MONDAY NIGHT REIGNS-O-METER #28: Tracking Roman Reigns’s ability to beat the odds and come out on top

Roman Reigns is one of the most divisive and talked about WWE performers in history. The company makes desperate play after desperate play to make him their number one star – thus far to no avail. How do they do it? What do they do?

I’m Tom Colohue and this is the Monday Night Reigns-o-Meter.

Monday Night Reigns-o-Meter

Ladies and gentlemen, we open our show today with a video package and voice over from Romanzilla himself; my pal and your favourite (he doesn’t know me and probably wouldn’t like me)

We see highlights of his match last week with Samoa Joe, most of which are of Roman getting beaten up in the babyface style. He huffs and he puffs and he boots Joe in his face.

And then there was Strowman. Wow it felt so familiar saying that. They show Roman’s brief psychotic rage and then the Romansaurus gets mauled by Strowman. They show that lovely throw and dive into the ring again, which is just plain beautiful, then replay the hell out of Strowman’s British Bulldog impression.

Roman sells, as he does, stylishly and with great inability to breathe and just like that, ladies and gentlemen, it’s a wrestling show!

We open with Kurt Angle. The fans all boo him because of how he destroyed his career with the Jason Jordan angle last week (this didn’t actually happen) He then blames this angle for not being good at his job (this legitimately did happen) The conversation turns to Roman, as all conversations inevitably do. Kurt whispers Roman’s name and then corrects himself to Strowman’s. Not a mistake that you really want to make when a guy’s that big and sweaty. Offended that he doesn’t get to be as cool and down with the kids as his hero, Strowman comes down to the ring to have a nice cry on Angle’s shoulder.

It’s a very loud reaction for Braun Strowman. Who’d have thought that having someone beat up the least popular wrestler in history would get someone over, right? Do you think Roman aims every Superman Punch he does to Braun at the Superman tattoo on his arm. I hope so.

Strowman cuts a casual, tightly scripted promo. The fans are behind him. And then there was Joe, who the fans are also behind. It’s like there are no heels up at the top of this card. Kurt Angle manages to look puny in a ring with these two men. That’s not easy. His job is not easy lately. It’s like they’re trying to make it harder for him. It’s like there are no faces up at the top of this card.

And then there was Roman, who naturally gets dumped on. He gets a good pop upon being visible, a good, sustained pop that is swallowed up by the initial wave of hatred. Romanstein speaks through a chorus of boos in his heel style, leaving gaps for the fans to boo all of his accomplishments. I really enjoy when he lists all of his accomplishments just to make people hate him. It’s when he’s at his best.

Roman spools for a fight, earning a big cheer because the fans love a fight but Angle silences all of that by announcing the upcoming Summerslam match to be a fatal 4 way with all the big guys. You’d think it’s all over but the three men in the ring all get one last line in before the fighting starts. Roman throws the first punch because he’s cool like that and he and Joe beat on Strowman for a bit.

Referees appear to stop the fight by carefully dodging out of the way of the action and saying some nice words. That’s about all we see of them.

Roman vs. Joe happens but then Strowman is back again. He tosses Roman about a bit and Roman sells a toss into the ring post very well.

Random security guys put Strowman over huge and my word the crowd is heavily into this. WWE has finally come up with a great way to build a monster and a collection of jobbers plus The Revival can’t stop Joe and Strowman fighting. Then comes an angry wereRoman with a spear through both that is glorious.

Strowman gets up from it instantly and finishes on one last Bulldog impression. How many times now have we been shown that Roman simply can not compete with Strowman, or Joe in fact. Hell, Brock Lesnar has his number too.

Aww yeah, this match is going to be awesome.

Odds Counter
– Samoa Joe
– Braun Strowman
– Both Samoa Joe And Braun Strowman

Did Roman Reigns beat the odds?
No

Sold that toss well, though, didn’t he?

Like what you're reading? Looking for more? Help me hit 500 followers by #summerslam by hitting that follow, retweet or like button. Thanks!

— Tom Colohue (@Colohue) June 27, 2017

And one quick last thing. The tweet above is still something I’m hoping to build on but I actually far exceeded my target already. I’m hoping to keep the numbers rolling in but just wanted to say a quick thank you to everyone involved for the push they’re giving me from the absolute nothing of a wrestling journalist I was at the beginning of the year to the beginning of a something today.

Thank you all.

NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S COLUMN: MONDAY NIGHT REIGNS-O-METER #27: Tracking Roman Reigns’s ability to beat the odds and come out on top