When Stone Cold Steve Austin talks, we should all listen. The former WWE champion and one of the biggest draws of the Attitude Era has once again added his two cents on what he believes the company should do with Roman Reigns and his current status as the golden boy no fans want to see carry the Universal Title as their leader.
If you want to see Reigns turn heel, give me a “Hell Yeah!”
That’s what Austin advocated for in a recent episode of The Steve Austin Show. Making Reigns a villain to go along with his “loner” type of persona may be what is best for business. Austin tells it like it is in a story written by Mike Chiari on Bleacher Report.
“So what do you do with Roman Reigns at this point? For him to have the biggest run … you’ve got to turn him heel and he’s got to perform and let loose. He needs to be aggressive and go out there, ‘This is what you wanted, this is what you get … I don’t need your damn support.’ He needs to bring a mean streak and go on a total heel run.”
Seems simple enough, but WWE – most notably Vince McMahon – has been reluctant to change his stance on Reigns and his coronation as the next babyface s leader of his company. Reigns, who has beaten both Undertaker and John Cena in torch-passing moments, still has not beaten Brock Lesnar and is not part of the main event picture at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view in June.
There is also speculation McMahon may be high on another superstar – Drew McIntyre – who he once dubbed “The Chosen One” before a series of bad booked themes which led to McIntyre’s departure.
The obvious move that would make everyone happy is for Reigns to move over to the dark side, and potentially elevate Seth Rollins to the top of the pecking order on Monday Night Raw. No performer is as white hot as the current Intercontinental Champion. WWE could force a feud between the former Shield members that would get over with the company fan base.
Granted, Steve Austin made those comments following the Backlash pay-per-view where fans walked out of the main event between Reigns and Samoa Joe over a lack of interest. There must be some way to build Reigns back up as a likable character. With fans clearly cheering for heels and supporting anyone who takes on “The Big Dog,” wouldn’t it be better to cash in on the hated by those who are tired of having Reigns shoved down their throats?
If you think WWE is overthinking the Reigns situation, give me another “Hell Yeah!”
“A heel turn would undoubtedly freshen Reigns up and provide a potential springboard for a big-time face run down the line in much the same way it did for his cousin, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson,” Chiari explained.
I’m sure this won’t be the last we hear from Steve Austin when it comes to Reigns or any other WWE news. I am also sure the company that helped to make Austin a household name and legend in this business will follow its own path when deciding what to do with Roman Reigns as a character and fixture in the Monday Night Raw main event picture.