Roman Reigns vs. Rusev: WWE Hell in a Cell 2016 Match Preview, Prediction

Roman Reigns is finally having his showdown with Rusev at WWE Hell in a Cell 2016 on Sunday. The two Superstars will step inside Satan's Structure to decide the United States Championship, currently held by Reigns, the would-be top babyface of Raw.

But he's still not over in that role, and this match will likely do little to change that.

But the company is pressing forward anyway, mostly because of the heat that's been built between Reigns and Rusev. The rivalry looked great in theory, but it's only looked good so far. The problem here is that fans do not seem all that interested.

Much of the blame can be laid at the door of WWE. Vince McMahon's company has booked Reigns as the fearless protagonist for so long that the hate he receives from the live crowds is likely falling on deaf ears. Or perhaps the issue is not WWE's lack of attention, but its refusal to do anything in terms of course correction for Reigns.

Simply put, he's needed a heel turn for quite some time, but it's just not happening.

This is where Rusev comes in because Reigns needs a strong heel to work with. The more over Rusev is, the better the feud is for Reigns. Fans may have their favorites and do not want to be coerced into which side to choose, but they need to cheer for someone.

The chances of anyone cheering for Rusev on a consistent basis are slim to none.

So Reigns is the hero by default, and it's not as though he's incapable of doing it. He always has the high road in a match; he rarely breaks the rules or takes the coward's way out to win. He always stares down his opponent like a man and doesn't sacrifice who he is for the sake of coming out on top.

Reigns is the guy who never backs down from a fight, and he has been known to deliver in big matches.

But Rusev is no AJ Styles. So while he is a strong heel who can draw heat from the crowd, it's up to Reigns to do his part to make this match work. Of course, it's Hell in a Cell, which means there's more work to be done than usual.

The cell shouldn't be ignored. Reigns and Rusev can have the most punishing and brutal match that fans have ever seen, but if it all stays in the ring, opportunities will be missed. The fact is that, no matter how often guys go out on the floor when they don't need to in WWE, this is one instance in which it should happen.

However, that leads to the problem of no color.

The no-blood policy in WWE is understandable on a regular Raw or SmackDown, but when it comes to pay-per-view, things get a bit more complicated. If Reigns or Rusev gets sent head-first into the cell more than once, the suspension of disbelief will be lost among fans.

It's not as if they're hungry to see blood, but it's a possible outcome with that level of violence.

So the best thing Rusev and Reigns can do is use their surroundings in other ways. Flesh will indeed meet steel, but it likely will not involve the face or forehead all that much. The match with Bray Wyatt from 2015 is a prime example of what can be done outside the ring to maximize the minutes used by both men.

That match was one of the rare occasions that fans gave credit to Reigns for stepping up and doing some serious work. Hopefully the same will be said of his impending match with Rusev at Hell in a Cell. 

But other than the routine babyface vs. heel storyline, there's not an abundance of drama surrounding this match. Each man has done a good job thus far, but they will need to take it to the next level on Oct. 30.

This bout has everything to do with the position of alpha male on Raw. Other than the United States Championship, it's the only logical reason for them to feud.

Rusev is The Bulgarian Brute, a man who takes what he wants and lets no one stand in his way. He's capable of destroying everyone in his path, and he can do so with little to no effort. Reigns is now in his way, and he has never appeared intimidated at all.

Reigns is The Big Dog, the man who has done it all in WWE. He's worked the main event of WrestleMania, he's been WWE champion and he's been trusted to carry the ball in more than one major storyline. His pride and ego will not allow him to step aside so that Rusev can have his title.

Again, the rivalry looks great in theory.

The execution will be up to Rusev and Reigns. They must step inside Hell in a Cell and tell an amazing story on Sunday. They have two other HIAC matches to contend with—Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins and Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte. Those bouts are likely being considered the two major cell matches of the night, not Reigns vs. Rusev.

It's up to them to change that.

In the end, however, this should be Reigns' night. The U.S. Championship is an important title and one that will benefit from matches of this magnitude. But it will also benefit from Reigns wearing it, as he is still being booked as a top guy in the company.

This one will be hard-fought, it will be brutal and it will be an absolute war. Anything less will not work, and that's a fact that Reigns and Rusev understand.

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