John Cena Verbally Burying Roman Reigns on WWE Raw Is Best for Business

John Cena is known for burying young talent, but on Monday's episode of WWE Raw, he took it to the next level when he verbally destroyed Roman Reigns during a contract signing for their No Mercy 2017 matchup.

While on the surface it looks like another deliberate burial of a Superstar on the rise by Cena, it is more likely the promo battle was a calculated move by WWE officials.

First, the reality-soaked promos from both Cena and Reigns created a genuine buzz around one of the biggest possible matches WWE could book. When the two men go face-to-face at No Mercy in September, the hype surrounding the match will be through the roof thanks in part to the heated mic battles.

Not only did the shoot aspect of the promos build hype for the upcoming pay-per-view, but Cena's comments about Reigns also echoed what a vocal portion of the WWE Universe has been saying for years. By addressing the arguments against Reigns, including his limited mic skills and being shoved down the fans' throats, it lends more credibility to the argument against The Big Dog.

On the surface, acknowledging Reigns' biggest weaknesses may hurt his character, but it may actually help him win over many of his critics in the long run. Many wrestling fans who hate Reigns also hate Cena, and by having Cena verbally bury Reigns, some fans will take The Big Dog's side against a veteran Superstar who could be pulling out his "golden shovel" once again.

The WWE Universe knows Cena's history of using his power behind the scenes to impact the outcomes of matches, and some fans will turn on Cena to defend Reigns against becoming yet another burial victim.

For those fans who were elated to see Reigns getting destroyed on the mic by Cena, Monday's promo adds anticipation to a match they otherwise may not have cared much about despite the magnitude of the participants. Add in the shoot-style aspect of the feud, and WWE Creative will get hardcore wrestling fans to buy into Reigns vs. Cena thanks to the "legitimate" heat between the men.

After three more weeks of allowing both Superstars to cut promos back and forth, likely resulting in Cena getting the upper hand verbally most weeks, the match will finally take place at No Mercy. In front of the raucous Los Angeles crowd, Reigns needs to get his vengeance by shutting the mouth of Cena, proving the doubters wrong and earning a clean pinfall victory.

By taking the verbal abuse and still coming out on top in the end, Reigns could use this storyline and the burials from Cena as a way to transform haters into believers.

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