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Roman Reigns and WWE have reportedly agreed on a new deal that will see The Tribal Chief wrestle a lighter schedule in the future. For WWE, this is great protection of a proven commodity.
After years of trying to get Reigns over with the fan base, he is now the clear-cut franchise player they always hoped for. It only took a major heel turn and a 600+ day title run to get there.
Now, Reigns continues to carry the company's banner but will likely do so with less face time. He and The Usos have dominated WWE television over the past several months, so this is pretty timely on his and the company's part.
In professional wrestling, they often say that less is more. It's commonly agreed upon that you give the audience just enough to know they want to come back for more.
WWE did the very same thing when it gave Brock Lesnar the keys to the castle, and it worked. The Beast Incarnate gained even greater celebrity status by being an 'attraction' than he did as a full-time performer. It made his appearances seem more special.
Roman Reigns will now assume WWE's special attraction role, and it fits him well
If Reigns possibly continues on as the top champion into year number three, the promotion will want to limit his exposure anyway. There are likely to be no more frequent house show appearances on the horizon for The Head of the Table. Like a handful of performers who have come before him, he's earned this opportunity. Now, he's taking in the fruits of his labor.
The Tribal Chief is also taking in other opportunities he may have outside of sports entertainment. With his movie-star looks and obvious Hollywood connections, he may be looking to indulge in some acting.
Reigns will have the full weight of the WWE public relations department behind him when he does. Being The Rock's cousin and having a built-in fan base doesn't hurt his prospects in tinsel town, either. It's likely that Vince McMahon has produced the next great action star and doesn't even know it yet.
For those in the WWE Universe who are panicking over the idea that Reigns may be departing soon? Don't. It appears he's fully committed to the company and wants to stay active for years to come, just at a lighter pace and while exploring other ventures. The eventual move to motion pictures and television could be a slow process where Reigns is extremely cautious about the roles he accepts.
As fans of professional wrestling and sports entertainment, we have often seen megastars like Reigns make these transitions. The Rock, John Cena, and Dave Bautista have all made the successful jump to other forms of media. Roman will likely be no exception.
For now, fans should enjoy his current run. We may be seeing less of him in the future, but it should be more entertaining and effective when we do. This has been his destiny all along, and he's finally starting to acknowledge it.
What do you think about Roman Reigns working a lighter schedule going forward? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.
