Bray Wyatt-Roman Reigns Feud Is Opportune Time to Do a Double Turn

As Bray Wyatt and Roman Reigns prepare to go to battle, the WWE Creative should prepare to have both men switch roles by the end of their rivalry.

This is currently the story of a monster prowling around a warrior, but each wrestler would be best served shifting their current characters. Wyatt is a charismatic charlatan on the verge of becoming a hugely popular babyface. Reigns, on the other hand, is a hero against whom some fans have pushed back.

Their collisions ahead provide a prime opportunity to embrace changes that will boost both Superstars.

After weeks of keeping Wyatt on the bench, WWE had The Eater of Worlds charge into the Money in the Bank ladder match to pounce on Reigns. The attack prevented Reigns from claiming the prized briefcase and began a feud that turned personal in a hurry.

On Monday's Raw, Wyatt pulled out a picture of Reigns' daughter and wore a fearsome grin as he stared at it.

They are already set for a showdown at Battleground. The expectation is that more will follow.

The easy route is to have Reigns play the sympathetic character who overcomes the villain. Executing a double turn by the time the story reaches its climax instead would be more challenging but would also be a bigger surprise, a more rewarding narrative and a way to catapult both men.

Wyatt as a Face

WWE has diluted the idea that Wyatt is a monster.

Wyatt has certainly promised to do monstrous things. He threatened to change John Cena forever but failed to do so. He laid out detailed descriptions for his macabre plans for Undertaker, none of which came to fruition. 

After being conquered so many times without leaving much of a mark, it would be smart to push him toward babyface status for now. Eventually, his darkness can re-emerge. For the moment, though, WWE should take advantage of his popularity.

Fans don't treat Wyatt like a heel despite his viciousness, despite his evil-villain rhetoric.

When he sang a haunting hymn, they sang along with him. When he enters the arena, they light the way for him with their phones. 

Credit: WWE.com

Why not harness that with Wyatt as a babyface? Have him start using his mental instability for good, and he's sure to get bigger, more passionate reactions. Make him intent on tearing The Authority apart, and a top-tier star is sure to emerge.

Hall of Famer Jim Ross certainly believes so. Of Wyatt, Ross wrote in his blog, "As I've said for a good while, I think that Bray Wyatt is a frog hair away from being a viable, ticket and merch-selling, character babyface/fan favorite."

He's spot-on here. Much like The Shield before him, he's a performer with whom fans connect. He's a fresh face and a captivating speaker, someone fans are anxious to root for.

Undertaker turned face despite his dark persona. Jake "The Snake" Roberts began to use his powers for good at one point. Both moves turned out to be hugely beneficial.

A whole new set of feuds opened up for them, and the same would be true for Wyatt. Suddenly, he could be in the running to bring down Brock Lesnar or tangle with Triple H. 

Reigns as a Heel

In the end, the ideal role for Reigns is somewhere between pure face and heel. He would make a perfect snarling, ass-kicking antihero. And at some point, he's bound to be world champion.

Credit: WWE.com

Before The Juggernaut gets there, though, WWE will have to deal with the anti-Reigns contingent.

His rapid rise from the muscle of The Shield to top babyface in the making has irked many a fan. He gets booed despite his good-guy status in some cities. The "He's being shoved down our throats" sentiment is a common one.

Wrestling writer Mike Mooneyham suggested WWE change things up with Reigns before WrestleMania 31:

It didn't, and the conquering hero got a villain's welcome at the event. A torn crowd both roared for and ripped him.

To remedy that, a journey to the dark side before circling back to being a babyface would be a smart move. Strip him of his smiling, crowd-pleasing ways and let him be the destroyer he has already shown himself to be during his time with The Shield.

As a heel, he's bound to seem cooler to those rejecting him now. Eventually, WWE can use that to turn him back. That's the path his cousin The Rock took, going from the corny Rocky Maivia to the jerk who anchored The Nation of Domination.

Steve Austin believes a heel turn is necessary for Reigns. "Stone Cold" spoke about the rising star on his podcast (h/t Daily DDT). He told listeners, "I stand by the fact that no matter what they do with him, he's going to have to be heel first."

His rivalry with Wyatt can accomplish that in a variety of ways. 

Storyline Options

Battling Wyatt could easily drive Reigns crazy. Not only is The Man of 1,000 Truths a master of mind games, but he's clearly going to include Reigns' family in this war.

Enraged by Wyatt's actions, Reigns could attack him one night and ultimately go too far. A deserved beating could morph into an uncomfortable torture session. If Reigns started clubbing referees and the announcers in his pursuit of his enemy, he would easily become a despised character.

Just pushing Renee Young aside to go after Wyatt would have fans reconsider their positions on Reigns.

WWE could also look to make Wyatt more sympathetic showing off his heart. It's a path the company has taken before.

At WrestleMania 13, Austin's refusal to submit despite being locked in Bret Hart's Sharpshooter with blood smeared across his brow saw him go from heel to face that very night. Dolph Ziggler made the switch by fighting on as Alberto Del Rio zeroed in on his head, The Showoff wobbling and woozy thanks to concussion aftereffects. 

Credit: WWE.com

This would work for Wyatt as well. Presenting him as vulnerable and gutsy would open the door for a shift in perception.

Enlisting The Authority is another option. Should Reigns side with Triple H and Stephanie McMahon, making a deal with the devil, it would set up an easy heel turn. On the flip side, portraying Wyatt as a rebel looking to topple that group would see him slide into face territory right away.

However WWE approaches it, a double turn, something that doesn't happen often, would leave both Wyatt and Reigns in better positions. Reigns could use the wrath of his haters to elevate him. Wyatt could use his followers to spark a compelling shift in character.

This is story WWE should tell in the coming months, one that would be anything but standard fare.