Inevitable Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns WrestleMania 34 Match Would Be Mistake

WWE fans know its coming. They have known for quite some time. Nothing has been officially announced, and neither man has confirmed it, but that does not mean it won't happen. Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns are likely going to face off at WrestleMania 34.

It may be inevitable, but it's also a mistake.

For anyone who has paid attention over the past year, it's obvious this is where WWE is going. Lesnar overcame his biggest threat when he beat Goldberg at WrestleMania 33. Samoa Joe could not take down The Beast Incarnate at Great Balls of Fire. Braun Strowman could not get the job done at No Mercy. AJ Styles was phenomenal at Survivor Series but not good enough to defeat Lesnar.

In less than 12 months, Lesnar pinned three of the biggest names in the industry and one red-hot rising megastar.

Reigns walked into WrestleMania 33 as a man on a mission and left as the man who retired The Undertaker. The Deadman has not been seen on WWE programming since that loss. Reigns also feuded with Strowman, and the two took each other to the limit, with The Big Dog proving he is one of the toughest men in the company. 

He cleanly pinned John Cena at No Mercy in what many felt was a passing of the torch. In October, Reigns reformed The Shield with Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose. He's the intercontinental champion, thus adding a Grand Slam to his list of accomplishments. Reigns has already come full circle in his WWE career. 

Who else could be waiting for Reigns in the new year except Lesnar?

It's a match that seems destined to happen, and when it does, Reigns is probably going to get the win. He will do it in the middle of the ring, and he will do it after kicking out of the F-5. Another torch will be passed to Reigns, and Lesnar will probably leave the company once again until he's needed—if he comes back at all.

It's inevitable.

But if WWE has any concern at all about Reigns' character, then this match should not happen. He has struggled for a painfully long time when it comes to a positive fan reaction, and everything that can be done to remedy that has been done.

He's proved himself against legends and earned their respect. He's never backed down from a challenge, and he's never run from a fight. Barring injury, he's always there, and he's always putting the work in. He's once again part of WWE's hottest act, which is forcing fans to remember why they liked him to begin with.

Reigns is in a good spot. He's as popular as he can be, even with his critics. There's no reason to push him back. But if he does move into a program with Lesnar next year, that's what will happen.

The problem here is Lesnar is still over. No matter how many times he works a match and then leaves for two months, fans still appreciate and want to see him. He arguably should have lost to Goldberg at 'Mania, but fans popped when Lesnar won. He could have done the job to either Joe or Strowman, elevating one of their careers far beyond anything fans could have imagined.

He could have lost to Styles and left the audience appreciating his efforts more than ever before. None of this happened, yet Lesnar is still high on the shortlist of WWE's most popular Superstars. Why would facing Reigns change anything?

WWE wants Reigns to be the top babyface. Reigns can claim he doesn't care, and fans can argue whether he's on one side or the other, but the proof is there. Reigns doesn't backstab his opponents, he rarely cheats, and he usually always comes straight ahead when he confronts anyone. He is the epitome of tough, and he's a great face for WWE to the outside world.

But if he takes on Lesnar, Reigns will take the role of heel once again. It wouldn't work for them, and it definitely would not work for the fans—and some of them perhaps want nothing to do with the match. It's a confusing situation with a pair of controversial talents, so it could be a mess regardless of how WWE handles it. So why move ahead with it?

Reigns' WrestleMania 34 match should come between him and the two other men he's running with. Fans have been hoping for an all Shield main event on the 'Mania stage since the unit disbanded in 2014, and there may no better time than 2018 to make it happen. But while many expect The Hounds of Justice to implode once again, this time it may be much simpler.

The Shield can end because Reigns, Ambrose and Rollins have to know which man is the best. Title or no title, this match would be for bragging rights, and it could steal the show at WrestleMania.

Lesnar's 'Mania showdown could come against Kurt Angle, as the two legends could resume their old rivalry. Angle may not be the performer he once was, but if he faced Lesnar, he would surely step up his game. The two would leave it all in the ring—as they always have—and fans would love to see it happen.

Reigns versus Lesnar is the easy match to book, and it could be the only match WWE believes can work. But that does not mean it's the right thing to do for either man. Only time will tell whether the company presses forward or takes a different direction here.

Lesnar and Reigns' Road to WrestleMania should be very interesting indeed.

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