Was Roman Reigns’ Push Worth It?

The wrestling world stood still on October 22, 2018, as Roman Reigns revealed that his leukemia had returned after he battled the disease 11 years ago.

No one could have expected the 33-year-old athlete’s health to take a turn for the worse, but it does open up the question as to whether WWE’s four-year push of the former champion has been worth it. After all, WWE is now in the same position it was in heading into WrestleMania 31: Brock Lesnar is the conquering heel champion while a promising babyface challenger waits in the wings. But after every other babyface has been sacrificed in order to build up Reigns, who is left to slay The Beast?

Very few wrestlers (Bruno, Backlund, Hogan, Austin, Rock, Cena) have received a push at the magnitude that Reigns has. At times, it felt validated, but mostly it was shoved down our throats. We’ve all seen the carefully edited videos of people reacting to Reigns being number 30 in the 2017 Royal Rumble or successfully defending the World Heavyweight Championship against AJ Styles. On the other hand, the authentic cheers the night after his record-breaking performance at the 2014 Royal Rumble seem like a lifetime ago. WrestleManias 31-34 were main evented by Reigns: 31 exceeded expectations due to Seth Rollins’ cashing in, 32 ended on a sour note, 33 has since been overshadowed by Undertaker’s on-again, off-again routine, and 34 certainly didn’t do any favors for anyone.

Obviously, Reign’s leukemia is an unprecedented situation for WWE. However, the lack of preparing for the future is not. The company’s model over the past 60 years has been to build around one man. If something happens to that man, whether he suffers an injury, jumps to Hollywood or decides to hang up the boots (temporarily, as Shawn Michaels recently proved), WWE’s decision makers hastily throw somebody else in the top spot until another stud is groomed for the top prize.

Whereas Vince McMahon Sr. was always grooming studs to take the baton, his son has a penchant for putting his eggs all in one basket. Now the worst case scenario has happened as Reigns’ departure has tipped the basket over, leaving a puddle of messy midcarders and once-serious contenders who have become nothing but yolks.

A prime example is Shinsuke Nakamura. Fresh off his hot NXT run, Nakamura had what could be best described as an awkward debut. He interrupted The Miz, which led to nothing, and despite his slow strong-style based offense, his mini feud with Baron Corbin didn’t take off. Then he fell victim to the Jinder Mahal experiment before entering into a WWE Championship program with AJ Styles, in which he failed to win the gold after numerous attempts. Although he now holds the U.S. Championship, he has become an afterthought on SmackDown.

Another prime example is Seth Rollins. After returning from injury in the spring of 2016, the Architect was primed and ready to be a red hot babyface, thanks to a WWE Network special documenting his recovery. Apparently, Vince McMahon didn’t watch the special because Rollins was immediately thrust back into his slimy heel persona instead of being positioned as a sympathetic babyface hellbent on reclaiming his title. By the time he abandoned his nefarious ways, the momentum had passed him by.

Then there’s Braun Strowman. His never-ending feud with Reigns elevated the “Monster Among Men” to unbelievable heights, his jaw-dropping feats of strength going viral. With his gargantuan physique and undeniable charisma, he seemed like Vinnie Mac’s wet dream splashed across our TV screens. However, for no other reason than McMahon committing to Reigns being “the guy” to defeat Lesnar, Strowman was the biggest sacrificial lamb in recent memory. The monster was toppled by Lesnar twice – most recently at the controversial WWE Crown Jewel.

Don’t even get me started on Finn Balor.

Essentially WWE is back at square one. The only options right now are to call up someone from NXT or sign a major name off the independent scene. The Royal Rumble presents a great opportunity to bring in fresh faces, perhaps the return of Cody Rhodes or the long-awaited debut of Kenny Omega. Conversely, Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano have hit their ceiling in NXT. They could easily jump to Raw and instantly revitalize the brand. Maybe even Aleister Black, if Triple H was willing to throw NXT into disarray for the benefit of the flagship show.

You better believe that WWE officials are scrambling to fill the giant void left by Reigns. In the long run, there is always hope that the Big Dog will overcome the odds once again, returning to his yard as the ultimate hero that McMahon always believed he was. Until then, though, McMahon has to reap what he sowed.

Expect a famine this winter.