Is Roman Reigns Ready For His Push?

The last few months seem to indicate WWE is and remains bullish on pushing Roman Reigns toward a main event spot. In our pro wrestling minds, there are questions surrounding his skills, his ability to deliver and the timing of his push into the upper echelon of superstardom.

 

So, before we reach our final conclusion, let’s take a look at all the variables that come into play:

 

1. The Look

 

Or as my fellow EWR players would call it, the “Superstar Look” checkbox.

 

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Whether we like it or not, a wrestler’s marketability is heavily linked to his physical aesthetics. They’re on TV, they’re on merchandise, they’re on box office posters. And the better and more fitting to the part they look, the more they’ll be instantly credible and feed the show’s own credibility.

 

VERDICT: READY

 

Reigns passes this one with flying colors, as he’s about as close to having the perfect look as it gets. He has the build and the bad ass aura and intensity. A shoutout to the ladies whose ovaries have been going kaboom as well.

 

2. The Moves

 

A wrestler, especially a WWE wrestler, needs to gather 3-4 memorable trademark moves (the infamous “Moves of Doom”), not only to established him or herself as a competent fighter, but also because it allows for the crowd to know what to expect from him, which builds anticipation during the match and grows the crowd’s familiarity with the wrestler.

 

Integral parts of a memorable Steve Austin match would include the Lou Thesz Press, the Mudhole Stomping in the corner and, of course, the Stone Cold Stunner. For each of them, the crowd would pop, not only because they packed a punch, but because they helped define Austin, the wrestler, and were pivotal in the story he told in the ring.

 

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VERDICT: READY

 

Reigns is doing well for himself here, as all his trademark moves (the kick on the apron, the Superman Punch and the Spear) have been well-applied and well-placed in his matches. The crowd agrees.

 

It is also worth noting that, from a broader in-ring perspectivem his singles matches have been mostly short, but he seems to be (at the very least) getting by with his mechanics in the 10-minute matches he’s been given. Summerslam may do wonders to gauge Roman’s “broadway” potential.

 

3. The Character

 

As we explored yesterday in Raw’s Biggest Hits and Misses from yesterday, a storyline can be very enriching to a wrestling character. By the same token, a character (or a gimmick) can be of equal value to a wrestler.

 

While The Rock is a dependable performer, it is his character that defines him, equal parts tough guy and smart ass.

 

VERDICT: READY

 

The creative minds on the Reigns Train were quick to determine where Roman would fit character-wise. The Bad Ass routine fits him perfectly and seems to appeal to both the young and the older generation, while playing to Reigns’s core strengths: his look and intensity. No need for any finesse, or big talks. Just kick some ass and look great doing it.

 

4. Promos

 

A great wrestler will always be a great wrestler. But, in a WWE world where the talent level is at a ridiculous peak, having the grappling chops doesn’t guarantee sate passage to success.

 

However, a great wrestler who is also a great talker will have a hell of a lot going for him or her. The combination of talking the talk and walking the walk, and accomplishing both at world-class level, is rare, and reserved for the elite few, most of which do make it big.

 

VERDICT: NOT READY

 

Reigns’s delivery on the microphone is not up to par yet. He sometimes hits good singles and doubles (“When Roman Reigns is in the house, you’re damn right John Cena sucks!”) but still doesn’t have the experience to turn these into home-runs. Between the quality and the consistency he’s shown, this is where a lot of work needs to be done.

 

FIX: While Reigns should definitely continue to develop his promos, his Bad Ass persona does afford him the luxury of not speaking often or at all, while still looking like a million bucks.

 

One of the biggest lessons I kept coming back to as an indy writer/booker, was that it was imperative to protect your assets, because they do have liabilities.

 

In the particular case of Reigns, the liability (inconsistent quality in promos) can be turned into a positive: if there’s something that fits Reigns to a tee, it’s the “Strong and Silent” approach.

 

5. The Crowd Reaction

 

While a wrestler cannot completely control the way a crowd reacts, he does need it to go over the top. Think of the crowd as the perpetual 4th person in the ring, as it has the ability to make or break a segment. Or character.

