How to Book Kevin Owens vs. Roman Reigns Leading Up to WWE Royal Rumble 2017

On Monday’s episode of Raw, it was announced that WWE Universal champion Kevin Owens would square off against Roman Reigns for the title at the 2017 edition of the Royal Rumble.

The caveat: Chris Jericho will be hoisted high above the ring in a shark cage during the match.

At Roadblock, Reigns lost the match against Owens due to interference from Jericho, but that shouldn’t be an issue at the January pay-per-view now that Y2J will be hanging from the ceiling in the Alamodome.

Here are the best booking options for Reigns vs. Owens heading into the 2017 Royal Rumble.

Stop Making Roman Reigns Look Invincible

One of the biggest problems with the booking heading into Roadblock and the story of the match itself was WWE Creative continuing to book Reigns like an unstoppable force that makes it hard for wrestling fans to relate to him.

Instead of letting Reigns take clean losses, the company continues to force-feed screwy finishes to his matches and make the people who already don’t like him resent his character even more. Even many of Reigns’ hardcore fans will admit he has been booked too much like a superhero character despite that not fitting his gimmick.

Reigns should be booked with a business-like attitude toward beating his opponents and a ruthlessness that would erase the memories of his terrible face promos. Speaking of promos, WWE should continue limiting how much he talks. The less he says the better.

By cutting the comedy, Reigns could begin earning the respect of the fans by taking a clean loss in a championship match. With the WWE Universe understanding that he will inevitably be the Universal champion, Reigns should continue paying his dues instead of looking like John Cena Version 2.

Continue Teasing Tension Between Jericho and Owens

One of the best possible feuds and matches for WrestleMania 33 would be the eventual implosion of the friendship between Owens and Jericho. During the build to the Royal Rumble, the best friends should continue teasing tension.

While it looks as if Owens and Jericho are back on the same page, there is still underlying tension that can’t be ignored. WWE Creative should be looking to make fans think it’s possible Jericho won’t want to help Owens again, only for him to get involved at the January event and assist his best friend.

As seen in the many matches during the 1980s-NWA days that featured a man suspended above the ring inside a cage, it is commonplace to witness Superstars drop items down to their allies in order to impact the outcome of the bout.

It’s relatively clear with several weeks before the Royal Rumble that Owens should walk away victorious, but if the tension between the champion and Jericho is teased heavily, the WWE Universe will find it easier to believe Reigns could win.

For more wrestling talk, listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot topics or catch the latest episode in the player above (some language NSFW).