Roman Reigns: The Wrong Guy at the Wrong Time

Poor Roman Reigns.

The 2015 “Royal Rumble” match was supposed to be the beginning of his coronation as WWE’s next big thing. It was designed to be the launching pad for his eventual win at WrestleMania 31 for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

What it ultimately turned into was one of the more disastrous endings to a pay-per-view in recent memory. It was ugly.

Heading into the show, there were two names that stood out amongst the pack as the ultimate favorites to win the 30-man Battle Royal: Reigns and Daniel Bryan. It was a two-horse race with 28 spectators. The only thing that could have dramatically shifted things in a different direction would have been a marquee surprise entrant like The Rock or Randy Orton.

Bryan, against all odds, scratched and clawed his way to the main event scene with the helping hand of a fanbase that would accept nothing less. Reigns has a jetpack strapped to his back that runs on the collective willpower of management and the powers that be.

As soon as Bryan was eliminated by Bray Wyatt around the halfway point, fans came to the realization that the man they feared would emerge victorious was moments away from Superman punching them into oblivion.

Bryan was clearly Philadelphia’s guy on Jan. 25. It was obvious to everyone watching on the WWE Network that no one in the Wells Fargo Center cared about what was transpiring in the squared circle after he was tossed over the top rope.

The mood changed. The energy in the building took a swift kick to the crotch. It was just a matter of time before Reigns would have his hand raised.

As soon as Bryan got eliminated, the crowd lost complete interest in the match. Unbelievable.

— Dewey Foley (@DeweyHaveTo) January 26, 2015

While the Philadelphia crowd doesn’t speak for WWE fans all over the country, their negative reaction to Reigns could be the spark that ignites a widespread backlash against the new No. 1 contender.

It’s not entirely his fault, though. He’s no scrub. He looks like he should be fighting the big dogs like Brock Lesnar and John Cena. Reigns is still relatively green on both the microphone and between the ropes, but the potential is there for him to one day be truly special.

But who cares, right? He’s not Bryan. He’s not Dolph Ziggler. He’s not Dean Ambrose.

He’s not “our” guy.

The heart wants what the heart wants. It’s like waiting all day to eat because you know you’re going out to a fancy restaurant for dinner, but instead of steak and veggies, the server brings you some microwaved leftovers.

Vince McMahon is smarter than you. He knows what you want better than you do. Don’t you get it?

You want a Happy Meal? No! You’re getting an apple slice. You want a Turbo Man action figure? No! You’re getting cardboard.

In this case, McMahon is going to keep shoving Reigns down your throat until you’re forced into submission. Don’t bother crying. Your tears mean nothing.

Reigns has the stench of Vince all over his Shield-esque garment. That’s his biggest issue. He’s the “Golden Boy.” He looks the part and he’ll eventually act it, too.

It’s Lesnar vs. Reigns for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 31. For now anyways.

Plans are always tentative in WWE. Things change on the drop of a dime. It was supposed to be Batista vs. Orton at WrestleMania XXX until the fan revolt forced management’s hand.

Will that happen again this year? It’s hard to say. “Royal Rumble” was one audience on one night in a very rowdy city. We’ll need to see more fans turning their back on this idea before light bulbs start going off.

Maybe that won’t be enough this time, though. WWE needs new stars to build the brand for a brighter tomorrow. They can’t keep relying on names of the past to sell their big pay-per-views.

They want Reigns. You don’t. Not now. Maybe one day, though.

Even The Rock couldn’t save him from the lashing of a lifetime. That’s saying something.

“Suffering Succotash!”

Note: The following editorial is the opinion of the writer and does not represent how everyone feels here at WrestlingRumors.net.

Christopher Walder is a staff writer for WrestlingRumors.net. He’s also a contracted Featured Columnist for the Toronto Raptors at Bleacher Report, as well as a contributor to RaptorsHQ.com of SB Nation.

You may follow him on Twitter at @WalderSports.