 

 

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A wrestler’s relationship with the crowd is his most useful gauge. When he gives the crowd something, be it a move or a promo, their reaction will let him know if he’s on the right track.

 

To this day, a crowd’s reaction remains the best way to figure out where someone’s place on the card is. Daniel Bryan’s WWE World Title win at Wrestlemania can be attributed to non-stopping fan support… which Reigns does’t have at pressing time.

 

VERDICT: NOT READY

 

Reigns is halfway there, as the crowd is behind him but not all the way into it, which becomes evident if you compare the reaction he gets to that of a Daniel Bryan. The noise level, which we often refer to as “the electricity in the air” is clearly different.

 

This past Monday, for example, the crowd did chant for him, but it sounded like half the crowd. While every sea of humanity is different, Reigns’s popularity hasn’t blown up and my feeling is it won’t if WWE maintains the high pace of his push.

 

Needless to say, his PPV appeal is not discernible at this time and cannot be taken into account.

 

6. Cardio

 

As a main event guy, you are expected to deliver the best match (or not be left in the dust by a sleeper) and to go the extra mile – or, should I say the extra minutes.

 

Long matches, when done by the right guys and gals, tell a complex yet wonderfully engaging story. But a long match means you have to sustain your world-class skills for 30-40 minutes, with intense spikes of high-energy effort.

 

If your cardiovascular conditioning is not up to par, not only will you not deliver, you’ll become a safety concern for your opponent, as your strength and coordination diminished as time goes by.

 

VERDICT: NOT READY

 

I almost made this one a hung-jury. While this perception is easily reversible with a long Summerslam match, Reigns looked tired at both Battleground at last Monday’s Raw, which is not a good sign. This can be caused by momentary injuries, so this is a soft “Not Ready”.

 

7. EXTRA NOTE: The Shield

 

Easily one of my all-time favorite stables, The Shield featured 3 men whose skillsets completed one another and were highly synergic: the crazy one with the promos, the lightning rod with the moves, the bad ass killer who swept through anything in his path.

 

Shield

 

While the stable format is just as adequate to highlight all of a wrestler’s qualities as a singles run, it does wonders when it comes to protect someone’s shortcomings.

 

With the end of The Shield, Roman’s limitations are more exposed, especially in the promo department. I believe this is a major reason why WWE should take it slow with Roman as, in a weird way, he was potentially the biggest loser from The Shield breaking up.

 

FINAL VERDICT: NOT READY. YET.

 

My contention is that Roman Reigns can be ready in about a year, if they build him up in a slower fashion.

 

His promos are nowhere near the stellar level a main event needs to have them at, his cardio is questionable and the overall crowd response he’s getting isn’t the one given to a main event guy, but to a “let me see more of this midcarder, I like him”.

 

The ending of this story, it seems, will be dictated by WWE booking. Which can be a concerning thought.

 

When you push a wrestler harder than the crowd asks, the end result tends to be poor. While the wrestler can be cheered at a sustainable level, if his push is rushed, the crowd usually feels force-fed.

 

Do that for long enough, and you’ll be looking for the next guy, because you just burned through this one.

 

Ryback is a good example of a guy who was coming up and of whom the crowd was increasingly behind of. Instead of a slow build, in one week, he went from beating down a de-pushed IC Champion in Miz, to confronting WWE Champion CM Punk backstage, with Punk selling it big by looking instantly startled.

 

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This was motivated by a situation similar to Reigns’s current situation. At the time, Cena was injured and out of his impending feud with Punk, which forced a midcard Ryback into a main event picture he clearly didn’t belong in and wasn’t booked to stay in.

 

In 2014, Bryan is out and Reigns seems to be the chosen one to pick up his slack. While he is not sloppy as shows more ring presence than Ryback, the risks of being pushed too quickly are still present.

 

By yanking Reigns from a “settling the score” storyline with Rollins or one of rebuilding The Shield and moving him immediately into the WWE World Title picture, Roman is being forced to outgrow his own natural progression.

 

In my heel opinion, WWE is putting the roof on Roman’s house with only half the walls in place.

 

Time will tell if that is the case. Or, better yet, the crowds will.

 

How about you? Do you think he’s ready?

 

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