It's been 1,000 days since Roman was last pinned.

[Citizen Snips]

Corbin has been 3 different gimmicks (King, Bum-Ass, Happy) since that pinfall.

[Jindrak Mark]

Sept 10, 2022 1:07:10 GMT -5 EoE: Well There's Your Problem said:

Sept 10, 2022 0:47:40 GMT -5 "Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik said:

It's still amazing they had Bryan get a visual tapout early on in his run. There was definitely a switch after that match to not just having him win but having him win in dominant fashion.

I believe it was in the Observer this week that they wrote that all of this is a conscious attempt at making him THE legend of this generation of wrestlers. Which, I mean… Duh, we can kinda tell.

And also, they’d probably done enough to achieve that goal already over a year ago. Anything else after that is padding for the sake of padding, and it seemingly only elevates Reigns now by lowering everyone else instead, or outright does him a disservice because people just want him to go the f*** away so the other kids can play with the shiny toys.

Most fans don’t want him to go away though, that’s the thing. He’s by far the biggest star in wrestling today and only Rock or Cena returning would change that. He sells a ton of merch and gets massive reactions every week.

If you didn’t watch shows and only got info from certain parts of the IWC you might think people were sick of him. Just like you might think people are sick of Bianca, no one cares about Ronda and fans don’t want Braun back. Sometimes we’re out of touch.

[EoE: Well There's Your Problem]

Sept 10, 2022 9:19:20 GMT -5 Jindrak Mark said:

Sept 10, 2022 1:07:10 GMT -5 EoE: Well There's Your Problem said:

I believe it was in the Observer this week that they wrote that all of this is a conscious attempt at making him THE legend of this generation of wrestlers. Which, I mean… Duh, we can kinda tell.

And also, they’d probably done enough to achieve that goal already over a year ago. Anything else after that is padding for the sake of padding, and it seemingly only elevates Reigns now by lowering everyone else instead, or outright does him a disservice because people just want him to go the f*** away so the other kids can play with the shiny toys.

Most fans don’t want him to go away though, that’s the thing. He’s by far the biggest star in wrestling today and only Rock or Cena returning would change that. He sells a ton of merch and gets massive reactions every week.

If you didn’t watch shows and only got info from certain parts of the IWC you might think people were sick of him. Just like you might think people are sick of Bianca, no one cares about Ronda and fans don’t want Braun back. Sometimes we’re out of touch.

I don’t think many would dispute that, it’s just that everyone has different favourites and want those favourites to be the ones selling the merch and getting the massive reactions like Reigns is.

[BorneAgain]

Its amazing to see just how different Reigns was presented prior to the heel champ run. Miz beating him for the IC title back in 2018 feels like an entirely different world now.

[thehottag]

I was there, Gandalf.

I was there 1000 days ago. I was there the day the strength of Reigns failed...

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

Cocked his head to the side and said, "I'm angry"

[Friday Night SmackOwn]

Sept 10, 2022 9:38:03 GMT -5 EoE: Well There's Your Problem said:

Sept 10, 2022 9:19:20 GMT -5 Jindrak Mark said:

Most fans don’t want him to go away though, that’s the thing. He’s by far the biggest star in wrestling today and only Rock or Cena returning would change that. He sells a ton of merch and gets massive reactions every week.

If you didn’t watch shows and only got info from certain parts of the IWC you might think people were sick of him. Just like you might think people are sick of Bianca, no one cares about Ronda and fans don’t want Braun back. Sometimes we’re out of touch.

I don’t think many would dispute that, it’s just that everyone has different favourites and want those favourites to be the ones selling the merch and getting the massive reactions like Reigns is.

And for some, I guess having a super-dominant heel champion just brings back bad memories of Universal Champ Brock and Reign of Terror Triple H.

