Roman Reigns Will Benefit from Feuding with The Authority

Roman Reigns isn't ready yet.

It's not that he isn't prepared to win a WWE World Heavyweight Championship, but rather that he's not ready to lose so many main event matches.

John Cena can lose main event matches from now until WrestleMania 32 and would be fine. His legacy is sealed. He's already won more than his share of championships and big spots. Heck, he's one world title away from tying Ric Flair.

Reigns is in a different boat. If he continues to come up short on opportunities to vanquish Seth Rollins, he will be seen as a midcarder no better or worse than Dean Ambrose, Sheamus, Bad News Barrett and the other residents of WWE's wasteland.

As mentioned on the latest episode of the PodNasty Wrestling Podcast, Rollins' purpose as world champion is to become the slimiest heel champion since Ric Flair. The more effective Rollins is as a heel, the more fans will support Reigns in his journey to defeat him. 

But after failing to win another main event Triple Threat match, Reigns is better off moving forward against Rollins' Authority cohorts before continuing to pursue Rollins himself. By feuding with the likes of the Big Show and Kane, Reigns can gain steam as a babyface while adding mileage to his ongoing journey.

Reigns' feud with Authority Veterans Would Establish Credibility, Popularity

"Please retire" chants rained down from the SAP Center in San Jose, California, during the main event of the Raw after WrestleMania. At 43 years of age, Big Show is still going strong, but this breed of fan—the same breed that is leery on Reigns—has seen enough. 

Few fans are clamoring for another match between The Authority's Big Show and Reigns. To them, this is a choice between the lesser of two evils. But if WWE raises the stakes, the interest level will rise as well.

The novelty of Reigns beating the Big Show wore off a long time ago. However, ending Big Show's career is a notch on Reigns' utility belt that adds momentum. Big Show already won every title there is to win in addition to his recent Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal victory.

With such a talented crop of NXT stars ready for "the show," WWE will have to shut down The Big Show sooner rather than later.

Big Show earned his right to go out on his own terms. But if the time comes in the near future, Reigns would be the perfect choice to do the honors. By beating Big Show, Reigns would appease all the hardcore fans currently trying to derail his journey to the top of WWE.

If Reigns retired Big Show only to open up a spot for a cult favorite in NXT, the chants would go from "please retire" to "thank you, Reigns."

Reigns wouldn't have to stop there. Kane is in the exact same boat as Big Show. Both characters are on the back ends of their respective careers in a transitional era that's up for grabs. By retiring both Authority members, Reigns would have fewer hurdles to overcome before finally getting his hands on Rollins.

If Reigns starts taking names, people will take notice.

Reigns' Feud with The Authority Would Make Him a Bigger Underdog

The basic formula to turning somebody babyface is to make him an antihero. By feuding with the top heel faction in WWE, Reigns would be immediately positioned as an underdog, fighting the good fight against the stable that doesn't want him at the top.

The more Rollins runs and hides from Reigns only to be protected by the powers that be, the more fans will want Reigns to succeed in capturing him.

Rollins has the support of Triple H, The Big Show, Kane and J&J Security. In theory, this seems like an impossible fight. Reigns can create believers out of skeptics by winning both these battles in addition to a popularity contest that has degenerated into a war.

Reigns actually has to win two wars en route to superstardom. He must first win over stubborn fans to the point where "Roman sucks" chants are a tongue-in-cheek part of the act, then eventually defeat The Authority.

Being positioned against The Authority creates fan-friendly alliances for Reigns. Reigns can confide in the likes of Daniel Bryan, who publicly expressed his respect for Reigns. Reigns could also lay egg on the face on The Authority by bringing back Brock Lesnar.

Lesnar's suspension created an instant feud between The Beast and The Authority. He stormed out of WWE as the biggest babyface in the company as fans chanted his name. If Reigns had a hand in bringing back Lesnar, his popularity immediately increase.

Reigns' demand that Lesnar receive a spot in a potential Triple Threat match down the road, while foolish from a competitive standpoint, would be a brave and valiant move that would increase Reigns' stock as a hero. 

Reigns' pending coronation must be believable, one filled with victories and decisions that will endear him to fans. He won't win over everybody, but he doesn't have to; he simply has to be taken seriously in his current role.

Alfred Konuwa is a Featured Columnist and on-air host for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @ThisIsNasty and listen to his weekly wrestling podcast.