Roman Reigns: From Hated Hero To Beloved Villain

Summary

The video script recounts Roman Reigns' journey in WWE, from his initial push as a conquering hero to the audience's rejection, leading to a significant character transformation. Despite being a descendant of wrestling royalty and showing early promise, Reigns struggled with fan approval due to heavy-handed booking. His career took a pivotal turn when he revealed his battle with leukemia, garnering empathy. Eventually, his heel turn as the 'Tribal Chief' resonated with fans, showcasing his growth and earning him the top spot in WWE that he was destined for, all while highlighting the crucial role of audience engagement in shaping a wrestler's career.

Takeaways

• 🤼‍♂️ Roman Reigns, a key figure in WWE, was built up by the company as a conquering hero and the face of the company, despite fan reactions suggesting otherwise.
• 🏆 Reigns became only the second wrestler ever to defeat the Undertaker at WrestleMania, a significant achievement in wrestling history.
• 👎 The audience's reaction to Reigns was largely negative, with boos and chants overshadowing his victories and attempts to speak, indicating a disconnect between WWE's portrayal and fan sentiment.
• 👨‍👧‍👦 Reigns comes from the Anoa'i family, a renowned wrestling dynasty, which includes famous wrestlers like The Rock, and this heritage was part of his character's background.
• 🏈 Before joining WWE, Reigns had a background in American football and was signed to a developmental deal due to his athleticism and physique.
• 🛡️ Reigns was initially part of The Shield, a highly successful stable that helped him gain credibility and protected his inexperience in the ring.
• 🎭 The concept of a 'top guy' in WWE is someone who is positioned as the main event star, sells merchandise, and is the company's top draw, a role WWE envisioned for Reigns.
• 📉 Despite WWE's efforts to make Reigns a top hero, fans resisted this portrayal, preferring more organic and less forced characters.
• 🤝 The Shield's breakup and Reigns' subsequent push as a single star led to a clearer WWE agenda to push him to the top, which was met with mixed reactions from fans.
• 🏥 Reigns publicly announced his battle with leukemia, which brought a real and emotional response from the audience, showing their support and admiration.
• 🎖️ Reigns' character development and eventual heel turn, along with the formation of The Bloodline, marked a significant shift in his career, leading to a more positive reception from fans.

Q & A

What significant event did Roman Reigns achieve at WrestleMania 33?

Roman Reigns became only the second wrestler ever to defeat the Undertaker at WrestleMania, a feat that had only occurred once before in over 20 years.

How did the audience react to Roman Reigns' victory speech on the night after WrestleMania 33?

The audience booed adamantly at Roman Reigns, expressing their disapproval for eight straight minutes, not allowing him to get a word in.

What is unique about the connection between professional wrestling and its audience?

Professional wrestling has a unique connection with its audience due to the live nature of the shows, allowing for real-time reactions from the audience that can influence the performance.

What is the significance of being the 'top guy' or 'face of the company' in WWE?

The 'top guy' or 'face of the company' is the main star that WWE relies on for main events at their biggest shows, to sell the most merchandise, and is their top draw.

Why did WWE initially protect Roman Reigns in his early career?

WWE protected Roman Reigns in his early career by limiting his exposure in the ring through short periods in tag matches, as he was still developing his in-ring skills and charisma.

What was the original concept for The Shield and how did it change?

The original concept for The Shield was to be CM Punk's mercenaries. However, WWE decided to add Roman Reigns as a new pet project, and the group debuted as a dominant force without a clear alignment.

How did Roman Reigns' booking as a top guy affect the audience's perception of him?

Roman Reigns' booking as a top guy, with constant dominance and overly scripted promos, led to the audience rejecting him because they felt he was being forced upon them as a hero.

What was the turning point for Roman Reigns' character development?

The turning point for Roman Reigns' character development was when he revealed his battle with leukemia out of character, which garnered genuine sympathy and support from the audience.

How did Roman Reigns' return from leukemia treatment affect his reception by the audience?

Upon his return from leukemia treatment, Roman Reigns received a huge ovation from the crowd and for the first time in his singles career, he started getting the babyface reaction from the fans that WWE had hoped for.

