MONDAY NIGHT REIGNS-O-METER #61: 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 – with limited success. 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

Why do people hate Roman Reigns? You know, other than all of the reasons.

The intensity with which Roman is rubbed on our faces, like the owner of a weak bladdered pup is like to do, seems to grow with each passing day but it’s been hard to debate recently that Brock Lesnar also has some rather intense dirt on Vince McMahon. That said, clearly the Vince McMahon pee tape, which definitely doesn’t exist, is now firmly in the hands of his boy Roman after Samoa Joe, with all the momentum in the world behind him, was thrown to the wolves.

For those that walked out, it’s okay. I also walked out. I went straight into the bathroom to empty my bladder while cursing everything from Nia Jax’ awkward Be A Star promo to Shinsuke Nakamura’s intense hatred of AJ’s unprotected balls. It had started so well.

Samoa Joe had attacked Roman before the bell, throwing the sizeable hound bodily through a table. If these two had gone at each other in a monster brawl a la Reigns vs. Styles then I would have left happy. Roman would have been booed sure but the match would have been remembered fondly and would have added to the idea that a Roman Reigns match should always be watched with avid interest.

Instead, WWE tried to kayfabe boredom. Yup, that is a thing that happened.

It’s not always about titles…it’s about respect and proving who runs the yard.
Another night. Another point made. #B2R #WWEBacklash

— Roman Reigns (@WWERomanReigns) May 7, 2018

This match was the worst Roman Reigns match I’ve ever seen. Is it his fault? No. The match was laid out how it was laid out. We know Roman can deliver. Was it Samoa Joe’s? Hell no. That man can have a great match with a bucket of frog saliva. Tell you what though, I’d be interested to know what the agenda was in Michael Hayes’ production of this one.

Roman Reigns provided the big baby face win to send the crowd home happy. Yup. Well the crowd definitely went home.

It’s even worse when you consider that WWE know this. They know that hatred for Roman can be harnessed to create big pushes. Look at how they used him in the Royal Rumble. They know that a big Roman win should never end a show if you want the crowd to go home happy. Look at how Braun Strowman beat him down after the Elimination Chamber.

I suppose this is the price we pay for never having to watch a Vince McMahon pee tape though; which is a thing that definitely doesn’t exist.

So what next? Do we go into the “who do you hate most?” feud with Jinder Mahal like I was saying last week?

Was a funny joke that, wasn’t it? Hilarious.

Calm down guys, let’s not take the joke too far. They’re not actually going to do it.

Damn you, Vince McMahon.

As you might expect, being double teamed by big name stars like Sami Zayn and Finn Balor was still not enough to keep Roman Reigns down. It took an extra Jinder Mahal too.

Because isn’t that the feud that everyone wants to see? WWE accidentally turned Braun Strowman face this time last year by having him feud with Roman. I’d rather not cheer for Jinder Mahal.

But I will.

Maybe.

Odds Counter
– Samoa Joe
– Sami Zayn
– Finn Balor
– Jinder Mahal

Did Roman Reigns beat the odds?
Yes and no

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NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S COLUMN: MONDAY NIGHT REIGNS-O-METER #60: Tracking Roman Reigns’s ability to beat the odds and come out on top