Roman Reigns speaks

Of course it isn't *exactly* accurate, but it is a fairly appropriate comparison. Even if I were to go a step further and compare WWE to what it most similarly resembles, and that's the Gladiatorial games, there is still a sense of entertainment, etc in it. They put the best fighters in that attracted people. David wasn't the draw. Goliath was. At the end of the day, regardless of the physicality, these ARE actors. They're performers. Whether you feel screen/theater differs at all, or not, is entirely besides the point. WWE perfectly blends almost all of these subjects you mentioned together, and in that sense, Reigns is a quality package. Modeling, and Athletics, he has down. Acting -- improving. Wrestling? We'll just say he's not the worst ever, or even working in the company right now.

I understand that a lot of SENSIBLE people don't have an issue with Roman Reigns the person. They have a problem with "You're going to take Roman Reigns whether you like it, or not!" -- but the lines often become blurred in there as to who's to blame, and who people do blame. If Michael Cera had been cast as Batman...you'd say he's a terrible choice. Everyone would. But is it his FAULT that he was cast as Batman? Absolutely not. THAT would fall on WB, the Director, etc as I mentioned above. Modeling, athletics, etc, all the same. Do you hold a grudge against a player for getting traded? A model for posing?...they're just there to make money doing their job. We forget that this is all a performance, sometimes, and that leads to people getting incredibly heated about something that, quite honestly, isn't THAT big of a deal. We all have our favorite actors, characters, etc...but the love has to be spread out a bit.

And for others who have said in this very thread -- Reigns has a considerable fan base. For the (4th?) time, I point to Twitter/Facebook as proof of this. I'm never going to be like "Roman Reigns is the greatest professional wrestler who EVER LIVED!!!!" But what I am going to say is "WWE has a stacked roster of talent right now, that creative is doing a piss poor job of handling. Roman, along with a handful of other guys, I'm STOKED to see work the company for the next 5-10 years, if some people behind the scenes could get their stuff together. Because this roster could provide us with some great memories. Whether that's Ziggler, Bryan, Rollins, Ambrose, Reigns or Wyatt...and as a wrestling fan, and a story fan -- I'm excited about that."

I get your comparison points to movies, etc. As do I get Reigns' same comparisons.

But the problem is that the WWE doesn't WANT you to think it's "just a TV show"....everything they do is presented as real as it gets.
UFC isn't scripted but no one has the right to bitch if a guy wins the Heavyweight Title because he's not being handed it by a bunch of writers. However there are people behind the scenes who handle UFC fights and they don't just randomly select guys to face off...they go with what they think the people WANT to see. Same with boxing...why are Mayweather & Pacquiao fighting? Because the FANS want to see it.

Wrestling should be compared more to boxing and UFC than Hollywood

but the WWE is in it's own personal identity crisis


they want soooooooo desperately to be "pop culture cool"...so they latch on to whatever trends are in TV and music. they bring on pointless guest hosts, try to shoehorn themselves into every major sports story, and constantly over-sell themselves as the most-watched program in the history of television. they are marketing towards children, because children don't care about bookers & writers.

the issue? if they even paid any attention to their numbers, they would see that EASILY 75% of everyone in attendance at live shows is over the age of 18...most are probably closer to 30. their core demo for TV is 18-49....I get wanting to sell to kids, it should be part of the whole picture...but the entire product is being sold to "dumb fans and children" when it's just a flat out ignorance to the entire industry.

Vince McMahon is entertaining Vince McMahon. And he knows we all will still watch, still buy shirts, and still stand behind those guys who are getting shitted on every night at the expense of Reigns. "Controversy creates cash". Might have been the best thing ever to come from Eric Bischoff.

The problem isnt Roman Reigns. The problem is WWE put a screeching halt to Daniel Bryan's story, The story that has now gone on for well over a year and a half at this point and the story people are heavily invested into, then decided out of nowhere to give Roman this mega push in the middle of it, Despite only having 1-2 singles matches at the beginning of the push. Daniel Bryan returned back from injury after getting stripped of the title, He enters the Rumble and gets eliminated like a low mid carder. Fans are INVESTED in this storyline. This of course outraged the living out of everyone and they turned on Roman when he won. If WWE weren't so ing intellectually- disabled, They would have let Daniel Bryan complete his story with the Authority "You want your title back? You have to go through Brock to get it". Then have Roman Reigns win the Rumble next year and main event the show. Everything would have been cooled and fans would have been on his side.

Look at this like a tv series like Walking Dead or Breaking Bad. You dont have a story go on for a year, then decide to replace the main hero character out of nowhere and insert some backing character to take the lead. Fans will be OUTRAGED by that decision.

Literally the only thing I got out of that interview is that Roman Reigns compared himself to Brad Pit...in some bizarre ass way.

Heel, or face, I'm fine with Reigns. Rocky pulled it off. Reigns could too.

But I have to say, whole heartedly, I question whether or not the creative team in place right now can handle what would be required to make all this happen, and build his character in such a way.

...just keeps coming back to creative, no matter what happens with him, lol

I DO think he could be a very good heel, though. He could be great as a Tweener, and he can work as a face. All in how he's handled/developed. Piss poor, thus far.

Different fan base. Different eras. Lot of variables between the two. I wasn't saying it as in 'Reigns is Rock' -- he's not. I agree. Rock is one of the best of all time. Reigns probably will never be. But my meaning was simply that, if he's chosen as one of the 'faces' of the company. He could be used as such, in either a face, or heel, capacity. Like Rocky was. That was my point.

Something to note aswell. A top guy ALWAYS has to have "it". Hulk Hogan had "it", Stone Cold had "it", The Rock had "it", John Cena had "it". They each fit the "it" of their generation. Roman Reigns doesnt fit the "it" of this new generation. That belongs to guys like CM Punk/Daniel Bryan.

WWE tried so hard to force guys like Sheamus and Del Rio down our throat and it backfired in their faces so badly. They did the exact thing WWE is doing with Reigns right now, Forcing a guy out into the deep end before they are ready. Look at Del Rio and Sheamus now, One was released and one is in the midcard getting dead reactions as Cena 2.0.

Obviously WWE has failed to make 2 top stars with the same formula they are using with Reigns, The ol' Royal Rumble Megapush treatment. Its going to happen again with Reigns because like i said, He hasn't shown "it".

Had Lesnar inevitably come along, taken the Title off D Bry, only to drop it to Reigns, people would have lost their minds. God, I can picture it now.