What significant change occurred in Roman Reigns' character when he turned heel?

When Roman Reigns turned heel, he adopted the persona of the 'Tribal Chief,' a character who not only believes he's the top guy in the company but demands acknowledgment from others, leading to a more engaging and complex character.

How has the formation of 'The Bloodline' impacted Roman Reigns' character and reception?

The formation of 'The Bloodline,' a dominant stable consisting of his cousins The Usos and other members, has further developed Roman Reigns' character and storyline, making him more over as the audience acknowledges his role and the entertaining performances.

Outlines

00:00

🏆 Roman Reigns' Controversial Rise

The script discusses the WWE's attempt to build Roman Reigns as a top hero following his historic win over The Undertaker at WrestleMania 33, an unprecedented event in wrestling history. Despite the company's efforts, fans booed Reigns, rejecting the 'good guy' narrative. The paragraph delves into the live nature of wrestling, the significance of crowd reactions, and the reasons behind the audience's disapproval of Reigns, including his lineage from the renowned Anoa'i wrestling family and his early career development in WWE's system.

05:03

🎭 The Struggle with Top Guy Booking

This paragraph examines the concept of a 'top guy' in WWE and the history of such figures like Hulk Hogan and Bruno Sammartino. It explores the challenges of maintaining fan support for chosen top stars, referencing Lex Luger's failed run as a top guy and the importance of fan opinion in shaping storylines. The narrative also highlights Roman Reigns' journey from his debut as part of The Shield to his solo push, emphasizing the company's struggle to make him a universally accepted hero despite his in-ring and promotional skills.

10:05

🤔 Fan Backlash and the Search for Acceptance

The script details the growing fan backlash against Roman Reigns as he continued to be pushed as a dominant force in WWE, despite the audience's clear disinterest in his character. It discusses the 2015 Royal Rumble controversy and the failed attempts to use The Rock's popularity to boost Reigns' image. The paragraph also touches on the importance of authenticity in wrestling characters and the eventual shift in Reigns' booking, leading to his first solo heel turn and the development of his 'Tribal Chief' persona.

15:05

👑 Embracing the Role of Top Guy

The final paragraph outlines Roman Reigns' transformation into a heel character, which resonated with fans and led to a significant improvement in his in-ring work and mic skills. It discusses Reigns' feud with Jey Uso, the formation of The Bloodline stable, and his acceptance of the top guy role that WWE had envisioned for him. The script concludes by reflecting on the audience's eventual acknowledgment of Reigns as a top star, highlighting the importance of fan engagement in professional wrestling.

Keywords

💡Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns, whose real name is Joe Anoa'i, is a professional wrestler and the main subject of the video. The video details his career trajectory, highlighting key moments such as his controversial victory over The Undertaker and his transformation into a top WWE star. His journey reflects the tension between WWE's intentions and the audience's reception.

💡WrestleMania 33

WrestleMania 33 is a major WWE event where Roman Reigns defeated The Undertaker, marking a pivotal moment in his career. This event is significant as it sets the stage for the fan backlash and the ongoing narrative of Reigns being pushed as the top guy in WWE.

💡The Undertaker

The Undertaker is a legendary WWE wrestler known for his long and storied career. Roman Reigns defeating The Undertaker at WrestleMania 33 was a monumental achievement, intended to cement Reigns' status as a top star, but it also sparked significant fan backlash.

💡Heel

In wrestling terminology, a 'heel' is a villain or antagonist. The video explains how Roman Reigns' character transitioned into a heel, particularly after his alignment with Paul Heyman and his feud with Jey Uso, which allowed him to develop a more complex and engaging persona.

💡Babyface

A 'babyface' in wrestling is a hero or protagonist. Roman Reigns was initially presented as a babyface, but the audience's rejection of his character led to a prolonged period of boos and disapproval until he embraced a heel persona, which eventually garnered more positive reactions.

💡The Shield

The Shield was a popular wrestling stable consisting of Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, and Seth Rollins. Their collective success and strong booking helped establish Reigns as a prominent figure in WWE. The group's dynamics and eventual breakup were crucial in shaping Reigns' early career.

