He’s not a good guy. He’s not a bad guy. He is simply the guy, especially after his United States Championship victory against Rusev at the Clash of Champions. Even though there are fans that cheer for the Samoan Superman, Roman Reigns may not be in the majority when it comes to favorites. Of course, Reigns is the epitome of tall, dark and handsome. However, looking past the physical attributes, there is more to The Guy that meets the eye.
Despite the tough position Reigns has been put in, he overcomes it all by continuing to push through against the grain. Reigns has put on great matches over the past couple of years. While that works in his favor in terms of his work ethic, it’s not enough for today’s fan. What works against him is that he’s been a victim of bad booking and super pushes gone wrong. It is clear that the company rushed Reigns while he is still growing as a character.
Over time, some fans have come around and seen past the push he’s received. However, there are others who still aren’t going to buy in. Reigns is struggling to get over, and it will continue as long as he is heading in the current direction. Regardless, until it happens I can point out why there are fans who indeed love Reigns.
1. He puts in the effort
One thing that fans can’t argue about is the fact that Reigns does put in the work. Reigns is a hard worker who gets better in just about every match. He tries to do something different at times and sometimes, it works.
While he does put in the effort in executing a good match, there are other components that he needs to work on. It’s not that he lacks it; he’s been the key component many memorable moments during his time with The Shield. It’s there and he just needs the right tools to create that magic once more.
2. Good chemistry with opponents
In addition to putting in the work in having a successful match, Reigns seems to flow with whoever he is working with. It is so important to have a good chemistry in the ring with someone. It takes two people to have a smooth match and not everyone has that benefit when it comes to working with others.
Perhaps one of the reasons why Reigns works well with others is that he is well-liked backstage among his peers. Reigns is committed to having a good match coupled with a good attitude and that certainly plays a factor inside the squared circle.
3. Sassy Reigns is the best Reigns
Fans witness subtle glimpses of Reigns’ bad side over time. While I personally think that less is more in terms of Reigns speaking, talking trash to his opponents is something I’d love to see more of. Seeing his personality come out a bit can only help Reigns as he goes out to the ring every night.
Think of The Shield days when it comes to this. The less is more approach worked perfectly with Reigns; if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. However, the company went in a completely different direction with Reigns once The Shield parted ways. Reigns won’t resort to that direction fully yet, but if his trash talk was highlighted more often, it would do more good than harm in my opinion.
4. Stays true to himself
Despite the enormous pressure that was put on him in the last two years, Reigns has managed to stay humble throughout. Reigns comes across as appreciative and thankful for the opportunities he has received. He’s never parlayed an “I deserve it” attitude that some wrestlers tend to have.
Reigns understands that even though he has wrestling in his blood and has a rich heritage in wrestling, he has to work for his opportunities. In the midst of the chaos that surrounds him, Reigns has chosen to take the high road and retain his character. His ego is in check and his fans appreciate those characteristics.
5. Fan appreciation
This goes hand in hand with the last slide. Much like his peers don’t have bad things to say about Reigns, his fans will share that sentiment. Reigns is often seen on social media in pictures with many fans leaving them gushing with appreciation.
Despite pushing against the grain, Reigns doesn’t take his frustrations out on the fans that do pay to see him in action. Reigns acknowledges and appreciates the love in his interviews. Reigns’ fans are adorned as The Roman Empire. Reigns gave his fans a shoutout when he was named #1 on the PWI 500 recently. He also took a shot at his haters while he was at it. Ahh Yessir!
