The former Shield member tends to split WWE fans in half. Some fans love him and his work, while others hate him. In short, he's wrestling marmite. But, I think WWE's creative team has a great opportunity on its hands if they utilize his match against The Undertaker at WrestleMania to turn him heel.
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| Reigns has divided fan opinion since going solo from The Shield. |
Reigns has not had an easy ride from the fans for a while now. Ever since winning the 2015 Royal Rumble match, a lot of fans turned on him due to the fact he has been "shoved down our throats and pushed massively" by Vince McMahon.
They'd be right, in a way. Ever since that match, he's been thrown into numerous title matches for the WWE Championship/World Heavyweight Championship, the WWE Universal Championship and the United States Championship. He's held the United States title once and the WWE World Heavyweight Championship three times, one of those times coming against Triple H at WrestleMania 32. That title win was met with deafening boos from the crowd despite the fact he was supposed to be the face in the match.
After coming in at number 30 in the Royal Rumble match this year and then beating Braun Strowman clean at Fastlane, the hatred towards him from a lot of fans has never been higher. However, WWE continue to keep him as a face.
In recent weeks, though, there have been some signs that this could all be about to change. His arrogance towards Undertaker and a recent mean streak and level of brutality suggest perhaps a heel turn IS in the making.
That's why I feel WWE needs to capitalize while they can and have Reigns turn heel at WrestleMania.
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| Roman Reigns and Undertaker go head-to-head at WrestleMania 33. |
It's a perfect scenario to do it. Reigns comes up against Undertaker—a legend of the business and someone who is respected and loved by almost everyone in the business and almost every wrestling fan. Pretty much EVERYONE will be rooting for Undertaker in this bout and it would be prime time for Reigns to turn heel.
As with any match, there are two ways this fight is going to go. Firstly, Reigns could beat Undertaker. Can you imagine the outcry at that? The sheer fury that would come with Reigns being put over The Deadman at an event where he has only ever been beaten once?
But...it might be a "necessary evil."
If Reigns was to win, there is no way that they could keep him as a face. The hatred would ramp up even more towards him, so a heel turn would be perfect. He could beat The Phenom and continue his arrogant streak, boasting about his victory immediately after the bout and in the weeks to follow. Reigns could boast about how he is the best after putting away The Undertaker on his own turf and that despite all the hatred he gets, he remains the "top dog," etc.
The arrogance would be disliked, he'd turn heel and his whole dynamic would be rejuvenated. He could have new rivalries and a rejuvenated Reigns could even enter the title picture again and have fresh rivalries with different faces.
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| Could Roman Reigns finally switch from face to heel? |
The second alternative comes in the form of The Undertaker beating Reigns at WrestleMania. A win would keep The Deadman's near perfect record at the event intact and fans would be kept happy. All it would take is an attack after the bell, perhaps.
Imagine a beaten-up and vulnerable Taker wearily celebrating his victory, only for Reigns to land a spear and a Superman Punch combination after the bell. He could land brutal punch after brutal punch and in those moments of fury afterwards, it could be win-win. Reigns would be cemented as a heel—which would, oddly, potentially make more fans like him—and Taker wouldn't have to put Reigns over.
An angry and frustrated Reigns who has been put over the tipping point after weeks of arrogantly thinking he could beat Taker only to lose would be a great situation for WWE to work with. He could be made to appear as a bigger threat than ever before and would have his act freshened up.
Either way, in my opinion, WrestleMania has to be the time for him to turn heel. If there is any point this year to do it, it is now, and they'd waste a massive opportunity if they didn't.
A loss on The Grandest Stage of Them All for the three-time world champion and no heel turn would be pretty much pointless, especially considering he would then likely go back to regular normality afterwards if Taker doesn't work any more matches this year.
A win for Reigns and staying face might work, but it would also likely incur the wrath of thousands and thousands of fans who already despise the Samoan.
WWE, if you're listening, make the man a heel and do it on the biggest wrestling showcase of the year!
What do you think? Which of the two would be the best option for Reigns to turn heel? Do you want the former Shield man to stay face or turn heel? How would you feel about a Reigns win at WrestleMania? Let us know in the comments below!
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