💡Paul Heyman

Paul Heyman is a well-known wrestling manager who became aligned with Roman Reigns during his heel turn. Heyman's presence and managerial skills significantly enhanced Reigns' character development, contributing to his transformation into the 'Tribal Chief'.

💡Tribal Chief

The 'Tribal Chief' is the current persona of Roman Reigns, symbolizing his leadership and dominance within his wrestling family and the WWE. This character shift has been well-received, allowing Reigns to excel both in-ring and on the microphone, and solidifying his position as the top guy.

💡Fan Reaction

Fan reaction is a central theme in the video, illustrating how the WWE audience's approval or disapproval can shape a wrestler's career. Roman Reigns faced significant fan backlash when presented as a babyface, but his eventual heel turn and character development led to more favorable responses.

💡WWE Creative

WWE Creative refers to the team responsible for scripting and planning wrestling storylines. The video discusses how WWE Creative's decisions, particularly regarding Roman Reigns' push as the top guy, were met with resistance from fans, highlighting the ongoing struggle between creative intentions and audience preferences.

Highlights

Roman Reigns, a wrestler WWE tried to build up as a Conquering Hero, received a negative reaction from fans after defeating the Undertaker at WrestleMania 33.

WrestleMania 33's Undertaker defeat was a monumental event in wrestling history, only happening once in over 20 years.

Fans booed Roman Reigns for eight minutes, showing wrestling's unique live interaction between audience and performers.

Roman Reigns comes from the Anoa'i family, one of the greatest dynasties in professional wrestling, including Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson.

Reigns' wrestling career began with a developmental deal at Florida Championship Wrestling, showcasing his athleticism and physique.

The Shield, including Reigns, was one of the greatest stables in wrestling history, debuting at Survivor Series 2012.

Reigns was protected in early bookings with limited exposure to hide his inexperience, a smart strategy for new wrestlers.

WWE's top guy is the face of the company, relied on for main events and merchandise sales, like Hulk Hogan in the past.

Lex Luger was an example of WWE pushing a wrestler as the top guy, despite fan disinterest, similar to Reigns' situation.

Fans can influence WWE's booking decisions, as seen with Daniel Bryan's rise at WrestleMania 30.

Reigns' booking as an all-conquering hero led to fan backlash and boos, despite his real-life battle with leukemia.

Reigns' merchandise sales and global appeal to children kept him in prominent roles despite fan reactions.

WWE booked Shield reunions to capitalize on Reigns' former stablemates' popularity when fans rejected him as a top hero.

Reigns' real-life battle with leukemia and his return to WWE were met with genuine fan support and admiration.

Reigns' character development as the 'Tribal Chief' and forming 'The Bloodline' led to a more accepted top guy role with fans.

Reigns' heel turn and improved in-ring work and mic skills during the pandemic won over fans who previously rejected him.

Reigns' current Championship reign of 800 days is the longest since Hulk Hogan in the 80s, solidifying his top guy status.

Transcripts

April 3rd 2017 the raw after WrestleMania 33  Roman Reigns stands in the middle of the Ring  

a man who the WWE has been trying to build up  as a Conquering Hero and who the higher-ups  

is the face of the company the night prior he  became only the second wrestler ever to defeat  

the Undertaker at Wrestlemania if you're not  a wrestling fan you won't understand just how  

big of a deal that is it's a fee that had only  ever occurred once prior in over 20 years and  

that moment is often touted as the most shocking  moment in wrestling history the script for this  

night had Roman coming out to say some words about  his victory and further cement his top guy status  

to the WWE universe but that's not what happened  instead the fans in attendance boo adamantly at  

a wrestler who in the story is supposed to be the  good guy but they throw obscenities at him and  

chant non-stop not letting him get a word in they  express their utter disapproval for eight straight  

minutes as Reigns just stands there finally he  says this is my yard now a trope often used by  

the most respected man in the business who he  defeated the night before this was followed by  

him walking away to an even louder chorus of boos  now professional wrestling has a unique connection  

with its audience that no other scripted form  of entertainment has and that's because the  

