How Roman Reigns' Absence from WWE Programming Helps His Build to WrestleMania

Roman Reigns has been out of action since Triple H left him beaten and bloodied on the Feb. 22 edition of Monday Night Raw. The Game took it to the former WWE world heavyweight champion in what was perhaps the biggest statement ever made against Reigns to this point.

Reigns' fans may be missing him right now, but the fact is this was a smart move. He needed some help to improve his build to WrestleMania 32, and now he has it.

This is definitely a case of "less is more."

Of all the Superstars on WWE's roster, Reigns is the one who has had the most overexposure. This has not been lost on fans, who are reminded on a near-daily basis of just how much WWE appreciates its next would-be top guy.

Reigns is always a presence, and his career is always on center stage.

It's to be expected, of course, and anyone holding that against Reigns is missing the point. The best way WWE has to get a talent over is to constantly feature him in storylines. Consistently using him on TV and on pay-per-view builds his character and establishes a connection to the audience.

Without that work, Reigns would be more of a mystery now than when he was in The Shield.

But too much has truly hurt Reigns to the point that a little breathing room has helped him. Reigns is getting a chance to recharge, to heal and to get ready for what comes next.

WrestleMania 32 is on the way, and he must be fresh for it.

His physical and mental well-being is of the utmost importance to all involved, especially considering Reigns is in Mania's main event.

If he's pushed too hard and does too much right now, then his future Mania match could be in serious jeopardy. The company needs him at his best—just like it needs Triple H at his best—for the biggest night of the year.

Triple H is a less than part-time talent, so he's good. Reigns is a workhorse, so he needs as much consideration from WWE as possible.

But his body and mind are surely not the only things WWE is concerned with.

The truth is Reigns is not over. Despite all of the work WWE has done to get him there, he's just not there yet. His character is good, his ring work is getting better, and WrestleMania 32 is coming whether he's over or not.

So keeping him off TV is hopefully building anticipation for his eventual showdown with Triple H.

The key here is to present Reigns in the right way when he indeed comes back. He can't kick off Raw with a half-hearted promo. He can't spend his time smiling and cracking jokes that just aren't funny. Reigns needs to come in like a monster, destroying everything in his path and threatening to hold Raw hostage until Hunter shows up.

Reigns must be focused, he must be sharp, and he must be willing to fight anyone who stands in his way.

That is the Roman Reigns fans want to see—the one who could headline WrestleMania and out-pop everyone on the card.

He may not get over simply by disappearing in the short term, but if he returns with a definite plan, then that means he has a chance to gain some ground.

Fans know he's coming back to the spot he left, but if he has an edge to him, then it's better for everyone involved.

The truth is Reigns is in a tough place, and he really always has been. Instead of allowing him to grow organically, WWE instead chose to elevate him more and more every week. When it became clear fans would not accept him, the company kept him exactly the way he is and refused to change him.

Now, fans are left with a guy they don't want in a title match he can't possibly lose. The predictability of it all is a bit too much to handle.

Too much exposure has hurt Reigns, and there is nothing wrong with pulling him back now.

Tom Clark can regularly be found on Bleacher Report, and his podcast, Tom Clark's Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, Windows Phone, Amazon Android and online here.