Roman Reigns Slowly Winning over WWE Fans with Consistently Strong in-Ring Work

Roman Reigns is perhaps the most unwanted WWE world heavyweight champion since John Cena. Despite what he does to get over, he's hated for his efforts. No matter how many times he says or does the right thing, he continues to get heat from the WWE faithful.

But that wave of hate may just be turning to acceptance. It's the unthinkable scenario for many, but it's playing out while Roman's critics begin to see the change taking place. Roman is beginning to win the fans over thanks to his work in the ring.

This was likely the last thing anyone expected.

If Reigns was ever going to be capable of swaying fan favor in his direction, it was probably going to be done through a storyline. What better way to do it? Roman's real personality would eventually be on display, he would finally connect with the crowd and then ultimately get over.

But that has just not happened. 

There are just too many variables with Roman's character, and WWE likely knows that. His sense of humor is too silly, his arrogance is coming through like never before and he still comes off like an entitled Superstar.

Yet combined with all of this is his heart and drive, which present him a good guy trying to do the right thing. It's all become too much for anyone to connect with.

So instead of worrying about tweaking it or changing him, WWE has been content with booking Roman in the right feuds so he can get his work done between the ropes. He is built to be a workhorse, and that's the common role he had with The Shield.

Along with Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins, Roman got it done in the ring. He was never thought of as a technician, but it was obvious he had potential to be very good. The Shield cut its fair share of promos, but when it came time to do business, each man did exactly that.

Reigns was a major part of The Shield's success, and at any given time, he was arguably the most popular member.

And though it's taken a while for him to get on his feet, the truth is the hard work is finally paying off. Roman could never force fans to love him, so he did the next best thing: hone his craft in the ring. 

Feuding with AJ Styles helped him quite a bit as well.

It's no mystery what happens when a great worker such as AJ gets in the ring with a talent who needs some spotlight. Roman had the support of WWE, but not the attention of fans, who likely thought he would fall behind against Styles.

But giving Roman the rub worked, though it was obvious the champ was carrying his fair share of the load. Instead of playing second to AJ, Roman appeared to be on his game like never before. He stepped up and did everything right in their rivalry.

The drama of The Club and The Usos became background noise next to the matches themselves. Reigns had a title to defend and a top-guy reputation to establish. He did both, and by the time their feud ended following Extreme Rules, it was clear Roman had made true progress as a hard working ring performer.

Now Seth is back in the title picture, Roman will surely continue on the same path.

Once again, Reigns is paired with a highly skilled talent. Their upcoming match at Money in the Bank will surely be a hit, much like Roman's matches with AJ at Payback and Extreme Rules. Fans will hate Roman going in, and they will probably hate him if he wins.

But they will also likely give him respect the next day. Roman is doing what he can to impress, and he will continue to do so regardless of whether fans fully embrace him. Of course, the issue of his ability versus guys who are not ring generals is still up for debate.

Simply put: Roman must begin turning in five-star matches against talents who are either at, or below, his level. He must be capable of making his opponents look good, not just taking the rub from every main event Superstar he works with.

But maybe that will come with time. Until then, Reigns is doing what is necessary: building his reputation one match at a time. Fans can hate his gimmick and his character, but if he continues to get better, they will be forced to acknowledge how far he's come as a performer. That is indeed an unexpected outcome. 

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