shows are live and in front of the audience  that they're broadcasting to imagine in your  

favorite television show a character makes the  decision you don't like and instead of just going  

to Twitter or complaining to your friends you're  able to voice the disdain live as the actors are  

trying to perform their scripted dialogue and the  cameras are rolling that's something that can only  

happen in wrestling crowd reaction is everything  whether it be cheers or boos which in wrestling  

lingo is either called a pop if it's cheers or  he if it's boos and the worst reaction is no  

reaction but in this instance Reigns is getting a  reaction a huge reaction no less but not the one  

that the company the writers nor Reigns want to be  getting but why is that to answer that question we  

need to look at Reign's career in wrestling up to  that point and the reason the fans were rebelling  

against them Reigns whose real name is Joe anoa'i  is a direct descendant of the anoa'i family one  

of the greatest dynasties professional wrestling  his relatives include current stars like the Usos  

and countless WWE Hall of Famers including Rikishi  Yokozuna Peter Maivia the wild Samoans and another  

guy you might have heard of Dwayne The Rock  Johnson the anoa'i family had more great wrestlers  

come out of it than just about any other family  in history wrestling was in Joe's blood although  

Joe didn't start training right away focused  instead on American football which he excelled  

at even making several practice squads in the NFL  but when his football career ended he decided to  

get into the family business in 2010 through his  connection at WWE his impressive athleticism and  

his physique he signed a developmental deal at  Florida championship wrestling the developmental  

territory for WWE Reigns was given the name  of Roman leakee an ode to his Samoan Roots he  

wrestles some matches in FCW while receiving his  initial training from 2010 to 2012. early in his  

development WWE brass saw something big in Joe and  repackaged him as Roman Reigns he wrestled a few  

matches in the new develop mental territory NXT  before joining the main roster alongside fellow  

FCW alums Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins as part  of the shield The Shield would go on to be one of  

the greatest stables in wrestling history but it  was originally pitched at the time by WWE champ CM  

Punk to be his mercenaries and the initial plans  included Ambrose Rollins and Cassius Ohno better  

known on the independent circuit as Chris hero but  WWE decided to add their new pet project instead  

Reigns who they already saw was a candidate to be  the future phase of the company they debuted in  

the main event of Survivor Series 2012 to take  out Ryback so Punk could retain his title they  

were originally mercenaries claiming to seek  Justice though heels in their actions they  

often got incredible reactions from the fans this  was because there were three unique characters  

acting as a unit whose intentions were unclear but  they had laid Havoc everywhere they went and were  

booked incredibly strong Reigns originally played  the role as the brooding muscle of the group while  

Rollins was the architect and Ambrose was the the  unhinged unpredictable one one unique attribute of  

the group was that they never came through the  entrance ramp like of the wrestlers but rather  

came through the crowd this showed they were  Outsiders but also garnered a connection with the  

audience as they weren't separated by any barriers  they were coming from the same place as the  

fans meaning fans could be inches away from the  shield something that would be near impossible on  

television shows compared to Seth Rollins and Dean  Ambrose two beloved veterans who made their names  

on the independent scene and were well seasoned  in the ring and on the mic Reigns was extremely  

raw but because of his stable mates he was very  well protected his lack of experience was never  

highlighted by long stints in the ring but rather  by short periods in tag matches where he could  

dominate with limited exposure this was a smart  way to handle the early booking of Roman as there  

were countless examples of wrestlers who were  given too much time in the ring and their lack  

of experience was evident as the shield dominated  they did not lose any matches in their first six  

months on the roster Reigns was protected heavily  not having his first singles match on television  

until almost a year into his run when he defeated  Daniel Bryan by disqualification Bryan was someone  

who the fans adored even if WWE never saw him as  their top guy but what exactly does that mean to  

be a top guy the face of the company well it's  exactly what it sounds like the top guy in the  

company who WWE relies on for the main event at  their biggest shows to sell the most merchandise  

and is their top draw as Jim Ross longtime  commentator and former head of talent relations at  

