Roman Reigns: The Microphone is Not Helping on WWE Raw

Speaking situations continue to be a problem for Roman Reigns on WWE Raw.

In the current “Bizarro World” WWE fans are currently being given, where the heels are celebrated by fans and the outright babyfaces are chastised, the creative team does not seem to be very concerned about fan acceptance of their new apprentice for John Cena’s spot on the mantle, Roman Reigns.  In the weeks leading up to his Fatal Four-Way at Summerslam, the “Big Dog” seems like anything but ready to claim the spot of WWE’s top dog.

When asked about Brock Lesnar’s dismantling of the MizTourage during the Miz TV segment on Monday Night Raw this past week, Reigns replied, “I don’t watch Miz TV.”  This implies that the current edition of the Reigns believes that he is above staying privy to the WWE landscape that surrounds him.

This same entitlement was presented the week prior when the four competitors taking part in the aforementioned Fatal Four-Way (Reigns, Braun Strowman, Samoa Joe, and WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar) were in the ring during the opening segment of Raw.  Strowman, stating that he been Reigns at Great Balls of Fire, and Joe, stating that he came seconds away from choking out the seemingly indestructible Lesnar at the same event, both presented legitimate cases as to why they deserved a shot at Lesnar’s title.

Reigns, however, stole a page out of John Cena’s recent handbook by simply reading his resume (retired Taker, main evented two WrestleManias, etc.).  Surprisingly, he did not just state “Because I’m Roman Reigns.  Recognize.”

Despite losing his grudge match with Strowman, and despite never beating Brock Lesnar, the character of Reigns seems to believe that the resume constructed over less than five years in the WWE grants him immunity from having to earn world title opportunities.  This approach is unbecoming of someone who claims that the WWE ring is “his yard”.

For someone who was so willing to approach major fights with a “one versus all” attitude, he seems to want to avoid going through the “all”.  He has even failed lately when it was “one versus one” when he had the assistance of an ambulance.

Therefore, it would be preposterous for one in his situation to believe that his body of work equates to immediate entry into world title chances…unless that person is a heel.

We are left in an awkward spot with Reigns.  Braun Strowman, his latest nemesis, was clearly positioned to be the heel at the start of their feud.  Nothing about him screams babyface; he lives for bringing pain to the bodies of others by any means necessary, he dresses like the maître d at the bar mitzvah for the spawn of Elvira and Barney Rubble, and has a mug that only Mrs. Voorhees could love.

And yet, due to wrecking the boy of Roman Reigns time and time again, he may be the biggest babyface on the Monday Night Raw roster.

And yet, instead of extinguishing the evil that Braun Strowman still presents to the WWE, a job he started but has yet to finish, Reigns has relegated himself to a position of being too cool for school, like a slightly more athletic Diesel.  How can one invest it that?  Doesn’t one need to earn the privilege of being too cool for school?

The boo orchestra that rings throughout the arena each time Reigns’ music hits is a clear indicator that the attempt to make him the lead babyface to supplant John Cena has gone over like, well, the attempt to keep Cena as the lead babyface.  However, there is a main difference.

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Before he received his own boo orchestra, Cena really was the hottest babyface in the company, and it happened organically.  Through his own charisma and hilarious freestyles, he became universally beloved by the WWE Universe.  It was not until he became forced that he received boos.

Cena has gotten to a point in his career when all he should really have to do for a title shot is say “I’m John Cena. Recognize.”  This stroke does not just come due to fifteen years and sixteen world titles, but it comes with iron-clad belief that one earns those shots, and also a willingness to continue the narrative for talents like Styles and Nakamura.

Reigns, the forced babyface, is already reading us his résumé and claiming that he is immune to earning title shots.  If the WWE really wishes to have him in the role of Cena, there needs to be something for Roman to do to allow the seemingly-cemented WWE Universe to invest in him.

For now, a suggestion would be for Roman to just put down the microphone for a bit.  His look, walk, and plethora of charisma that comes from his simple movements really do all the talking he needs, and are what got him over as a member of The Shield, and what had him remain over until Daniel Bryan’s feet hit the floor at the 2015 Royal Rumble, where the clear push for him to be the top guy was at its height of clarity.

If he needs to handle the stick, he can take notes from Strowman.  Simple, easily-digestible, yet profound, sentences are all Strowman needs to be a believable, heartless monster.  Reigns needs to say little-to-no more, as he already has the look of a man who can handle his business, with more speed than the likes of Strowman to boot.

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At the moment, there is not much reason for Roman’s character to feel as self-righteous as he does.  The past few months have shown that it is very much possible to penetrate his armor, and yet, he is projecting himself as someone who has scars that never felt a wound.  If he is truly meant to remain a babyface, some rhetorical adjustment may be in order.