5 Reasons Why John Cena vs. Roman Reigns at WWE No Mercy 2017 Is a Bad Idea

You could describe John Cena vs. Roman Reigns in many ways. It is a battle between two of the most polarizing figures in WWE's history. It is also a clash of two of the biggest stars in the industry, only elevated by Reigns' status as the heir apparent to Cena. This is a monumental matchup no matter how you frame it.

It was always an inevitable showdown, a passing-of-the-torch that would be forced to measure up to The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan or Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin. However, there is a difference right now between those bouts and this one, and it has nothing to do with the talent involved.

When Cena appeared on Monday Night Raw to call out Roman Reigns, he talked about his animosity with Reigns as if it was an established rivalry finally coming to a head, but, as WWE No Mercy 2017 rapidly approaches for their huge match, there has been little work done to sell this feud and match.

It is shocking to see WWE so completely ignore buildup when setting up one of the biggest money matches in the company. Thus, Cena vs. Reigns at No Mercy is a massive misstep by a company woefully short on true top-level battles for many reasons.

It Comes off as a Rebound from Reigns' Losses to Braun Strowman

Credit: WWE.com

Reigns has spent the months since WrestleMania 33 primarily putting over one man: Braun Strowman. After losing multiple matches in a row to Strowman, Reigns has immediately turned to a feud with Cena without rebuilding any of his momentum beforehand.

Pairing the biggest star in WWE with his heir apparent should be more than a rebound feud. If the purpose of Reigns vs. Strowman was to establish Reigns as vulnerable, this feud with Cena should do the exact opposite, attempting to reverse the damage rather than benefiting from what came before.

Whether fans liked it or not, no one would have argued last year that Reigns was WWE's top star, or at least the one the company was positioning to be its top star. Now the roster is overloaded with potential headlining talent, and Reigns is just one more main-event star on Raw.

Cena, meanwhile, has been recently and repeatedly underutilized, barely making a mark on the last two pay-per-views he was competing at. Both men have less momentum now than they have had in years, taking away from the importance of this huge match.

Pairing Cena and Reigns Leaves Many Other Wrestlers Without Rivals

Few wrestlers are given a stronger week-to-week spotlight than Cena and Reigns, and their opponents often get to share in that exposure. With the two paired up, they will leave many wrestlers in situations that give them less time and spotlight. Even if those wrestlers get other rivals, they will certainly not be promoted as heavily as they would be alongside these two top stars.

Samoa Joe may be the biggest wrestler to be hampered by the booking of Reigns and Cena given he was seemingly building up his feud with Reigns before this.

Joe also would have been a great first opponent for Cena back on the Raw brand. Joe was reportedly recently injured at a house show that will keep him off TV for four weeks, according to PWInsider (h/t Raj Giri of Wrestling Inc.), but he likely would have still been underutilized if he was around for the next month.

The Miz also could have used a rival such as Reigns to battle for his Intercontinental Championship, selling Miz's renewed fight for respect in WWE. Instead, he will be competing against Jeff Hardy next week on Raw and perhaps returning to his feud with Jason Jordan soon, which has lost steam quickly.

With No Mercy set to be headlined by Brock Lesnar vs. Strowman and Cena vs. Reigns, can anyone else stand out on the B-level Raw-exclusive PPV? It will be difficult, unlike at a major event where more headlining matches are a necessity.

The Story Is Entirely Focused on Social Media Interactions

Credit: WWE.com

Why did Cena come to Raw? Supposedly it was because he has always wanted to fight Reigns, but anyone exclusively watching the product would not have seen a single hint of that. The only way Cena and Reigns have built up to this clash was their back-and-forth on social media, which is hardly a fitting setup for this match.

The first face-off between Cena and Reigns could have been the beginning of a slow-burn rivalry, forcing these two to constantly cross paths before finally clashing. Instead, it was supposed to instantly solidify that these men needed to face off as soon as possible, with even that undermined by Miz and Joe interrupting the moment.

With No Mercy only 25 days away, there is only so much time to sell fans on this rivalry as more than a spat between two men with large egos, and they are basically working from scratch, as the Twitter and Instagram showdowns between these men are far from concrete storytelling.

Why is there any need to rush this? Cena has been a part of many long-term stories before, and this certainly could have used a better sense of direction than what it currently has. The lack of story here screams of desperation from WWE.

Rushed Feud Deflates the Importance of the Moment

Credit: WWE.com

That rushed feeling is not only a waste, but it also detracts from this match. Cena is not around as often anymore in WWE, with it likely he will be leaving again soon to film Bumblebee, which is already in production. Given Cena is the biggest star in WWE today and one of the most high-profile in the company's history, he should be treated as such when he's around.

Lesnar is built as an unstoppable force on Raw, whose absences allow WWE to figure out new feuds for him once he returns. Somehow, his match vs. Strowman at No Mercy, which only truly got going at SummerSlam, is already much bigger than Cena vs. Reigns, which, on paper alone, should be the biggest match of the year.

WWE has made every moment count with their two monsters and sold their animosity in a way that has only been seen briefly with Cena and Reigns in their back-and-forth contract signing. While Cena and Reigns both did their best on the mic to sell their confidence and anger, the only things they had to go on were loose criticisms both have faced for years.

While Cena vs. The Rock was far from the greatest match, those two men sold every second of the buildup to make clear why they were worthy of headlining WrestleMania twice together. Cena vs. Reigns could have been just as high-profile, but you would not know it from the way the feud has been built so far.

This Should Have Been Saved for WrestleMania 34

Reigns vs. Cena is "WrestleMania-worthy" in a way other matches WWE gives that title to are not. There is a reason that Austin vs. Hart and Hogan vs. Rock were both waged at 'Mania. The Grandest Stage of Them All is made for past vs. future clashes. It is the night that all eyes are on WWE, and it is on that stage that wrestlers can get enough time to put on true classics.

There have long been rumors that the plan for WrestleMania 34 is a rematch between Reigns and Lesnar, and this makes sense as the two are the only men to topple The Undertaker at 'Mania. It is, however, not necessary for the two men to wrestle again, not in the same way a Cena vs. Reigns match feels necessary for WWE.

The quality of this match should not be in question. Both Cena and Reigns have been putting on steadily top-notch matches for years now, and they make for an exciting pair. Wherever they fight, it will be a match-of-the-year contender, but why not wait to make sure 'Mania has a match that is remembered for a long time to come?

No Mercy is no proper stage for this encounter. Last year's No Mercy is barely remembered one year later despite containing one of the best matches of both Miz and Dolph Ziggler's careers, as well as an excellent triple threat between AJ Styles, Dean Ambrose and Cena. This year could also have multiple excellent bouts, but they will still be poorly showcased.

Cena vs. Reigns has all the makings of a WrestleMania headliner, a true passing-of-the-torch battle where Reigns will seek to prove himself to WWE's true face. It should play out on the Grandest Stage of Them All, because that is the stage it deserves to be on.