Roman Reigns vs. Rusev: Best Booking Options for WWE Clash of Champions

When Rusev returned to Monday's episode of Raw to cost Roman Reigns a chance to join the Universal Championship match at WWE Clash of Champions 2016, he cemented his own spot in the co-main event of the show.

Reigns will be looking for vengeance following Rusev’s attack, and Raw general manager Mick Foley should have no problem booking the two men in a grudge match at the PPV on Sept. 25—likely for the United States Championship.

Here are the best booking options for the inevitable battle between Reigns and Rusev at Clash of Champions.

Rusev Steals a Win

Despite the majority of the WWE Universe rejecting Reigns as the next top babyface, the promotion appears steadfast in its belief in him. One way to build him organically as a top face would be to have him take a tainted loss to Rusev at Clash of Champions.

The problem with Reigns is that fans felt like he was being shoved down their throats. Now that he's been relegated to the midcard following his suspension for a violation of the company's wellness policy, he can slowly build his credibility as he climbs back up the card.

Taking yet another defeat in a series of losses will help end the stigma that he wins all the time, and WWE Creative can then organically build Reigns as the kind of face a large portion of the audience wants to support.

Losing via cheating again would make even the most jaded fans feel bad for Reigns, and eventually many members of the WWE Universe would embrace him. A tainted win for Rusev would also add more credibility to his U.S title reign and his heel persona.

Reigns Wins the U.S. Title

Rusev losing the U.S. title would be detrimental to his momentum and his character, but WWE officials seem more concerned with the perception of their handpicked star, Reigns. Not only would making Reigns the U.S. champion satisfy people backstage, but it would also satisfy the vocal portion of the WWE Universe that genuinely loves the Superstar.

Reigns deserves to be wrestling in the midcard—his in-ring ability and mic work dictate that should be his role—and the continuation of his storyline with Rusev proves that's where the company has him slotted for the foreseeable future.

While there is little doubt that Reigns will return to the Universal Championship scene at some point due to WWE Creative's affinity with him, the majority of fans can take solace knowing that he will be confined to a secondary title for the time being.

As much as losing the U.S. title would be a step back for Rusev, it would be the ideal booking scenario for Reigns.

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