WWE said in his book WWE since it was WWWF had been  a top guy company Bruno Sammartino was positioned  

as a Conquering Hero that Cavalcade of heels would  try to take off the mountain but he was so popular  

that he held the championship for over seven years  then when Vince McMahon bought the company from  

his father and planned a nationwide expansion  he knew he needed someone to carry the company  

insert Hulk Hogan Hogan who had previously worked  for Vince's father had been fired after taking  

the role of thunderlips in Rocky III he then  created the hulkamania gimmick in the AWA and  

Vince saw how the fans in the American Midwest  were responding to to him and knew he had his Man  

Hulk Hogan was brought back to the WWE and was  positioned as the guy with rockets strapped to  

his back Hulkamania ran wild throughout the nation  but the important thing is that even though he was  

pushed to the moon and hardly ever lost the fans  loved him he was charismatic and had a connection  

with the predominantly younger fans Hogan was a  conquering superhero Hogan's clean-cut Good Guy  

character dominated as WWE went Global and became  the number one wrestling program in the world even  

though he was shoved down our throat Standing  Tall at seven of the first nine WrestleMania  

Main Events overall Hogan was Vince McMahon's  ideal top guy bringing unprecedented success  

to the company however just like Hollywood Vince  McMahon loves a reboot and after Hulk Hogan left  

the company in 1993 McMahon was searching for his  next Hogan and this is where we see a failure in  

the top guy booking style when McMahon was looking  for his next face of the company he wasn't trying  

to stray too far off course and even though he  had extremely talented wrestlers like Bret Hart  

whom the fans were completely behind he couldn't  get off the idea that they needed to be like Hogan  

and then McMahon saw Lex Luger Lex Luger was tan  jacked and most importantly American Luger who had  

previously wrestled in the company as a heel named  The Narcissist was given the All-American gimmick  

wearing trunks that were emblazoned with the stars  and stripes and body slamming Champion Yokozuna  

on board a World War II ship is a moment that  screams this is the top guy now he began a tour  

across the country in a bus labeled a Lex Express  he would greet fans and shoot a music video to a  

song called I'll be your hero this is an obvious  example of the WWE telling the audience who their  

hero should be but the issue was the fans just  didn't like Lex in the same way they liked Hogan  

they wouldn't boo him but the support behind Bret  Hart was just greater than the support behind Lex  

and his limited in-ring ability and lack of  Charisma compared to Hogan made the fans well  

feeling different for this reason and probably  with some concern due to the 1994 steroid trial of  

Vince McMahon Luger never won the bell and after  losing WrestleMania 10 where Brett Hall ended up  

capturing it he quickly fell down the card before  he left the company this demonstrates that the  

fans aren't just going to like who the WWE tells  them to like as wrestling fans are part of the  

show they can form their own opinion such as how  they forced WWE to change the main event Match of  

WrestleMania 30 and convince the bosses to put in  Daniel Bryan who organically was able to become  

the most over guy in the company even though  WWE never saw him or booked him as their top  

guy but the fans were able to change the story it  shows just how much the company believed in Reigns  

early on that he didn't lose to Brian in his first  ever singles match as the shield progressed they  

ended up working for the authority and being heels  but the fans were still behind them and when they  

eventually abandoned the authority and became baby  faces in 2014 Reigns took more of a leadership  

role further showing the fans that he was the  member of the group who the WWE saw as the future  

face of the company another example of how much  the company believed in Reigns was that the 2014  

Royal Rumble where he had 12 eliminations breaking  Kane's previous record from 2001 the fans  

didn't love this but as part of the shield Reigns  was getting mostly positive reactions The Shield  

were extremely popular and as much as fans like  to bash WWE creative they did a great job with the  

hounds of Justice introducing three unknowns and  making each of them credible Main eventers in just  

two years the issue in the booking was that once  Seth Rollins betrayed the rest of the group and  

the shield broke up WWE's intentions on pushing  Reigns to the Moon became even more clear he  

also kept the shield gimmick wearing a combat vest  during his matches and coming out to The Shield's  

entrance music as well as entering through the  crowd this was WWE's attempt to capitalize on  

the immense popularity of the group and keep  pushing him to the very top of the company  

throughout the rest of 2014 Reign's character was  booked to be an all-conquering ass kicker but is  

in ring work though not bad was not up to par with  some of his contemporaries including both of his  

former stablemates even though Reigns is quite  charismatic his promos seemed overly scripted and  

inauthentic which though not his fault led fans  to reject him Reigns did have some success but  

the more he continued to dominate the fans started  to turn against them because just like Luger 20  

years prior the fans don't like being told who to  like this was never more apparent than at the 2015  

