Earlier today, I wrote about podcaster Conrad Thompson’s brutal critique of Roman Reigns
following Reigns’ match with Seth Rollins at SummerSlam. This latest criticism seems to be part of a growing trend, and I don’t understand why.This year, Reigns has been more active than he typically is at this point in the calendar. Three of his five matches have received widespread praise. In September, he has another world title defense set for Raw against a yet-to-be-determined luchador.
But Thompson is already
clearly over it, as he questioned Reigns’ popularity:
“I just don’t know that there are any really, truly fanatical Roman Reigns fans. Like, if they booked Roman the way they do Punk or the way they do Cody or the way they do anybody. I just feel like we’ve been conditioned to believe he’s the top guy, but there’s no real reason.
“I don’t know that anybody could say, ‘Here’s my favorite Roman Reigns match.’ When people talk about their favorite match ever, how many people list a Roman Reigns match? How many people list their favorite promo ever as a Roman Reigns promo?”
Reigns’ matches might not be Thompson’s cup of tea, but plenty of people were quick to compliment WWE’s World Heavyweight Champion for his work at SummerSlam.
Additionally, Reigns continues to receive some of the biggest, if not the biggest, reactions from fans every time he’s on TV, which may explain why he’s headlined every premium live event he’s appeared on this year.
Admittedly, if there is something to criticize, it’s the direction of his character.
On one hand, Reigns is winning matches on his own, mostly fair and square. On the other, he’s still a cocky bastard, barking orders at his cousins in The Bloodline while tearing into them when they fall short.
That said, as someone who’s watched Reigns perform during his Tribal Chief era, I see his current storyline the same way I see his matches: a slow-burn that ultimately satisfies — which brings me to this quote from Reigns after defeating Rhodes at WrestleMania 39. Said Reigns:
“We’re out here making filet mignon. This ain’t McDonald’s, this isn’t Burger King. It’s not fast food. We’re giving you the good stuff.”
Thompson noted that WWE appears to be building toward a match between Reigns and Oba Femi at WrestleMania 43, a match I also predicted just before this year’s Mania.
As I touched on with our readers, I believe Reigns’ current story will ultimately serve the grand purpose of making Oba WWE’s next big star.
And there are two ways WWE can get there.
The first is to continue having Reigns win straight, cementing him as a dominant force. Beating that version of Reigns should elevate Oba to the next level.
The other possibility is that Reigns’ talk about winning on his own is just bluster. When the pressure mounts, he’ll call on his family to bail him out, which means helping him beat “The Ruler.”
If that happens, Reigns would likely become WWE’s top heel again. It would also force Oba to start over, just as Rhodes did after losing to Reigns in 2023 before conquering him at WrestleMania XL in 2024 and becoming an even bigger star.
As it did for Rhodes, a victory over an evil, cutthroat Reigns could help Oba smash through the glass ceiling that Thompson also bemoaned.
Either path, though, requires patience.
But maybe that’s too much to ask of someone who wants the quick fix that only an empty meal like McDonald’s can provide, or whose palate doesn’t extend beyond Burger King.
Roll Tide.