[canceled4truth]

Sept 10, 2022 1:13:39 GMT -5 CMWaters said:

This may be a weird comparison, so bear with me now:
At this point, I think it wouldn't hurt him in the long run if he somehow had a non-title pin loss. Yes, I know "beating the champion with the title not on the line" is a bit overused, but I'm gonna use a weird comparison for this:

Having Roman take a pin loss, even if not for the title now, would be like that scene in 300 where the "god emperor" was finally hurt. Sure, the 300 Spartans died in the end, but this shook him up because he learned then and there he wasn't as invincible as he thought he was.

If we are in the last half a year of Roman's title run, having him suffer a pin loss, even if the title isn't on the line, would (or should) shake him up in character, make him realize he isn't as "God Mode" as he thought he was, and make him all that more desperate to have the Bloodline and Sami make sure something like that never happens again (until, hopefully, the ultimate loss).

I'm a little upset they didn't do this with Big E at Survivor Series last year. It would've made him and Roman wouldn't have been hurt at all

[fw91]

But it will still be two days ‘till I say I’m sorry.

[Savage Gambino]

Sept 10, 2022 1:07:10 GMT -5 EoE: Well There's Your Problem said:

Sept 10, 2022 0:47:40 GMT -5 "Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik said:

It's still amazing they had Bryan get a visual tapout early on in his run. There was definitely a switch after that match to not just having him win but having him win in dominant fashion.

I believe it was in the Observer this week that they wrote that all of this is a conscious attempt at making him THE legend of this generation of wrestlers. Which, I mean… Duh, we can kinda tell.

And also, they’d probably done enough to achieve that goal already over a year ago. Anything else after that is padding for the sake of padding, and it seemingly only elevates Reigns now by lowering everyone else instead, or outright does him a disservice because people just want him to go the f*** away so the other kids can play with the shiny toys.

I think it's a credit to Roman that he's remained over this long, but I do have to wonder what the peak is. I feel like there's a horseshoe effect built in, especially with this heel run being essentially forced by how much the fans hated him as a face. When you have Roman going 1000 days without a pinfall loss or the brass saying they want him to be "the legend of this generation of wrestlers", you're dancing very close to that "shoving him down our throats" line that has plagued Roman for almost half his career.

[wildojinx]

Sept 10, 2022 10:04:28 GMT -5 Friday Night SmackOwn said:

Sept 10, 2022 9:38:03 GMT -5 EoE: Well There's Your Problem said:

I don’t think many would dispute that, it’s just that everyone has different favourites and want those favourites to be the ones selling the merch and getting the massive reactions like Reigns is.

And for some, I guess having a super-dominant heel champion just brings back bad memories of Universal Champ Brock and Reign of Terror Triple H.

At least RoT HHH had some reprieves with HBK, Goldberg, and Benoit/Orton. Sure, Hunter got his wins back, but it at least showed him to be beatable.

[Friday Night SmackOwn]

Sept 10, 2022 19:40:35 GMT -5 wildojinx said:

Sept 10, 2022 10:04:28 GMT -5 Friday Night SmackOwn said:

And for some, I guess having a super-dominant heel champion just brings back bad memories of Universal Champ Brock and Reign of Terror Triple H.

At least RoT HHH had some reprieves with HBK, Goldberg, and Benoit/Orton. Sure, Hunter got his wins back, but it at least showed him to be beatable.

And we got the definitive end with Batista decisively beating H on more than one occasion. Can’t say we have that clear endpoint with Roman yet.

[King Devitt and the Woke Mob]

Sept 10, 2022 1:07:10 GMT -5 EoE: Well There's Your Problem said:

Sept 10, 2022 0:47:40 GMT -5 "Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik said:

It's still amazing they had Bryan get a visual tapout early on in his run. There was definitely a switch after that match to not just having him win but having him win in dominant fashion.

I believe it was in the Observer this week that they wrote that all of this is a conscious attempt at making him THE legend of this generation of wrestlers. Which, I mean… Duh, we can kinda tell.

And also, they’d probably done enough to achieve that goal already over a year ago. Anything else after that is padding for the sake of padding, and it seemingly only elevates Reigns now by lowering everyone else instead, or outright does him a disservice because people just want him to go the f*** away so the other kids can play with the shiny toys.

