Is Roman Reigns the next John Cena?

Why he isn't: fans are tired of 'Superman' characters

John Cena's booking has often made him seem beyond human

Bill Goldberg seemed unstoppable at one point, chewing through the entire WCW locker room on his quest for greatness. It worked great in 1998, but when it was tried in 2016 with Ryback, the effort fell flat on its place.

This is because pro wrestling has changed, the audience has changed, and society has changed. No longer are people interested in seeing someone who never loses as Cena did for much of his career, and Roman seems to be following suit.

One of the most popular stars in WWE right now is Johnny Gargano. Gargano isn't booked to be unstoppable but rather is portrayed as a feisty underdog who manages to win more often than not because he is so skilled in the ring.

Contrast this with Cena and Roman, who are often portrayed as being nigh-unstoppable. If it weren't for Braun Strowman making Roman seem more human, the big Samoan Shield member would be even more irritating to certain segments of the fans than he is now.

The fans are tired of the superhuman gimmick, and would rather see real people overcoming challenges not because they can't be hurt, but because they are clever, dedicated, or skilled. Because WWE is so intent on making Roman seem unstoppable, he will never get over as much as Cena. The fans tired of John Cena being Superman, and they've already tired of Roman in the same role.

Conclusion:

Roman Reigns may or may not achieve the same career heights of John Cena. He certainly has all the tools to do so, but there are enough things holding him back that the fickle sports entertainment audience might turn their backs on him. Only time will tell if Roman Reigns truly is the next John Cena.

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