Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns: Examining Long-Term Benefits of a Reigns Win

From the moment Bray Wyatt unceremoniously dumped Daniel Bryan out of the Royal Rumble, a large proportion of fans had assumed the writing was on the wall. The new chosen one, Roman Reigns, won in particularly predictable fashion, squaring up against Big Show and Kane—two men who would never realistically win—before an unsuccessful cameo from Rusev cemented Reigns’ position in the WrestleMania main event.

Despite previously being a fan favourite, Reigns has endured a torrid time amid a widespread belief the powers that be are somewhat forcing him down viewers’ throats, so to speak. In the modern age, where fans are increasingly aware of what plays out behind the scenes, there is more resistance than ever to accepting the wrestlers WWE wants to push.

This has been epitomised by the most polarising contender ever in John Cena, a 15-time world champion whose presence frequently attracts an even divide of cheers and boos in arenas across the world, as well as the Yes Movement that saw Daniel Bryan win the title after consistent pressure from the fans.

However, recent news has thrown the seemingly inevitable Reigns victory into question. Brock Lesnar recently signed a new three-year contract with WWE, per MMA News' Brad Davis, putting to bed speculation linking him to a return to UFC. This opens the door for the Beast Incarnate to retain his title at the Grandest Stage of Them All and makes for a much less predictable—and therefore more entertaining—main event.

But what could a Roman Reigns victory mean in the long term?

Many of Reigns’ critics have cited his lack of in-ring ability as a sticking point as to why he doesn’t deserve to be elevated to the top of the ladder, among other reasons. This fight will undoubtedly be a chance for Reigns to convince fans otherwise, but even if he does put in a great performance, it is likely a Reigns win will result in a negative reaction from the crowd.

Credit: WWE.com

This, of course, depends on the nature of the win. If, for instance, Paul Heyman were to turn his back on Lesnar and side with Reigns in a double turn in which Lesnar turns face and Reigns turns heel, the crowd will boo for what the characters have done—not the product itself. If Reigns wins clean, the storyline should read that the crowd are jubilant in the presence of their new champion, when in fact most will be crossing their fingers for the appearance of Mr. Money in the Bank Seth Rollins in spite of his heel persona.

This potentially embarrassing reversal of crowd reactions would kick-start an unhealthy tenure as champion for Reigns, but there is some potential for this to aid his character in the long run. 

It has long been acknowledged that Vince McMahon’s stubbornness has caused bumps in the road with WWE Creative, to the extent where his autonomous decisiveness borders on tyranny and leads to situations that are undeniably destructive for character development. 

Nobody provides a more apt demonstration of this than Reigns himself; his “sufferin’ succotash” speech was laughable at best and penned by Vince himself, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter's Dave Meltzer (h/t Cageside Seats).

If Reigns wins clean and is continuously booed at arenas, there is a chance that Vince will take this as a sign that he is no longer in touch with the fans and he can no longer spoon-feed the audience his own handpicked superstars.

This is in no way guaranteed, and in fact many would argue it is highly unlikely, as history has indicated that Vince will do things his way regardless of any obstacles. There must come a time, however, when he hands the reins to Triple H (no pun intended), and this could prove to be just that time.

While this would look terrible for Reigns in the ensuing months following WrestleMania, being the champion who represents a changing point in the overall structure of who controls the company would leave the ex-Shield member with plenty of favour from fans all over the world, and with time, he would become a fan favourite again.

Another alternative, as briefly touched upon, is the potential for Reigns to win by siding with Heyman. This would mean all the negative crowd reaction aimed at Reigns would not only increase, but would be welcomed by the company, adding to the drama of WrestleMania and ensuing events as Brock Lesnar hunts down the golden boy Roman Reigns and eventually recaptures the title.

Whether WWE would be willing to turn Reigns heel so early on remains to be seen, but this is another option with positive long-term repercussions should the former NXT star team up with Paul Heyman.

Credit: WWE.com

A final possibility is for Reigns to defeat Lesnar and become champion only for Seth Rollins to cash in his Money in the Bank contract and usurp the title within minutes or even seconds.

While this would probably lead to an embarrassing reaction in which the crowd cheer The Authority’s ambassador upon his stealing the belt away from Reigns, it would set up some interesting dynamics for the future that fans could really get behind as the former stable members engage in an intense rivalry with the added element of a seething Brock Lesnar joining the party.

Given recent developments, it is very possible that Brock Lesnar will retain his title. It is also possible he will lose it, much to the chagrin of fans.

If Reigns does win, many sections of the crowd and indeed viewers at home will be unsatisfied. Should Reigns manage to capture the title, however, there are several possible benefits as we look forward to the future.