If that's what they're going for stop having him relive Jinder f***ing Mahal's title run, and win some matches on his own to solidify his legacy.
If every win is cheap, then the sum of your title reign will always be worth less than it could've been.

I don't know how anyone can take the character seriously. He's Jinder Mahal. But can wrestle, and talk mad shit in the ring REAL good.

I think he's come leaps and bounds since cosplaying as The Shield, but if they're going for legacy, give the man a freaking legacy.
"Long" isn't good enough.



*giggity*

[Push R Truth]

'member that one time when Roman was defending the title and the Uso's showed up and turned the match into a clusterf#!@?

[Nosnorb]

Sept 10, 2022 20:27:24 GMT -5 Friday Night SmackOwn said:

Sept 10, 2022 19:40:35 GMT -5 wildojinx said:

At least RoT HHH had some reprieves with HBK, Goldberg, and Benoit/Orton. Sure, Hunter got his wins back, but it at least showed him to be beatable.

And we got the definitive end with Batista decisively beating H on more than one occasion. Can’t say we have that clear endpoint with Roman yet.

Not only did Batista beat Trips, in kayfabe Dave took in everything he had learned from The Game and a huge part of his character was that he was wise to all of the tricks that his opponents would use.

Unless WWE is planning something similar with Solo, I don't see any endgame that will produce a main eventer on the level that Batista was with the end of Romans reign.

[Jonathan Michaels]

Sept 10, 2022 9:42:14 GMT -5 BorneAgain said:

Its amazing to see just how different Reigns was presented prior to the heel champ run. Miz beating him for the IC title back in 2018 feels like an entirely different world now.

If anything, Roman clearly learned something from it, he went and got himself a posse like Miz had.

[asuka007]

I really think there’s gonna be an asterisk next to that. They’ve had to protect him to a degree not seen since Hogan in the 80’s to FINALLY make him a star.

Then you look at others who can keep themselves over while also, you know, losing matches.

Heck speaking of The Rock, he lost A LOT for a top guy and yet never had an issue staying over.

That is far more impressive imo.

[fg]

Sept 10, 2022 20:58:39 GMT -5 Nosnorb said:

Sept 10, 2022 20:27:24 GMT -5 Friday Night SmackOwn said:

And we got the definitive end with Batista decisively beating H on more than one occasion. Can’t say we have that clear endpoint with Roman yet.

Not only did Batista beat Trips, in kayfabe Dave took in everything he had learned from The Game and a huge part of his character was that he was wise to all of the tricks that his opponents would use.

Unless WWE is planning something similar with Solo, I don't see any endgame that will produce a main eventer on the level that Batista was with the end of Romans reign.

And that made Batista one of the smartest baby faces in wrestling. He didn’t become one of the wrestlers who upon turning face, looks dumb and/or gets out promoed and/or does bad promos.

[Jindrak Mark]

Sept 11, 2022 16:05:41 GMT -5 fg said:

Sept 10, 2022 20:58:39 GMT -5 Nosnorb said:

Not only did Batista beat Trips, in kayfabe Dave took in everything he had learned from The Game and a huge part of his character was that he was wise to all of the tricks that his opponents would use.

Unless WWE is planning something similar with Solo, I don't see any endgame that will produce a main eventer on the level that Batista was with the end of Romans reign.

And that made Batista one of the smartest baby faces in wrestling. He didn’t become one of the wrestlers who upon turning face, looks dumb and/or gets out promoed and/or does bad promos.

In 2005 sure, he outsmarted HHH over and over and he also didn't fall for Eddie's tricks. Eddie was clearly befriending Batista in an attempt to make him lower his guard then he would attack and go for his title but Batista knew it was coming and was prepared.

Once it got to 2006-07 though the smart Batista was gone and he was an idiot who would get screwed over by Booker/Edge time and time again then show up the next week demanding another shot.

[The Kevstaaa]