What Roman Reigns Does Minutes Before Undertaker Fight Can Morph His Future

The fans’ nasty attitude toward Roman Reigns comes with more excuses and reasons than you can shake a stick at, but there is a cure for this. It is as simple as, if it is broken – fix it, according to a new report. Roman Reigns is a wrestler who people love to hate, but from all accounts Reigns is one heck of a nice guy. Sure, nice guys finish last, but with Reigns physique, talent, and stunning looks, this nice guy doesn’t have to finish last, does he?

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Just about anyone who is remotely connected to wrestling is offering up their thoughts on why Reigns is so hated by fans. Even Reigns’ uncle, another wrestling great, Afa of the Wild Samoans, recently said that the WWE fans need to cut Reigns some slack. According to Give Me Sports, Reigns’ uncle compared him to The Rock when he first started out.

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Patience from the WWE fans is needed to let Reigns have a chance to grow with experience, or at least this is what his uncle sees as the recipe for a cure. But is patience enough to eventually ward off the disdain coming from fans when Reigns steps into the ring?

According to Fox News, it is going to take some work from Reigns to change the tide from boos to cheers. They point to NBA legend LeBron James as case in point. James, who is usually pretty mild-mannered on the courts was slammed with criticism from Charles Barkley about a week ago.

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Barkley’s words put him just over the edge enough to break that mild-mannered mode and come out verbally swinging. He went up and down Barkley and threw his dirty deeds from the past right into Barkley’s face.

James said, “I’m not going to let him disrespect my legacy like that. I’m not the one who threw somebody through a window. I never spit on a kid. I never had unpaid debt in Las Vegas. I never said, ‘I’m not a role model.’ I never showed up to All-Star Weekend on Sunday because I was in Vegas all weekend partying.”

James went on to say that he has done nothing but be a stellar representative of the NBA, which is much more than he can say for Barkley. He also pointed out how he’s always respected the game and has never gotten himself in trouble. He ends his spew with,”Print that.”

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Fox suggests that Reigns take a lesson from James and get out there and demand respect from the fans. When James gave that spew, it was unusual for him. He has seldom attacked a single person using his “enormous public platform.” Because he has showed so much restrain in that area in the past, when he did let loose, people took notice.

James literally demanded respect and this is what Fox sees Reigns needing to do. They suggest Reigns take a page from James’ book and “clap back at critics and fans without going full heel.” The only difference between James and Reigns is that James is not getting booed each time he walks onto the court, but when Reigns walks into the ring a chorus of sneers and jeers erupts.

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It is going to take Reigns working carefully to do this. He needs to walk along a very fine line demanding respect so that he doesn’t come out as a wrestler gone full heel. Fox does have a point, Reigns hasn’t changed his response to those boos since they started. In psychology it is often said how you can’t change what people are saying or doing, but you do have the power to change your reaction to it.

Reigns hasn’t changed his reaction to the boos since day one, so maybe it’s time for him to bark back. He is going to have to do this without crossing over the line and biting the fans to the extent of leaving them hating him even more. As far as Reigns up-and-coming WrestleMania 33 match with the Undertaker, it is going to boil down on how “Reigns is presented to the fans,” suggests Fox.

Next time the boos start Reigns has to take a stand, according to Fox. He has got to call the fans on booing him and demand the respect. When Reigns walks up to that ring during WrestleMania 33 and those boos start, he needs to take a stand. If he demands respect even before he starts his bout with the Undertaker, the theory suggests he’ll be on his way to gaining the respect of the fans. For James it seemed easy, but will it work for Reigns and will Reigns even give it a try?

[Featured Image by Demis Maryannakis]