Triple H vs. Roman Reigns: How Main Event Will Impact the Future of WWE

The future of WWE will be impacted in one form or fashion Sunday night at WrestleMania 32 when Roman Reigns challenges Triple H for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in what promises to be one of the hottest and most volatile main events in the illustrious history of the legendary extravaganza.

The biggest wrestling company on the planet will either crown its new face, introducing the sports entertainment world to its newest franchise player, or it will watch in horror as the man it has invested so much time and energy in over the last two years fails in spectacular fashion.

Fans from all over the globe will fill the enormous AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, to witness the colossal encounter, with most of them passionately booing the challenger as he looks to collect his third WWE title since November.

But what if he does not? What if the decision is made to ride with Triple H a bit longer, tempering expectations and taking the company in a completely different direction than fans anticipated prior to the April 3 spectacular?

What effect will that have on the future of an industry desperately in need of a major star not named John Cena to guide it?

Let's take a look.

Credit: WWE.com

The Future According to Roman Reigns

If Reigns wins the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, the outcome of Sunday's match will have been predictable but, at the same time, logical within the context of the story told.

Since last year's event, in which Seth Rollins cashed in the Money in the Bank and escaped with the top prize in the industry, Reigns has been battling The Authority for the right to be the top dog in WWE. He has captured the title since then but has had each of his two reigns cut short courtesy of Triple H and Co.

Winning Sunday night not only validates him, but it also sets him up to be the new face of Vince McMahon's traveling circus—the first man The Chairman of the Board has felt comfortable enough to entrust with the future health and well-being of his company since Cena rose to prominence more than a decade ago.

Through his own hard work and McMahon's stubbornness, Reigns will stand atop the WWE mountain for years to come, steadying the ship and providing consistency at the top of the card.

Fans will continue to greet him with boos, take to the Internet to protest his constant appearances in the main event and criticize the quality of his work, no matter how many times he steals the show or delivers a Match of the Year candidate.

How do we know this? Because WWE has followed this pattern before while building the aforementioned Cena from edgy and popular midcard star to the face of the industry. It worked for him, and McMahon is damn sure going to do everything he can to make it work again.

Credit: WWE.com

The Future According to Triple H

A Triple H victory at WrestleMania would be damning evidence of WWE's lack of faith in Reigns. After spending two years building him to this point, it would effectively give him a public "thumbs down," the likes of which he would almost assuredly never recover from.

The continuation of The Game's title reign would lead to some extraordinary title defenses on pay-per-view, but it would leave the company without a touring champion. Strictly from a business standpoint, it would do more harm than good. From a booking perspective, it would again prove that no matter how much fans do or do not get behind a specific babyface, all the support in the world will not change the fact that The Authority always wins.

That is a tired story that has played out over the course of three years now at the expense of fresh storylines and character development elsewhere on the card.

The one positive is The Game's run atop the company would provide the show with consistency. He isn't going anywhere and is in the best shape of his career, and the limited schedule would seem more conducive to preventing injury.

Still, a dark cloud of uncertainty would hang over WWE, with no sign of a hero to conquer the oppressive authority figures in sight.

Credit: WWE.com

What Does It Mean for WWE?

The wrestling industry, and WWE in particular, is always more fun and interesting when there is a wealth of credible stars at the top of the card. Think back to the Attitude Era, when five or six legitimate championship-worthy stars were captivating fans at any given point. Sure, character development was of great importance, but what made them all successful is that fans could buy into them in that spot.

WWE could take a major step toward ensuring the variety of its main event scene Sunday with a Reigns win.

No longer would the company have to lean on Cena and Randy Orton to draw houses in arenas across the country, nor would it have to panic if one of those men went down with injury, as they are prone to.

Furthermore, a Reigns victory would inject youth into the top of the card. For too long, the same aging and part-time stars have dominated the WWE scene. A fresh face, with plenty of time to develop and grow into his role as the franchise player, would benefit the company in the long run.

The company has long needed someone to supplant Cena, to become a star on his level and to provide a generation of fans with an alternative to the bright colors and smiling face of the leader of the Cenation. Reigns can be that guy, especially if the company fleshes out his character and gives the fans a reason to get behind him, besides another title run.

A Reigns loss leaves the company in a mess of uncertainty worse than it found itself in months ago when injuries forced WWE to make significant changes.