Get the Shovel: The End Begins for Roman Reigns

A recent video recap of John Cena and Roman Reigns’ segment on RAW a couple weeks ago, kicking off their program, stated the “War of Words has begun.” Frankly, that barely covers it. More is going on and circumstances are much worse than that.

It isn’t so much a war as a one-sided fight. And Roman really is “The Guy” this time – the guy whose arms are tied behind his back. Cena ran circles around Reigns while he stood there flustered, thinking up a retort.

It was brutal and WWE might not get the outcome they are looking for despite a sound assumption. On paper, putting Roman in an angle with John is a shot in the arm: the logic being since Cena elevated Kevin Owens and AJ Styles, he can do the same for Reigns.

One problem: Owens and AJ already had their followings and were highly respected. When they went blow for blow with John, “shooting” in their promos, they were already established. The only thing they had to prove was if they could get over on a WWE stage.

Roman, however, is homegrown, still trying to find his footing on a slippery slope, and nothing the company does seems to help him. They give him championships, Vince writes his promos as if he knows what is best (something opined on in a previous piece). None of it works.

HHH declared on ESPN Reigns was already heel practically -in some sort of gray area- to the dismay and frustration of fans and analysts. The King of Kings may believe (or hope) his thinking will shift the dynamic, but that’s wishful.

Every effort up to now has been to swim against the current and downplay the boos. The strategy is plainly evident and nobody has reason to anticipate a change in course.

In fact, the fans have no confidence Roman can take over for Cena when the torch is passed to him. A new poll showed 82% of the WWE Universe does not see Reigns as the man who can fill John’s pump-up sneakers.

“Smart” fans could have voted over and over to skew the results but those are the numbers and they speak some hard truth.

Look back on his time with The Shield – was he the one who really stood out? In terms of menace and size, yes. Personality-wise, no, Roman was not MVP of the Hounds of Justice when it came to the mic. Dean and Seth were more prominent in that regard.

And there is a reason Rollins is considered Architect of The Shield and not Reigns. Fundamentally, the former is a better, more well-rounded worker. He also has more years in the business, plus he won the WWE Title first.

The ascension of Seth Rollins was organic. Roman was anointed, for better or worse, and they keep shoehorning him in the main event.

Well, the experiment is failing and what we are witnessing is the burial of Roman Reigns unfolding before our eyes. Creative are starting to notice, apparently, and let him go off script when it was already too late.

All the ammo he had for John was the same recycled talking points: Cena is a part-timer, he buries guys, etc. Observations such as those worked with Styles and Owens for the reasons stated concerning them, but also because criticisms against Cena were mostly peddled by dirtsheets and social media.

They were never addressed openly on TV. By now, they are trite claims and look desperate, which is not what will get Roman over. And this feud looks less and less like it will do that even though it’s designed for that purpose.

Cena being the one to instigate the whole thing suddenly and wantonly makes Roman look lazy and a little weak. You’re the Big Dog now; logically, you would proactively protect the yard you fought hard to conquer.

As the scenario is playing out, a series of verbal battles, Roman won’t survive. He could turn it around unexpectedly if he really shoots or got serious, perhaps laying Cena out and really turning heel by becoming a Paul Heyman Guy. But that should’ve happened already.

If rumors are true, the planning for the two is beyond No Mercy and into next year, more than likely WrestleMania. That being the case? Reigns might not survive unless something changes.

This will be Roman’s defining moment, whether he sank or swam with the tide coming in. His career might not be over when all’s said and done, but it sure won’t be the same.