heel-dominated WWE's main event scene has been for years now. This was a promotion that was traditionally babyface orientated - Bruno, Backlund, Hogan, Bret, Shawn (the Attitude era was more hot shot) and Cena all got those career defining babyface title runs but we've not really had one since perhaps all the way back in 2007 with John proving himself as the top star.

 

Are WWE no longer interested in booking this way? Is the top babyface ace as we've previously understood it an outmoded concept? Or have they simply been waiting til the time and the person are right in their eyes to be in that postion post-Cena?

 

I for one think it'll be refreshing to see a proper top-dog ace title run for the first time in years after long periods of chickenshit heels and the part-time Lesnar.

[JerryvonKramer]

As per last time, he needs to go undefeated for about 2 years.

[FMKK]

As per last time, he needs to go undefeated for about 2 years.

 

I forgot to mention your article comparing him to Dory and Backlund but I totally intended to!

 

That'll never happen in current WWE but he should certainly win all his feuds until Mania 35 at least.

[WingedEagle]

As per last time, he needs to go undefeated for about 2 years.

 

Perhaps there are other ways about it, but yes, it really can be that simple. No bells or whistles attached to Okada's current reign, just a string of excellent main event title matches. Let the work generate the buzz.

[shodate]

My view his not good enough to be call ace no matter how he's booked the fans have to get back the ace as the ace that is one of the things wwe has done wrong with roman

[Loss]

Roman's still the ace with an asterisk. I think Rousey is the top star now.

[Richeyedwards]

I just looked it up and Reigns has had three world title runs but combined they are only 118 days, Both of AJ styles's title runs have been longer than all three of reigns', while he has been pushed as a top guy as you say he has no way close to being pushed as an ace. He does not necessarily need to go undefeated for 2 years but he should at least have year long title reign with 15+ successful title defenses if they want him to be the top guy ace.

 

That post mania 32 run you mentioned was only 72 days, it was nothing maybe it would have been longer without the adderall.

[Matt D]

Roman's still the ace with an asterisk. I think Rousey is the top star now.

Are we sure its not Shane?

[Loss]

The McMahon family has been the stars of the show for two decades now. I think non-McMahon is sort of inferred.

[shodate]

Roman's still the ace with an asterisk. I think Rousey is the top star now.

My view of an ace is the fact that the fans have to back the ace look if you hear the chant of roman, roman or alike after mania then I would view him as the ace the fans make the ace along with the booking I use Misawa as an example if the fans were not behind him would he have became ace by beating Jumbo in June 1990 ie having the torch passed to him once baba knew Misawa was over and liked by the fans.

 

My view is the fans make the ace more than or equal to the booking

 

we have very different views of what makes an ace

I know wwe is also a face based promotion so roman need be a face ie getting face pops to be ace in wwe tradition

 

correct if on not accurate in anyway here

[FMKK]

My view his not good enough to be call ace no matter how he's booked the fans have to get back the ace as the ace that is one of the things wwe has done wrong with roman

Hes the most consistent worker in WWE, always gets heat in his matches and splits the crowd in a way that he can work against heels or faces.

[FMKK]

 

 

Roman's still the ace with an asterisk. I think Rousey is the top star now.

My view of an ace is the fact that the fans have to back the ace look if you hear the chant of roman, roman or alike after mania then I would view him as the ace the fans make the ace along with the booking I use Misawa as an example if the fans were not behind him would he have became ace by beating Jumbo in June 1990 ie having the torch passed to him once baba knew Misawa was over and liked by the fans.

 

My view is the fans make the ace more than or equal to the booking

 

we have very different views of what makes an ace

I know wwe is also a face based promotion so roman need be a face ie getting face pops to be ace in wwe tradition

 

correct if on not accurate in anyway here

Does this mean that Cena wasnt the ace in 06-07?

 

(Wouldve put that all in one post but Im typing on phone and the editing isnt the best)

[shodate]

 

 

Roman's still the ace with an asterisk. I think Rousey is the top star now.

My view of an ace is the fact that the fans have to back the ace look if you hear the chant of roman, roman or alike after mania then I would view him as the ace the fans make the ace along with the booking I use Misawa as an example if the fans were not behind him would he have became ace by beating Jumbo in June 1990 ie having the torch passed to him once baba knew Misawa was over and liked by the fans.

 

My view is the fans make the ace more than or equal to the booking

 

we have very different views of what makes an ace

I know wwe is also a face based promotion so roman need be a face ie getting face pops to be ace in wwe tradition

 

correct if on not accurate in anyway here

Does this mean that Cena wasnt the ace in 06-07?

 

(Wouldve put that all in one post but Im typing on phone and the editing isnt the best)

 

Bruno Face, Hogan face, Bret Face, Austin Face and Cena Face [ until fans turned on me and wwe refused to make a new Face/Ace] wwe has always been a face based promotions as shown

 

have wwe changed in some ways yes not enough though they still will want a face on top to be being booked as a face and being a face is two very very different things

[El-P]

I dunno, to me Reigns is akin to Randy Orton. He's dull as fuck as a babyface. His intro with the slow walk, completely devoid of energy, watching around like he's showered in cheers when in fact he's not, just makes him totally unengaging as a character, as does his work, which I find repetitive and too focused on one spot (with the WWE^tm annoying super obvious setup). Like Bruce Prichard would say in his Cornette voice "He's a heel, motherfucker." Just turn the guy already, he could be so much more fun. And at one point, he'd get so hot that the fans would turn him organically. Anyway, he's been pushed forever so of course he's getting big reactions, but he's like Triple H in the early 00's. He's just not the guy, no matter you slice it. Triple H was never Austin nor The Rock. Roman isn't Cena.

