MONDAY NIGHT REIGNS-O-METER #66: Tracking Roman Reigns’s ability to beat the odds and come out on top

Roman Reigns is one of the most dramatic, divisive and discussed WWE performers in history. The company makes desperate play after desperate play to make him your favourite graps guy – 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

Here’s the thing. If you’ve chosen to read PWTorch, you’re probably not a fan of Roman Reigns. Since the early days of Vince McMahon’s Roman Reigns experiment, Wade Keller and this mass enterprise that he has built have been, at best, dubious toward Reigns being cast as a babyface. While WWE continues to ignore Roman’s vapid unpopularity, PWTorch has always been on the money.

That said, this has been by and large a pro-Roman column, at least until he does that DC Universe cross-promotion where he literally Superman punches Superman himself – coming 2021, don’t miss it. The thing is, it’s really not easy sometimes.

By and large (corporation), Roman Reigns and Jinder Mahal put on a good match at Money in the Bank. Yes, it was a bit by the numbers and, yes, it was nothing we haven’t seen before, but there were a couple of interesting moments. There was a nice big legdrop on the apron – the hardest part of the ring, don’t you know? There was also a nice little background angle which involved Roman beating up a guy in a wheelchair. You know, classic babyface stuff.

Unfortunately, Chicago’s unwavering commitment to having no commitment was unwavering. Their apathy was intense to the point of deafening. I’ve never known such a deep interest in showing their lack of interest. Incredible.

Match-by-match, city-by-city. That’s what’s built the #RomanEmpire. Every time I walk in the ring, it’s an opportunity to illicit a reaction. You did your part last night Chicago. #MITB

— Roman Reigns (@WWERomanReigns) June 18, 2018

I remember when people used to chant “10” during Reigns matches to show how badly they wanted to see Tye Dillinger on the main roster. Whatever happened to that guy? I’m sure we’ll hear more “10” chants tonight on Smackdown.

Anyway, the important point is that the fans have had enough of one monster dominating a division, being this unstoppable monster who always wins, constantly gets chances at the top titles, and is clearly the focus even when not on screen. But enough about Braun Strowman and Alexa Bliss, let’s get back to Roman.

Fans have had enough, enough I say, of Roman Reigns pushed down our throats, and that includes mid-card non-title grudge matches that don’t determine a number one contender or, in fact, have any bearing on anything. Nope. We’re all very much looking forward to Roman’s new gimmick as the guy in the crowd who brings the beach ball for all the Roman Reigns matches.

After the show, Roman cut the most boring promo ever in which he was bland and in no way intense, aggressive, and cool – and then it was on to Monday Night Raw.

We didn’t see Roman vs. Jinder continue. I can’t pretend to be shocked by that, let’s be honest. Instead, we got one big, bulky, boring babyface teaming up with another big, bulky, boring babyface whose push is seemingly dead in the water. That’s right, it’s Bobby Lashley again. The two men teamed up to face The Revival, meaning that at least some good came out of it when two NXT favorites got some time in a wrestling ring. As you might expect, the views on that YouTube clip are going to take them right to the tag team championships, yes they are.

Rumor has it that Reigns vs. Lesnar is down for Summerslam once again, though I’m yet to see this confirmed or a source offered. With Braun Strowman holding the briefcase, we could well see one endlessly pushed monster babyface cashing in on an endlessly pushed monster heel and an endlessly pushed monster whatever the hell he is.

Sadly, the fans might be too invested in proving how uninvested they are to actually see it. Funny old world, eh?

Odds Counter
– Sunil Singh
– Jinder Mahal
– Chick Magnet Punk fans
– Several thousand angry Chicagoholics
– The Revival

Did Roman Reigns beat the odds?
Yes

Never takes long, does it?

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