Royal Rumble where Reigns ended up winning the  match of a fan favorite such as Daniel Bryan but  

when it became clear that Reigns was going to win  the match the fans booed Enchanted we want refunds  

the heat was so bad that even Roman's cousin The  Rock couldn't get the fans to cheer for him Dwayne  

The Rock Johnson is perhaps the biggest movie star  on the planet but he first made a name for himself  

in the WWE and showing that WWE doesn't know how  to learn a lesson his gimmick was as Rocky Maivia  

a clean-cut good guy playing off of his Samoan  Heritage strikingly similar to Roman leakee Reigns  

FCW character this shows how WWE doesn't learn  from its mistakes as my via was supposed to be  

a good guy but constantly got booze from the fans  with chance of Rocky Sucks and signs showing die  

Rocky die it wasn't until Johnson turned heel and  joined the nation of domination that his other  

worldly Charisma and talent became evident the  reasons the fans booing the rock is so important  

is he is arguably one of the most beloved figures  in professional wrestling it was clear to the fans  

that the WWE was trying to use the rock to get  some shine on Reigns and the fans were not having  

any part of it and this wasn't the good kind of  heat when a heel riles up the fans so they hate  

him this was go away he because the fans didn't  want to accept that Reigns was their top hero even  

though in the storyline that's how he was being  represented after failing to win at WrestleMania  

31 Reigns wrote out the year in similar fashion  and went on to Main Event Wrestlemania 32 against  

Triple H who was supposed to be the clear heel  the head of the authority who constantly got  

in Reign's way trying to screw him at every turn  another example of wrestling loving a reboot is a  

similar story to the one Triple H's real-life  father-in-law Vince McMahon had played to  

Rocket Stone Cold Steve Austin to be his top guy  during the Attitude Era while that Feud is often  

considered the greatest in wrestling history the  rehash was not so successful as even though he was  

being booked as the underdog fighting the corrupt  Authority Reigns received a lot of heat during  

the matchup Mania with a loud chance of Roman  Suggs while fans cheered for the supposed heal  

Triple H fast forward to WrestleMania 33 where he  defeated the Undertaker the inciting incident for  

the start of this video a year after that he may  have entered WrestleMania 34 against Brock Lesnar  

and even though Lesnar defeated Reigns it took  six F5s and the crowd weren't happy with herds  

of fans leaving the stadium early because none of  the guys in the main event were who they wanted  

one important thing to know is that even though  crowds tended to brew Reigns out of the building  

he was still a huge Global star who had great  merchandise sales and particularly appeal to  

Children this was the reason he continued to  be booked in prominent roles and why like his  

closest contemporary John Cena Vince McMahon and  WWE creative refused to turn him heal Cena is an  

let's go Cena but even though a large segment of  the fans had disdain for him he was still booked  

as the face of the company because his merchandise  sales and draw were big enough and therefore along  

with the fact that Vince McMahon can be persistent  to a full WWE didn't turn Roman heel during this  

period However the fact that he sold shirts  didn't stop the live crowds from continually  

pushing against him and the fans at home from  tuning out because of this the WWE booked several  

Shield reunions so we could get a rub from his  former stablemates it was only with his shield  

brethren in tow that Reigns got something that  resembled the reaction WWE desired even though  

the backlash continued Reigns continued to rack up  accomplishments winning four World Championships  

however on October 22nd 2018 Reigns came out  to the crowd and though it started with the  

usual booze and heat that most Reigns promos  received it quickly became real Reigns would  

speak out of character saying that his real name  was Joe and that he'd previously been living with  

leukemia when he was younger and unfortunately it  had returned and you could hear a pin drop as the  

fans couldn't believe it they watched on in shock  with some being driven to tears even the ruthless  

