In his latest blog on his website, Jrsbarbq.com, Jim Ross covered a wide variety of topics including WWE Champion AJ Styles’ popularity among fans, why turning ‘heel’ would be a better option for Sasha Banks and how athletes like Roman Reigns, who are booed despite posing as ‘babyfaces’ should handle the situation.
According to Ross, AJ Styles is sure to emerge as the most popular performer in the WWE purely based on the kind of feedback he has been receiving from the WWE Universe since his arrival. He claimed that it is extremely tough for fans to boo superstars with great athletic abilities like Styles or even Neville as there is nothing to not like about them.
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Here’s what the WWE Hall of Famer wrote on his blog:
“It seems easy to predict that by year's end, if not before, that AJ Styles will be WWE's most popular in ring star as the grass roots feedback that AJ is receiving from WWE fans should resonate as legit, market research. It's hard for highly skilled, physical talents who do amazing athletic things, like AJ and Neville, for example, to be able to get the fans in mass to boo them. What's not to like?”
On the subject of former Raw Women’s Champion, Sasha Banks, Good Ol’ JR was of the opinion that she would be better off as a ‘heel’ who relies on cheating to win matches and reckoned that the WWE may be thinking on the same lines, too.
He added that he disagrees with the theory about the present generation of fans not requiring proper ‘faces’ or ‘heels’. Ross explained that although there was a very thin line between good and evil these days, identifying heroes or villains in one’s daily life is still part and parcel of human nature. He stated:
“As I said after WWE Roadblock, it seems to me that Sasha Banks will be a more viable villain with a need to cheat to win and it looks like that may be what @WWE is thinking as well. While some may proclaim that today's wrestling fans do not need/want clearly established antagonists and protagonists, i.e. 'faces and heels, and I could not disagree more.
Agreed that society has nearly erased the line that separates good versus evil to a large degree but basic human nature still readily recognizes life's heroes and villains.”
About superstars who are supposed to be fan favourites but end up drawing boos from fans, Jim Ross suggested a possible solution being them working as villains. Citing an example of how Steve Austin worked as a rough ‘babyface’ in his peak years, he proposed that Roman Reigns could do something similar.
“When talents who are positioned as fan favorites and who currently are booed on a regular basis, one potential remedy might be for the talents to wrestle as 'villains' to better fit their individual presentations,” mentioned the iconic WWE commentator.
“Steve Austin wrestled as a 'rough, baby face' in his biggest years and it resonated for him.This might work for Roman Reigns, for example, who might be better served to not over react to the reaction of the fans and do his business, be physical and athletic and let the cards fall where they may,” he added.
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