Pros and Cons of Roman Reigns Beating Kevin Owens at WWE Royal Rumble 2017

Roman Reigns is eyeing the top prize on WWE Raw, and he might just take it on Jan. 29.

WWE Royal Rumble 2017 will see The Big Dog face Kevin Owens for the WWE Universal Championship. It's a title Reigns desperately wants around his waist, but it's one KO will not give up without a fight. But Owens doesn't have his secret weapon this time.

Chris Jericho will be hanging just out of reach in a shark cage above the ring.

That means Owens will be on his own this time, with no help from his best friend. Y2J has had Owens' back through the majority of KO's title run, but that will not be the case at the Rumble.

It looks as though Reigns may have no problem beating the champ.

But as with any major showdown in WWE, there is no way to truly predict the outcome. The removal of Jericho as a threat may help Reigns' cause, but it's not a guarantee that the championship will change hands.

There are positive and negative aspects of a Reigns win at the Royal Rumble. The company will move forward with whatever plan it has, leaving many fans happy while also leaving many unhappy.

Only time will tell what will happen between Reigns and Owens at the Royal Rumble. The waiting game has begun.

The Pros

Owens' title reign has been nothing short of ridiculous.

KO's character morphed from an ice-cold killer to a slapstick clown who resides on Raw, and that has affected his run as universal champion. Owens took the idea of the cowardly heel to a whole new level, as he hid behind Jericho from the beginning.

Heels are expected to back down from a fight for the most part, but Owens is in no hurry to fight anyone at all.

"Fight, Owens, Fight" became "Run, Owens, Run." Though he's likable and popular despite being a heel, even his most loyal supporters are tired of the cowardly character that now appears on Monday nights.

But that is not what fans would have with Reigns as champion.

Reigns has many critics, but no one can deny that he is a fighter. Reigns brings the tough-guy persona to every match he's in, and it's that attitude that built his following to begin with. Fans love to have fun, but they also love to see a fight.

That's what Reigns would bring to the Universal Championship.

Reigns has the edge Owens used to have. Reigns may not be the most popular Superstar on the roster, but he wouldn't need to be. The WWE Universal Championship needs more credibility than what it has, and Reigns would provide that.

Reigns would also provide more interesting feuds as champion.

One of those feuds could be against Braun Strowman. Strowman has made great strides as a singles competitor since coming to Raw. The company appears to be grooming him for a main event run, and that means he could face The Guy for the title.

There's no question who the heel and face are in that equation.

Reigns would appear to be the underdog, even though he's one of the top guys in the company. Strowman would be a tough opponent and would give Reigns a tough match. Fans love new and fresh rivalries, and that one fits the bill.

But Reigns vs. The Undertaker could be a match WWE would not be able to resist.

Reigns would be a more suitable opponent for The Deadman, and that bout could even take place at WrestleMania 33. But even if WWE did not go that route, Reigns is still a better choice to wear the Universal Championship than Owens.

Top championships need top competitors battling in important matches. Reigns has made his living in WWE being that guy.

The Cons

No one wants to see Reigns with the title.

Despite any positive points regarding a Reigns win at the Royal Rumble, there's just no escaping that he's the most unpopular choice to be champion. While WWE has not always been in the business of making every fan happy all the time, there just doesn't seem to be any other choice this time.

Reigns should not be the universal champion.

The moment he won the title, Reigns would be under fire. A deafening chorus of "here we go again" would likely dominate every social media site WWE uses. Fans have seen Reigns as the top champion, and it didn't work then.

Why would anyone believe it would work now?

Reigns is tough, and there's no arguing that, but he's just not as entertaining as Owens. KO may bring the comedy to the championship, but he also brings a lighthearted vibe that allows fans to just sit back and have fun.

Pro wrestling should be fun, and that's what KO can provide.

WWE loves a heel as champion, and Owens is that heel. Every popular babyface on Raw has a chance at the title with KO as champ, and that would not be the case if Reigns was on top. Reigns vs. Strowman would end with a Reigns victory, and the same would probably be true of Reigns vs. Taker.

Are WWE fans ready to see Reigns standing over a fallen Undertaker at WrestleMania?

Then there's Chris Jericho, whose imminent face turn would be the spark that could light up the hottest feud Owens has ever been involved in. KO vs. Y2J would mean so much more with the Universal Championship hanging in the balance, and that's only possible if Owens retains on Jan. 29.

Owens's title reign represents the New Era of WWE. Owens is the independent talent that fought his entire career just to have a shot in WWE, and now he has it. He's the new face of the modern WWE, and to take the title from him now would end that.

Reigns is the manufactured WWE Superstar—built from the ground up in John Cena's image. But Owens is his own man and should be allowed to continue on his own path. The title means more because of him, and he deserves more time with it. 

Reigns is always an option and will always have another chance. The same can perhaps not be said of Owens. 

Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Bleacher Report. His podcast, Tom Clark's Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Android, Windows Phone and online here.