Roman Reigns is perhaps the most curious case of "too much too soon" that WWE has seen in quite some time. One day he was on top of the world, working the main event of WrestleMania and the next he's back to the same place he was before.
Love him or hate him, there can be no denying; Reigns needs a new direction to succeed in WWE.
The curious part of all this is that the former Shield strongman had not really stood out as the heir apparent to John Cena. Fans may have recognized him for his potential and certainly understood the company could find a way to promote him but to believe he would rise up that fast seemed to be a stretch.
The role seemed to be thrust upon him instead of him just growing into it.
That notion may have had some merit, as Reigns now finds himself back in a meaningless feud with The Big Show over nothing at all. There are no bright lights, no main event spot and no WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
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There's only Reigns, Show and a rivalry that fans don't really care about.
Facing Brock Lesnar was unquestionably the biggest moment of Reigns' career thus far and one that was supposed to take him to the Promised Land. The Beast Incarnate may be a part-time Superstar in WWE, but that does not mean the company just throws anyone to him for the sake of giving him a match.
WWE obviously believed in Reigns for him to even share the same air as Lesnar. And besides Cena, there is really no one in the locker room who can make Reigns the way Lesnar could. The Samoan Superman was on the fast track to stardom in the industry, paired with the man considered to be the most dominant athlete of the modern era.
But as quickly as it began, it was over.
Reigns did not win at Mania and was flat on his back as his former Shield teammate Seth Rollins celebrated with the championship. Reigns' fans, as well as his critics, likely sat back in amazement as he had apparently reached the top only to just deflate right before their eyes.
And now it's back to the drawing board.
The question is what happens now? Where does a guy go after losing in his first WrestleMania main event? Was Reigns just a one-hit wonder? Or does WWE perhaps have yet another run in mind for him again at some point?
It all begins with a new direction. Reigns cannot and should not be shoved back up the ladder if it's not meant to be and certainly not if he isn't ready. Fans got their fill of him on the road to WrestleMania, suffered through his awkward promos and endlessly debated his evolution.
The entire time he was on that road, he was consistently featured on WWE programming. Fans could not tune into Raw or SmackDown without seeing his face, hearing about his family heritage or listening to him trying to convince the world he would win at Mania.
The crowd is likely not ready to face all of that again. So why put them through it?
If The Big Show is the best opponent WWE can find for Reigns, why not stop altogether and do something drastic with him? Why not turn him heel, give him a mouthpiece to speak for him and a new string of opponents to face in the ring?
If a heel turn is not in the cards, then perhaps giving him more of an edge is the answer. Being the smiling, cocky babyface did not work for him, but maybe being a bit more dangerous would. He could be known as the man who should not be crossed; the man who had no friends and no loyalties. Getting in Reigns' way would spell trouble for any Superstar in the locker room, despite which side of the fence they were on.
Presenting Reigns as more of a Samoa Joe character could possibly benefit him more than anything else.
It would also allow him to pursue either the United States or the Intercontinental Championships, held by Cena and Daniel Bryan respectively. Both men are babyfaces, and Reigns should perhaps not be if he were to face off against either one of them.
But if allowing him to become re-established at the midcard again is not what WWE wants for him, then Reigns must find a way to become relevant as a top star, and he must do it now. Beating Big Show will not be enough; putting him on the shelf for a month could be. Being attacked by The Authority will not do enough for him; taking them down would be.
And living off his WrestleMania fame will never be all he needs to fully get over. He needs to keep going, keep pushing, and hope he eventually gets enough traction with the fans they will demand he be put back into WWE World title contention.
The good news for Reigns is there's time. His rise to the top was not years in the making, full of impressive achievements and endless near-misses until he finally made it. This was a guy who went from a three-man faction to headlining WrestleMania not even three full years after debuting on Monday Night Raw. It's not over for him yet.
Reigns has the ability to succeed on a very high level, but in order to do that, WWE must decide how to get him there. And this time, it must work.
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