Roman Reigns' Feud with Seth Rollins Will Diminish Value of Dean Ambrose

Roman Reigns' ascent to the top of the WWE won't be without its share of sacrificial lambs.

A star cannot be made without unselfish, name-brand talent serving as stepping stones for the prodigy in question to make his climb.

But what if one of those sacrificial lambs also happens to be a star on the rise? This is a potential dilemma WWE faces as Roman Reigns prepares for his rematch against Seth Rollins.

Monday on Raw, Reigns defeated Rollins cleanly in a preview of their Night of Champions match. Dean Ambrose, Rollins' chief rival, is expected back any day now. But Reigns' win over Rollins on free television has already diminished the importance of the otherwise entertaining Rollins-Ambrose feud.

It's no secret Reigns is being groomed as WWE's next top star. Once his temporary feud with Rollins has wrapped, he will likely move on to a more high-profile feud against a big name, probably Triple H.

The jump in competition will make Rollins look like a stepping stone in comparison, especially if he is to defeat Rollins yet again. As popular as Ambrose is, stepping in to take over for Reigns—who is currently higher in stature based on WWE's reported WrestleMania plans (from Wrestling Observer Newsletter h/t WrestlingInc.com)—would make him seem like a midcarder for similar reasons.

Ambrose's feud with Rollins was competitive, intense and physical. Wins and losses hardly mattered as much as Ambrose seeking revenge. Still, Rollins scored a victory over Ambrose at SummerSlam, and the following night on Raw he defeated Ambrose yet again via referee stoppage.

Reigns' straight-up victory over Rollins already makes Ambrose look a bit weaker for being unable to defeat Rollins in two tries. Imagine what another victory by Reigns on pay-per-view would do.

If Reigns is to move on to his next feud after getting the better of Rollins, Rollins will be left to pick up the pieces moving forward. This is not the best light for presenting a rising heel, let alone the reigning Money in the Bank winner.

If Ambrose returns to feud with Rollins, and Rollins has less momentum than he did when he curb-stomped Ambrose on cinder blocks, what's the point? Not only would the feud be made to look minor league, Ambrose would be as well.

Should Reigns eventually supplant John Cena as WWE's posterboy, many sacrifices must be made. But if the wrong stars are yielded to feed the Reigns hype machine, he'll be the only star in the sky. This creates a dark outlook for WWE's future

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