How Roman Reigns Will Turn WWE Fans' Boos to Cheers

If you were listening closely during Roman Reigns' WWE World Heavyweight Championship defense against AJ Styles in Chicago on Sunday night, you heard a sound foreign to the company's broadcasts of late: the sound of cheers directed at the second-generation star.

That's right: One of the most vocal and bloodthirsty crowds in the country voiced its support for Reigns as the main event of Payback 2016 progressed, something few expected would ever happen.

In retrospect, it should be of no great surprise that the Chicago audience began cheering for Reigns. It appreciates hard work and, more importantly, values a character that is real and believable.

One of the biggest issues surrounding Reigns' on-screen persona has been WWE's desire to push him as if he were the second coming of John Cena, a smiling babyface who panders to crowds.

The problem was that Reigns did not rise to popularity in that role. Instead, he was the badass powerhouse who tore through the competition with a power-based offense. He was the aggressor, not someone who took a beating and overcame the odds.

Sunday night, in front of an audience that mercilessly booed his arrival, he found what set him apart from the other Superstars on the roster and was rewarded for it through the cheers of an audience that recognized what it appreciated about him in the first place.

Fans on Twitter who were formerly critical of the character and his place in the WWE Universe praised the re-emergence of the juggernaut:

"

I love seeing Reigns as a powerhouse beast cause that's what he is.

— Fox Barkley (@TheAlmightyFox) May 2, 2016"

The acceptance of those elements gives WWE a foundation on which to build a babyface persona fans can appreciate.

Rather than stripping away Reigns' edge, instead of forcing him into a role that better suits the "white bread" Cena, let him be the dangerous powerhouse of a competitor who tosses his opponents around the squared circle with reckless abandon and stands toe-to-toe with the biggest and baddest Superstars on the roster.

No one wants to see a guy who looks as imposing as Reigns be beaten from pillar to post before mounting some miraculous comeback a la Hulk Hogan. They want to see him whup his opposition, Spear the ever-loving hell out of his rivals and dominate in between.

Let Reigns be the dominant competitor that he was during his days with The Shield.

Model his reign as champion after that of Brock Lesnar, who has thrived as The Beast Incarnate for three years. Had WWE allowed Reigns to be himself, the battle between the heavyweights would have meant more and probably would have been better accepted by audiences at WrestleMania 31.

WWE cannot continue to waste opportunities to get Reigns over with the masses. He has shown a propensity for shifting reactions mid-match, proving that there is something about him that audiences want to throw their support behind.

Not only did it happen in Chicago, but it occurred the following night on Raw in St. Louis and most notably at December's Tables, Ladders & Chairs in Boston.

When those instances present themselves, WWE must investigate why they happened and how it can capitalize on them.

For now, Reigns will continue shifting audience reactions as he soars through the air with one of his spectacular dives, launches himself with a dramatic late-match Superman Punch and tosses his opponent through an announce table with ease.

When they finally get on the same page, the wrestling world will finally have its alternative to generic good guy Cena.