How Roman Reigns Will Solidify His Main Event Status at WWE WrestleMania 32

Whether you love or hate Roman Reigns, you have to respect him.

Since his split with The Shield, the former WWE champion’s time as a main eventer has been tumultuous. Though he’s set record after record, he receives jeers and heckling from the live TV audience.

Reigns’ accomplishments include having the most eliminations in a Survivor Series match. He also threw out 13 WWE Superstars in the 2015 Royal Rumble, the most in a single Royal Rumble match. Reigns’ other triumphs include winning the WWE world heavyweight title on two occasions and a Royal Rumble victory.

Last year’s WrestleMania saw Reigns battle Brock Lesnar. He took the beating of a lifetime from Lesnar and kept coming back. Reigns fell short when Seth Rollins interfered and pinned him to become champion. It was supposed to be a sympathetic moment for babyface Reigns, who went through trials and tribulations to face Lesnar, only for an old rival to steal his moment.

Yet, the majority of fans are not behind Roman Reigns.

However, that can all change come April 3, where he’ll face Triple H for WWE’s world title. This is Roman Reigns’ best chance to win over the majority of fans worldwide.

For starters, there’s Triple H. He’s the right person to be in the ring with Reigns.

The Cerebral Assassin can dictate the pace with his plethora of holds. Triple H can employ the power game and submission strategy, a rare combination seen in today’s WWE roster.

With Triple H, Reigns can work a chemistry benefiting his strengths. Surprisingly, the power game will be neutralized since both men can use that to their advantage.

What will set Reigns apart will be his athleticism. The former champion can leap over the top rope with ease. He’s agile, powerful and knows how to utilize his strength. Who knows what other abilities we have yet to see from Roman Reigns.

Secondly, Triple H can also garner the heat needed from the fans. His promo from the March 14 episode of Raw irked and annoyed fans. In short, Triple H can easily get under the fans’ skin when called upon.

It’s not just from promos, either. Reigns attacked Triple H in the parking lot during Monday’s Raw, which sent Triple H packing from the arena. Little moments like that can be so significant in the buildup to a bout.

Keep in mind the crowd was split over Reigns. It’s a sign of progress from being overwhelmingly jeered to having a split reaction.

Thirdly, Reigns needs to stand up for himself more often on the microphone. Last night’s Raw was a step in that direction.

Reigns confronted Stephanie McMahon to open the episode, declaring himself The Authority. He came off as a strong personality rather than just a strong wrestler. It shows his willingness to rise to the occasion for another platform. By letting his personality shine through, Roman Reigns is reminding people of his no-nonsense attitude.

Lastly, Reigns’ recent matches at big events have been solid. The only misstep occurred at the Royal Rumble, where the League of Nations took out Reigns only for him to come back. Fans were angry again until Triple H returned to eliminate Reigns.

Other than that, Reigns showed he delivers on the big stage.

In December, his bout at TLC with Sheamus and ambush of Triple H afterward demonstrated he can be the face WWE hopes for. This February’s Fastlane featured an outstanding Triple Threat match between Reigns, Lesnar and Dean Ambrose that displayed exceptional performances from all three men.

As evident, Reigns arrives on game day bringing his best. Thanks to Monday’s episode, WWE Creative is moving Reigns in the right direction. Fans haven’t seen his full potential, but with the right booking, Roman Reigns can justify the WWE’s investment in him to the fans.

Reigns will solidify his main event status at WrestleMania 32. At a time when WWE needs hope more than anything, Reigns will answer the bell and finally have his career-defining moment on the grandest stage of them all.