What WWE Must Do with U.S. Title During Roman Reigns vs. Kevin Owens Feud

As Roman Reigns marched to the ring to confront Kevin Owens on Monday's WWE Raw, he offered a striking visual symbol of the United States Championship's place in this feud and in the overall WWE landscape.

Reigns at first held the championship belt at his side. It dangled out of frame for part of his entrance.

The Big Dog then hoisted it onto his shoulder, but the title hung down his back, out of sight. Only a strap showed. The gold remained obscured in the background.

Credit: WWE.com

The championship too often took a back seat when Reigns and Rusev fought over it weeks ago. Things promise to get far worse for the belt's prestige as Reigns now chases Owens and the Universal Championship.

WWE has to offer the U.S. title more spotlight during this story. It has to make it a key subplot. Otherwise, it's bound to devolve into a worthless prop, an accessory rather than a coveted trophy.

The United States champ earned himself a shot at Owens' title when he beat KO on Monday night in non-title action. Reigns is now set to face the heel at the Roadblock: End of the Line pay-per-view on Dec. 18.

Reigns' title won't be on the line. Judging by the opening chapters of this narrative, it won't be anything but an afterthought.

The issue isn't with Reigns' activity as champ. He has defended the title three times since winning it at Clash of Champions on Sept. 25, per CageMatch.net; that's one more defense than Owens has had in that span. 

The lack of focus on the prize is what has hurt it.

In Monday's opening segment, Reigns arrived uninvited on the set of Chris Jericho's Highlight Reel. He mocked Owens and Jericho before demanding a match with the universal champ.

Reigns was in the ring with Jericho and Owens for over five minutes. The wrestlers mentioned the universal title six times. No one said a single word about the U.S. title.  

That can't happen.

What's the point of Reigns being champ if this continues? What's the point of even having a U.S. titleholder if it's such a low priority? 

The most dramatic fix would be for Reigns to drop the title. In order to secure his shot at Owens' belt, Raw general manager Mick Foley could tell him he needs to vacate the U.S. strap to allow others to contend for it.

That route would lead to a powerful moment where Reigns made the tough decision of whether to keep the crown he has now or seek a more prominent one.

Kyle Lewis of Three Man Booth joked about what WWE could do with the title, should Reigns relinquish it:

WWE doesn't have to go to those extremes. But the company needs to make the U.S. title a part of this tale.

For one, potential contenders should clamor for a shot at it. As of now, the members of the Raw roster have made little mention of their interest in Reigns' title. 

Sami Zayn should be eyeing that prize as he battles Braun Strowman. Titus O'Neil can include capturing the U.S. Championship as a key goal for his emerging "Titus brand." WWE can sell midcard collisions between the likes of Neville and Bo Dallas as matches that will impact these wrestlers' positions in the title hunt.

As for Reigns, being both a champion and a man on the hunt for gold has to be a daunting task.

Foley has to force Reigns to defend the title ahead of Roadblock: End of the Line. Owens can lurk during these bouts, threatening to assist Reigns' foes in dethroning him.

A pre-PPV gauntlet of title defenses should exhaust Reigns, making his chances of taking down Owens seem less probable.

We need to see the U.S. title at play, to watch Reigns carry the weight of being a target. That would both up the drama of the Owens-Reigns showdown and keep the U.S. title a part of the conversation.

And when The Big Dog states his desire to be universal champion, it has to be coupled with talk of how much the U.S. belt means to him. This story shouldn't be one of Reigns going after a title that matters more than the one he currently carries around, but about his desire to prove that he's the ultimate champion.

Reigns should say he wants to make history as the first man to hold both the U.S. and universal belts. He can brag that he's the superior champion. He can talk about how wearing both title belts would prove that he's the king of Raw.

The United States Championship just can't be ignored as Reigns and Owens clash. It can't be what it was on Monday night—an unimportant, out-of-view item on the stage.

Otherwise, WWE will need to resuscitate the title once Reigns and Owens' personal war is over.