'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
When Roman Reigns returned at SummerSlam to attack Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman after their Universal Championship match, many fans felt it was the start of a long-awaited heel turn for The Big Dog. On SmackDown, Reigns seemingly aligned himself with Paul Heyman. Finally, there was no question about it, Roman Reigns was a heel.
At Payback, Roman took on Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman for the Universal Championship and came away with the victory and the title. This wasn't like any other Roman Reigns title win, however. We saw a more dark, maniacal side of Roman Reigns and the fans loved it.
With the state that WWE is currently in, let's look at five reasons why Roman Reigns very well may be the best heel in the company today.
This is something Roman Reigns wanted to do
Let's start with a reason that gets overlooked from time to time. In the world of wrestling, fans love authenticity. When a wrestler has a gimmick, fans get turned off if they aren't serious about it. So when you hear that a change is something the wrestler themselves wanted, you know it's going to be good.
For years, fans rejected Reigns because they felt WWE pushed him down him their throats. Meanwhile, people like Chris Jericho and others said Reigns was very creative and serious about his work. And we're seeing it right now.
WWE forced Reigns to be a babyface; forced him to be the guy that the children looked up to. He probably loved it at the time, but he surely knew that he could be doing something he actually wanted to do. Reigns motivated him through that because he wanted to succeed in something he told himself, and assured everybody around him that he could succeed.
Paul Heyman is Roman Reigns' Special Counsel
When Roman Reigns revealed that he was now working with Paul Heyman, fans looked on Twitter to see what others thought and weren't shocked to find that other wrestling fans loved it already. And Heyman had only said two words. Now, he is the Reigns' "Special Counsel" and it's helping Reigns' status as a top heel.
People love to hate Paul Heyman. Even though Heyman is really good at his job. If you take Bobby the Brain Heenan out of the picture, Paul Heyman is the greatest manager of all time. Putting him in this role for Reigns only makes The Tribal Chief's credibility skyrocket. Heyman has the ability to play with fans' emotions better than anybody on a microphone.
When Heyman was with Brock Lesnar, his whole "reigning, defending" spiel annoyed the fans and made us hate The Beast Incarnate even more. The crazy part is, Roman Reigns can actually talk. Reigns did a lot of talking in his feud with his cousin Jey Uso, and he did well. Now, you have a second mouthpiece for The Tribal Chief that can hammer down the fact that Reigns is the baddest man in the WWE.
Reigns' Heel Turn Was a Long Time Coming
As mentioned earlier, fans have been clamoring for a Roman Reigns heel turn for years. The WWE Universe believed Reigns was the new John Cena—a wrestler who hasn't changed their character in years because of how much money he makes in merchandise sales. It's no secret that Roman Reigns was a big draw for fans, kids and women love him, just like Cena.
WWE knew it when they booked Roman Reigns vs. John Cena at No Mercy 2017. Both Cena and Reigns played up the fact that they are the top babyface in the company. Fans didn't get to see the Leader of Cenation turn heel. However, we got a Roman Reigns heel turn and it seemingly came at the best time possible. With the pandemic and Reigns' absence from TV, the WWE Universe wondered when he would come back but figured it would be as a face.
Once he attacked both Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman, fans had a good feeling that the time was now for WWE to pull the trigger of a heel turn. All those years waiting made the turn feel like a breath of fresh air, which gives the fans enthusiasm for the future.
Reigns' New Demeanor is Relentless
The one thing every successful heel needs is an imposing demeanor and Reigns' new persona has been incredible. His arrogance makes him feel like a legitimate tough guy. He dropped the flak jacket and wrestles without a shirt now, which makes him look more intimidating.
Just look at his promos so far. He's completely changed his mannerisms and he's now taking a slow, methodical approach. In his matches, especially with Jey, you can hear him talking to his opponents and it's quality stuff. If Roman continues on this path, there's no question that he could be the best heel in the WWE.
He's even changed his in-ring style. Now I know that isn't unique to Reigns as many wrestlers have to change their wrestling style when they go from face to heel or vice versa, but Reigns used a more crowd pleasing style. He still has the Spear and the Superman Punch but his penchant to pump up the crowd and cater to the fans is gone. He's slow, diabolical, and he savors his beat downs. It's really an incredible transition considering the way Reigns used to perform.
Roman Reigns vs. Jey Uso Feud
Roman Reigns' first big feud after winning the Universal Championship was against his real-life cousin, Jey Uso. Jey won a fatal four-way match to determine the number one contender for the Universal Championship, and the fans were extremely excited about the possibility of seeing these two competitors face-off.
What followed is one of the best storylines WWE has produced this year. This story has everything: a David and Goliath dynamic, a familial backdrop, and some legitimately emotional beats.
Reigns and Jey faced off at Clash of Champions, where Jimmy Uso came down and threw the white towel in for this twin brother. Following weeks of tense back and forths between Reigns and Jey, the two met once again inside Hell in a Cell in an "I Quit" match. That match, almost made me shed a tear. Watching Jimmy Uso run down and try to talk some sense into Reigns, just for Reigns lock him in a guillotine choke, forcing Jey to say "I quit", was masterful storytelling. It cemented Reigns as a heel.
If Reigns can continue this type of performance in his upcoming feuds, we're going to be looking at the best heel in WWE.
