WWE News: Stone Cold Steve Austin Thinks Roman Reigns Needs To Turn Heel
Something has to change on WWE programming. Whether it’s for good or bad, change is necessary for World Wrestling Entertainment. Roman Reigns should remain at the epicenter of said change. As John Cena and Randy Orton remain off WWE television, Reigns is clearly the guy the WWE is looking at to carry the program and generate higher ratings. It didn’t help that Seth Rollins sustained a long-term injury.
Both former-Shield members were supposed to steal the show at Survivor Series. Whether WWE fans like it or not, Reigns was planned to capture his first WWE World Heavyweight championship from Rollins. Like earlier reports suggested, Rollins wasn’t in the plans for the WWE title at WrestleMania 32.
That was going to be Reigns’ ascension to stardom. However, as a babyface, something still seems missing from the former-WWE Tag-Team champion. In a recent interview, Stone Cold Steve Austin alluded to what is missing from Reigns’ next step towards becoming WWE champion. Stone Cold believes Reigns should turn heel.
“I think Roman needs to be a heel. Go through that journey and then evolve into a babyface. To me, it’s almost going to mirror what the Rock did. [WWE] brought him in as a white meat baby. People hated him and they wanted to hate him. And then, all of a sudden, the Rock started taking over the Nation of Domination. He was the alpha male in that group. All of a sudden, the promo skills come alive. The character comes alive. The personality comes alive and he turned into the most electrifying man in sports entertainment. Now, I don’t expect Roman Reigns to do that. I expect Roman Reigns to be Roman Reigns, but that’s the road that the Rock went down. I just think, organically, that’s the way it’s going to play out for Roman Reigns. Now, you can try to put him in that babyface spot, that number one spot, right now to see what happens and I’ll be very, very interested to see, if indeed, that’s what they do because I’m just waiting on the edge of my seat to see what happens.”
Everything Austin mentioned is very-accurate. The Rock may not have become what he did without the Nation of Domination. It was then when he turned Rocky Maivia to the Rock. There weren’t blue and teal streamers coming down his chest alongside veterans in the industry. It was a swift change that made Rock a star.
He became that heel that was hated by everyone. Things were much simpler then, but the Rock proved that less was more. Rock insulted the fans at every turn he could. They weren’t elaborate, well-calculated and devious. Rock’s jabs at the WWE Universe were simple and successful. There is one, big difference between the Rock and Roman Reigns.
Reigns will never be the Rock. Reigns has to focus on becoming the next Reigns. For the time being, a heel turn by Reigns is what is best for business. It would also be what is best for his career moving forward. Nobody is more-hated by the core group of WWE fans than Reigns. Instead of getting cheers the last few weeks, a good majority of the audience booed him.
Cesaro is more-over than Reigns and that’s what the WWE is missing right now. They need to capitalize on a guy who can generate a reaction. While Cesaro doesn’t produce as many t-shirts as Reigns, he’s a better wrestler who can talk better. Until Roman Reigns can give a good promo in the WWE, he shouldn’t lead it. For those that disagree, watch every one of Reigns’ promos and generate an opinion. They aren’t good enough.
[Image via youtube.com]
