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Roman Reigns’ Rollercoaster Year Ends Only Way It Should Have

By Michael Whitlow

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Within a span of 12 months, Roman Reigns went from the most hated man in the city of Philadelphia after winning the 2015 Royal Rumble, to being cheered as loud after winning the WWE title in the same arena.

Not even Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson could change what was expected from Roman Reigns and the 2015 Royal Rumble in one of the most hardcore wrestling cities in the world.

To try and bring some credibility towards Reigns’ push to the top, Reigns got a little assist from his Samoan Wrestling Family cousin and won the Royal Rumble after breaking Kane’s record for eliminations in a single Royal Rumble match and finishing as the runner-up the year prior.

WWE’s major plan of making Roman Reigns “the man” in the company was clear as day and fans knew it.

So, by making one of the boldest moves in the history of WWE, creative went in quite a different direction.

Seth Rollins cashed in his Money in the Bank contract during the main event of WrestleMania 31 between WWE Champion Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns.

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The swerve of all swerves.

It was a brilliant move, but a crushing reality that Reigns wasn’t ready.

The muscle of the former Shield clan would have to wait his turn to take the throne.

And wait.

And wait some more.

Until this past Monday night.

Reigns had the kitchen sink thrown at him before he got his final chance at the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

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He laughed in Lesnar’s face as the former champion decimated him at WrestleMania and kept on coming back for more.

He was thisclose to winning the Money in the Bank Ladder Match in June.

Reigns went through hell after against Bray Wyatt in a Hell in a Cell match and came out victorious.

Triple H, Rusev, Alberto Del Rio, Sheamus, Stephanie McMahon — hell, even Vincent Kennedy McMahon himself came into the fold to keep the gold away from Reigns.

And, the 6-foot-5 Samoan came through when he needed to most by beating the living crap of WWE’s Chief Operating Officer on Sunday night, then winning the gold 24 hours later.

The face-shattering Superman Punch to Mr. McMahon and a bone-crushing Spear that sealed the deal and won Reigns the gold had to feel like such sweet redemption for a guy that had to wait his turn to shine eight months prior.

What was better than Reigns finally getting his shot at being “the man”? The reaction from the same city that booed him out of the building 11 months ago.

Philadelphia gave Reigns one of — if not — the single-best reaction in Reigns’ career. They even chanted “You de-serve it!” after Reigns won the gold and celebrated with Dean Ambrose and The Usos (Reigns’ cousins) after Monday Night Raw went off the air.

How cool is that?

At times, Reigns didn’t look ready for the big spotlight.

Now, he belongs in it.

Did he get some help from some great, on-the-fly creative changes? Absolutely.

But, did he continue to improve and earn his rightful place atop WWE? Absolutely.

For months, Reigns received unfair criticism for the so-called “dirt sheets” revealing that Reigns was next in the line to be the face that runs the place.

To be fair, Reigns wasn’t always putting on the most stellar of performances. (I mean, the testicles jokes aren’t great, but he’s had worse.)

However, I can recall another Samoan wrestler with boatloads of potential that took a while to come into his own.

That guy turned out pretty good, yeah?

Next: Roman Reigns Def. Sheamus to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship (Video)

You can criticize WWE’s new face of the company as much as you’d like. That’s your right as a wrestling fanatic.

But, just remember what Paul Heyman said the night after Reigns and his client had the title stolen away by Seth Rollins.

“Kid, you still got a ways to go.”

Well, he’s here now.

And, he’s earned the right to be here.

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