Bobby Roode has gone from Glorious to Lusterless

Bobby Roode is a Canadian professional wrestler signed to WWE. Roode made his wrestling debut in 1998 in Independent circuit. He made his TNA debut in the year 2004 where he performed till 2016. During this time, Roode performed both as a face and a heel. He started as a tag team partner in Team Canada and later worked as a free agent from 2006 to 2008.

It was only after 2008 that Roode found his breakthrough in the International arena and established himself as a face of the company. Roode formed a tag team stable along with James Storm. Roode along with Storm, managed the tag team, Beer Money. Beer Money would soon become one of the most successful tag team stable in the history of Impact Wrestling. This included a record-setting 212 days reign as Tag Team Champions.

During 2011 and 2013, Bobby Roode was one of the biggest faces of the TNA brand. The years included many unsuccessful stints to capture the World Heavyweight Championship. Bobby Roode eventually became a two time World Heavyweight Champion with his first reign being the longest of the company. The championship reign lasted for a record 256 days. The longest in the company history.

Bobby Roode teamed up with Austin Aries during 2013 to 2015 and formed a tag team division. After Aries left TNA, Bobby Roode reunited again with Storm to revive Beer Money. This was 2015 and 2016 where Bobby Roode showed signs of a face turn. After retaining the Tag Team Championship and making a mark in the industry as a face, Roode announced his departure. Roode left TNA after 12 years in the company.

Bobby Roode as TNA Heavyweight Champion

Bobby Roode made his WWE debut in the developmental brand, NXT as a heel. Bobby Roode made an impressive debut at NXT where he defeated the already established Almas. He soon got a title opportunity and became the NXT Champion. He managed an undefeated streak at NXT. His first defeat came during his last appearances on the brand. Bobby Roode lost the title to Drew McIntyre in what marked his first defeat at the NXT brand.

Bobby Roode made his WWE debut as a face. Bobby Roode headlined main events and had a short title run as United States Champion.

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But everything is not right with Bobby Roode as far as his WWE run is concerned. So far we haven't seen much of glorious moments from the wrestler. His run in the WWE has been forgettable to much extent and within a year after making his WWE debut, he's gone from the main event wrestler to regular screen time at WWE.

Bobby Roode's failure at WWE can be because of following reasons.

The NXT prospect

Bobby Roode

NXT is a developmental brand of WWE, as quoted by WWE is much more than that. NXT over the years has found itself a fanbase on equal footing as that of SmackDown and Raw brands. NXT works on the premise of promising superstars who debut on the main roster after making appearances on NXT. The NXT promises good content but has often struggled with pushing the stars too far into their NXT careers.

WWE has never invested in NXT prospects completely. Shinsuke Nakamura and Andrade Almas are suffering a similar fate. Finn Balor is not quite utilized to his maximum as compared to when he was in NJPW. This goes for Shinsuke Nakamura as well, though, in the recent past, Nakamura's heel turn has proved worthy.

Bobby Roode vs Shinsuke Nakamura

Something similar is in the lines of Bobby Roode who spent his entire time at NXT as a heel and was the undisputed NXT Champion. His first loss came to Drew McIntyre who was then being assisted to become the next big thing for WWE. These superstars even after being professional in their fields for more than a decade, find themselves on opposite shelves after making their debut in WWE.

Bobby Roode's hype on NXT and his successful run as an NXT Champion has not quite rubbed off in his WWE run so far.

Good Story-lines

WWE Live Paris At Accorhotels Arena In Paris

WWE creative team has been criticized more than usual for its lazy work on stories revolving around the wrestlers in the recent past. It's a given fact that good story-lines leading to the match make for an interesting bout.

Bobby Roode after making his WWE debut was booked with Dolph Ziggler in what felt like a really lousy build-up for the match. Dolph Ziggler and Bobby Roode are both promising superstars capable of providing interesting bouts, but the intensity leading to the feud was almost null.

Since then, Bobby Roode has found himself in much worse story-lines. In early 2018 he found himself on a short-lived losing streak. Bobby Roode is in dire need of a good story-line to bring out the best in him. With almost a year already in WWE, Bobby Roode needs a much needed push from WWE.

The Face

Bobby Roode in action

Almost his entire time in TNA, Bobby Roode was a heel. It was only during his tag matches where Bobby Roode would turn face to woo the audience. Bobby Roode is a kind of wrestler who can work in both characters but it only really works in one. Something similar to Randy Orton and Triple H who have time and again found themselves in both masks, but only gotten more love as heels.

During his entire run in NXT, Bobby Roode was a heel and managed an impressive run at the brand. Ever since making his WWE debut and turning face, Bobby Roode has only failed at his gimmick.

Bobby Roode is not a face guy, his whole charisma, and in-ring presence is that of a heel. And since WWE is hell-bent on ruining this NXT prospect who was more successful when he was serving TNA, it seems unlikely for that to happen.