Dave Meltzer on Why Roman Reigns Should Turn Heel

[Big Red Machine]

A both interesting and extremely important bit of analysis by Dave from this week's Observer.

The next few weeks will be interesting. The key is what happens at the next few TV’s. In the fans’ eyes, Lesnar was turned last week and the Rumble match, where he dominated, only made him that much more of a face. There is the obvious easy answer to do a flip before Mania, where Heyman (who was praising Reigns heavily on television) turns and use Heyman’s talking as part of Reigns act as a heel champion for a year, or however long, leading to the inevitable split, somewhat similar to how C.M. Punk’s story played out. Then again, if Reigns is top heel and champion, because he’s the real guy in the company’s mind because of how he looks, he’s walking around with HHH and Stephanie, not Heyman. Or you could do the flip at Mania. That would be better since it’s the bigger stage and also, provided Lesnar stays, gives you a solid series of potential foes for Reigns as champion–Lesnar (for a big show), Cena, Bryan, Ambrose and Orton, and even Rollins.

Who does a face champion Reigns have to face? Show? Kane? Rusev? Rollins? Wyatt, who himself is a half face anyway and almost has to lose to Undertaker? The list isn’t as strong to say the least, and that also requires protecting Rusev from losing in the Cena program, and with Cena having lost to Lesnar, never getting the win, because he’s still the biggest revenue mover, it’s one thing for Cena to lose to Rusev at Fast Lane since everyone will forget it a week later. It’s very different for him to lose at Mania.

[cero2k]

i hadn't thought about this. The opponents after WM is really poor for a face Reigns, which i think was the problem to some point with Dragon, that had to feud with Kane because Shield and Cena took the bigger guys. Reigns as a face would either have crappy challengers like Show or Kane, force WWE to push new challengers like Barrett and Cesaro and Sheamus, or be a black hole and kill the momentum of some others that wouldn't likely win the title eitherway like Rollins or Rusev.

a heel Reigns would have several babyfaces pursuit the title and it would definitely help keep Ambrose and Ziggler in the main event. You would have Cena and Orton to put him over, and this should be enough to hold up to Summerslam at least

[Big Red Machine]

i hadn't thought about this. The opponents after WM is really poor for a face Reigns, which i think was the problem to some point with Dragon, that had to feud with Kane because Shield and Cena took the bigger guys. Reigns as a face would either have crappy challengers like Show or Kane, force WWE to push new challengers like Barrett and Cesaro and Sheamus, or be a black hole and kill the momentum of some others that wouldn't likely win the title eitherway like Rollins or Rusev.

a heel Reigns would have several babyfaces pursuit the title and it would definitely help keep Ambrose and Ziggler in the main event. You would have Cena and Orton to put him over, and this should be enough to hold up to Summerslam at least

I wouldn't put Cena over heel Reigns so quickly (that's GOT to be a Mania match no matter who is heel or face or even if they're both face). I'd also say Rusev has to wait until Summer Slam.

With Bryan as champ, at least a match-up with Big Show is still fresh, and he and Rollins are good enough that they'll make their matches different. Then, if they use the two or three months that buys them, they could do like you suggested and really build up a guy like Cesaro or Barrett as a challenger.

[badnewzxl]

Great points. I do hope Reigns wins at Mania but I hope he stays face so WWE is forced to build stronger heels bc right now Rusev, Rollins, and Wyatt are the only strong ones that aren't stale. Get some heat for Cesaro and Barrett, bring Sheamus back as a heel, make Luke Harper a bigger threat (you know he can perform!). I feel like they need a reason to not be lazy and just rely on Cena, Orton, Kane, and Show to get everyone over.

Reigns turning heel would Prolly be best for him, but it won't force WWE to build the rest of the roster bc there are already plenty of faces people want to see in the main event