Epic Triple H vs. Dean Ambrose Match Will Be Impossible for Roman Reigns to Top

Every minute that went by during Triple H vs. Dean Ambrose at WWE Roadblock, Roman Reigns' challenge at WrestleMania 32 became more and more of a herculean task.

Ambrose and The Game wowed in Toronto, crafting a powerful, masterful work of art in the ring. Reigns will fail to match the emotional connection that his ally Ambrose made with the audience when he gets his own crack at Triple H. The gap between the two former members of The Shield will be glaring.

The Lunatic Fringe's title quest came up short on Saturday night, a result that kept the WrestleMania card in place rather than upending it, as he had teased leading up to Roadblock.

Credit: WWE.com

The battle for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship match showcased the kind of chemistry that the company hopes for every time it pits two wrestlers against each other. Ambrose and Triple H jelled like two rivals who have been at pawing at each other for years.

Ambrose's off-kilter style merged perfectly with Triple H's calculating approach. The result was a match that was the best showing of 2016 so far. 

Afterward, Black Sports Online wondered aloud what many fans had to be thinking:

As good as Reigns is, he's not going to be able to do much of what Ambrose did to maximize his clash with the champion. The Lunatic Fringe surprised the crowd by zeroing in on Triple H's leg, employing a more focused strategy than he normally does. Submission holds littered the bout; mat wrestling powered the action early on.

Reigns hasn't shown an ability to deliver that kind of change of pace.

His offense isn't nearly as varied as Ambrose's. He is a sledgehammer, whereas Ambrose is a Swiss army knife. 

Beyond that, fans simply won't be rooting for Reigns the way they were for Ambrose.

One of the lasting images of the Roadblock showdown played on the crowds' desire to see The Lunatic Fringe succeed. The challenger hit Dirty Deeds and looked to have earned a three-count, but his foot was under the rope and the referee called the decision off.

The folks at the Answer the Ten Count podcast were among those who praised that part of the match:

That only worked because the audience is so emotionally invested in Ambrose's rise. Fan reaction over the past few weeks speaks to that. And at Roadblock, even though the feeling didn't last, the electric sensation of seeing a dark horse topple a tyrant surged through the bout.

Enough fans don't want to see Reigns push his way past Triple H to gut the power of his victory, teased or otherwise. 

Boos have accompanied cheers throughout his climb to the top. When Triple H bloodied Reigns' nose weeks ago, a vocal part of the audience chanted for the man doling out the punishment.

What will happen when Reigns is closing in on a world title reign at WrestleMania, when he has to battle the negativity of those detractors? While a split crowd is sure to accompany his pursuit of gold, a more united, more devoted fanbase held its breath with every step in which Ambrose drew nearer to pulling off the upset.

That powered the match and made it special. Reigns, for all his talents, can't compete with that.

Elton Jones of Heavy wrote of Ambrose vs. Triple H, "This was a great match filled with near-falls, Ambrose's infectious personality, Triple H's domineering presence and smartly paced sequences."

It's that "personality" part that will elude Reigns. He isn't the captivating figure Ambrose is. On the mic and in the ring, it feels as if he is still finding his voice, still working on perfecting his swing. Ambrose, meanwhile, is already zoned in and already hugely magnetic.

His performance at Roadblock was the latest proof of that.

The Big Dog excels in slugfests, is a stellar athlete and is increasingly a big-match performer. To this point, though, that hasn't translated into unequivocal success. It hasn't led to him being the beloved babyface WWE wants him to be.

A combination of being miscast and perceived as a product of the WWE machine has him fighting against fan resistance.

That will hamper his ability to enchant at WrestleMania. That will make topping Ambrose's Roadblock performance the latest uphill, arduous journey for the heavily criticized Reigns.