WWE fans showed their love and admiration for  Reigns wishing him the best during his recovery  

luckily Reigns came back on the February 25th  2019 episode of Raw to a huge Ovation from the  

crowd and announced that his leukemia was back  in remission Reigns returned to competition and  

had a match at WrestleMania 35 where he defeated  Drew McIntyre it was during this run that for the  

first time in his singles career he was getting  the Babyface reaction from the fans that WWE had  

hoped for but as 2019 turned into 2020 and Reigns  challenged Goldberg for a match at WrestleMania 36  

fans started to remember why they disliked him  in the first place because once again he was  

being booked as an all-conquering hero despite  fans not feeling lucky to earned that role the  

boos were not as strong but they were being felt  because even though the audience could acknowledge  

the fact that Joe anoa'i the person was a hero for  overcoming leukemia they still didn't feel like  

Roman Reigns The Character had earned the wrong  all he was receiving the covid-19 pandemic caused  

Reigns to opt out of his match at WrestleMania  since he was immunocompromised rain sat out  

several months until he returned at the 2020  Summer sum attacking the new Universal Champion  

the fiend braywire on The Following episode of  SmackDown Reigns a line with heel manager Paul  

Heyman turning heel for the first time in his  solo run he quickly won the universal title at  

Payback this may seem like another example of  Reigns being shoved down our throats but the  

real change happened after he began a feud with  his real-life Cousin Jey Uso Reigns and Jey had  

a series of great matches including an exceptional  bow at Hell in a Cell in an eye Quit match and it  

was here that rain started to fully develop his  new character he made Jey acknowledge Him as the  

tribal Chief a symbol that he is the best of his  family during this run it was hard to judge him in  

terms of crowd reaction because it happened while  the WWE wasn't allowing fans in attendance but  

he was doing what fans and critics agreed was the  best work of his career he had improved his craft  

both in the ring having extraordinary matches  is against the likes of Kevin Owens and Daniel  

Bryan as well as being great on the mic when fans  finally returned at WrestleMania 37 Reigns was met  

with proper heel heat but there were also some  cheers because the fans loved what they had seen  

during the pandemic and even though he defeated  two fan favorites in Daniel Bryan and Edge nobody  

was upset with the outcome because Reigns was  now playing a real character and not just a  

broad corporate idea of a hero the tribal Chief  in many ways is Reigns accepting the Fate that  

WWE had put on him for so many years as the top  guy now he is a character who not only believes  

he's the top guy in the company but won't shut up  about it he also formed the bloodline a dominant  

stable consisting of his cousins the Usos as well  as newer members solo sikoa another member of the  

anoa'i family along with honorary member Sami Zayn  while telling the fans and his competitors that  

they must acknowledge Him the bloodline so  far has been one of the most interesting and  

best stories the company has had in years since  then Reigns has become the most over guy in the  

company and is doing the best work of his career  he may be getting heat from the crowd but this is  

the good kind of heat as this is what the story  calls for and even then he's also getting cheers  

because of just how damn entertaining he's been  and that's where the backlash came from the WWE  

Universe wants to be entertained and they weren't  being entertained while the inevitable continued  

to happen the fans pushed against Reigns being  the Babyface top guy for over six years when he  

finally turned and showed how much he had improved  he became the top guy in the audience's mind no  

he's not the next Hulk Hogan or John Cena but he  is the first tribal Chief and that brings us back  

to April 3rd 2017. reigns can't cut his victory  promo because the boos and chants are too much  

the crowd would not acknowledge that he was trying  to speak this was just the WWE Universe asking  

for a change in a way that is only possible in  wrestling the audience of anything is the most  

important factor when you're trying to entertain  Reign's career Journey shows how big of a role  

the fans can play WWE stopped telling us that  we should like him and gave us a character that  

we grew to love and even though it took quite a  bit more time than they had hoped with a current  

Championship reign of 800 days the longest since  Hulk Hogan in the 80s Reigns is undoubtedly the  

top guide that the WWE thought he would be  and the audience definitely acknowledges him