[shodate]

I dunno, to me Reigns is akin to Randy Orton. He's dull as fuck as a babyface. His intro with the slow walk, completely devoid of energy, watching around like he's showered in cheers when in fact he's not, just makes him totally unengaging as a character, as does his work, which I find repetitive and too focused on one spot (with the WWE^tm annoying super obvious setup). Like Bruce Prichard would say in his Cornette voice "He's a heel, motherfucker." Just turn the guy already, he could be so much more fun. And at one point, he'd get so hot that the fans would turn him organically. Anyway, he's been pushed forever so of course he's getting big reactions, but he's like Triple H in the early 00's. He's just not the guy, no matter you slice it. Triple H was never Austin nor The Rock. Roman isn't Cena.

Could not put in better words than this

[KawadaSmile]

That would be Reigns in 2015. By now he's more than integrated both the cheers and boos into everything. He's thriving on it, he wants the fans to react as loud as possible, and he lets those reactions sink in from the moment he enters the scene up to the moment he raises his arms at the crowd. Plus he puts way more effort into anything Orton does.

 

As for WWE not wanting to book babyface ace champs, I'm not sure. Almost the entirety of AJ's run as champ has been about him being the ace, even when he was a heel and kicked Ambrose in the dick. Balor's kidnapping tenure as NXT champion also had a similar dynamic. They absolutely can position Reigns as the face ace, albeit not one akin to Marine Cena, as in a super positive, ultra clean cut guy. Portraying him as a badass is the way to go, and they are doing so right now.

 

Frankly, there is no reason why he couldn't be that sort of champion with a lenghty reign. He was absolutely tearing the house down on a weekly basis as IC champion, taking just about everyone as a contender. Giving more meat to that role could be very beneficial.

[Slasher]

Yeah Roman Reigns is already the ace. Has been for a long while now. The earliest strongest evidence of that was moving Cena to Smackdown so Roman could have more room to himself on Raw. Super positive reactions don't matter to the people that counts-the McMahons. If it mattered, you know we'd be about six months into a long Braun title reign by now.

[El-P]

Super positive reactions don't matter to the people that counts-the McMahons. If it mattered, you know we'd be about six months into a long Braun title reign by now.

 

That's pretty sad, because that's what pro-wrestling was about. Watch who gets over and push the hell out of them. Rusev could be a hot act. Braun should be the Monster Champ. Honestly, this all is a product of the monopoly. With WCW kicking their tale, there's no way WWE spends three Mania main events in a row on Reigns "becoming the Ace".

[Sean Liska]

Dave has said the post-Mania plan is an extended program with Joe which sounds awesome to me. I was such a Joe fan circa 04-06, to see him after all these years be half of the top feud in WWE, still crazy to me.

[El-P]

I want SummerSlam in Samoa. Seriously now, could you picture the crowd noise ?

[FMKK]

I dunno, to me Reigns is akin to Randy Orton. He's dull as fuck as a babyface. His intro with the slow walk, completely devoid of energy, watching around like he's showered in cheers when in fact he's not, just makes him totally unengaging as a character, as does his work, which I find repetitive and too focused on one spot (with the WWE^tm annoying super obvious setup). Like Bruce Prichard would say in his Cornette voice "He's a heel, motherfucker." Just turn the guy already, he could be so much more fun. And at one point, he'd get so hot that the fans would turn him organically. Anyway, he's been pushed forever so of course he's getting big reactions, but he's like Triple H in the early 00's. He's just not the guy, no matter you slice it. Triple H was never Austin nor The Rock. Roman isn't Cena.

They push him as too stoical at times for sure. He entrance would be so much better if he just had a bit more swagger in his walk and demeanour. And a touch of Steve Austin trash talk. Actually, new music would be nice too. An actual popular rap song is probably too much to dream for.

 

As for the Orton comparison, I think thats unfair to the point of slander. Randy Orton does the Randy Orton match that, depending on his opponent and motivation, ranges from **1/2 - ***1/2. Reigns has had legitimately great matches to the level that Orton never has. Hes worked vulnerable against Strowman, turning in one of the greatest babyface selling performances in company history. Hes worked as a power/bully guy against AJ, Rollins and Balor. Hes done the bloody brawler performances against Lesnar. Hes a great tag worker. Just far more variety and range than Orton has ever shown, and Im not even an Orton hater per se.

[El-P]

The Orton comparison was more about his snooze inducing intro routine. But I admit I don't see the great matches at all. I know it's been the consensus around here, but I never been one to care about consensus. I just don't see it. The one Roman match that I enjoyed, and completely thanks to him, was the Taker match last year, where he really held the whole thing together until the ridiculous overdramatic overtones of the ending stretch.

 

To me Roman Reigns in single has mostly been a boring worker. I don't even like his look, I hate the bulletproof vest dating back on Bossman's return in 99. He's a big buffed up tattooed good looking samoan. Show me some of these pecs. Let's be exploitative. Women (and guys) wanna see some sweaty flesh, not lame-ass vigilante outfit.

[Slasher]

The fact Triple H is where he is now despite years of pushback on his push, and the fact that John Cena has showed them how a babyface can stay a babyface despite being polarizing, is why I think we will never see that big time babyface ace anymore. Not unless the fans' interests aligned with the bookers' (and no, not Booker T).

[peachchaos]

I don't even like his look, I hate the bulletproof vest dating back on Bossman's return in 99. He's a big buffed up tattooed good looking samoan. Show me some of these pecs.

 

I agree 100% and if there was one thing they could to immediately make him look like a bigger star, it's take the vest off. Imagine if Hogan worked with the tank on all those years.

[FMKK]

This is straying from my original intention but I wonder if Roman actually doesnt have that great a body. It is very strange that hes basically never appeared topless on WWE TV