Pros and Cons of Roman Reigns Dethroning Brock Lesnar at WWE SummerSlam 2017

Much like anything he does, Roman Reigns ripping the Universal Championship from Brock Lesnar's paws at WWE SummerSlam 2017 would elicit a loud, visceral reaction from the audience.

Some fans will cheer as they envision all the top-notch matches a Reigns championship run would yield. Others will bemoan what could have been for his imposing foes. 

The Big Dog is one win away from a universal title reign becoming a reality. He will face Lesnar, Samoa Joe and Braun Strowman in a Fatal 4-Way match for that prize at the Aug. 20 pay-per-view.

Reigns charged past Joe and Strowman on Monday's Raw in a preview of that hoss fight. The Big Dog knocked Strowman out of the ring before flooring Joe with a spear for the win.

Should that same result unfold at SummerSlam, the most polarizing figure in the WWE today will be at the top of its mountain. Any booking decision has multiple effects, but nothing quite creates shock waves like Reigns holding gold.

Let's dive into both the positive and negatives of a Reigns title win at the marquee event.

Pro: Perfect Setup for Lesnar vs. Reigns II 

On Monday's Raw, Lesnar's advocate Paul Heyman teased the possibility of Lesnar leaving the WWE. He promised that both he and The Beast Incarnate would exit the company if Lesnar dropped the Universal Championship at SummerSlam.

That may sound like the WWE simply looking to add stakes to the clash, but speculation about Lesnar's future makes that threat far more interesting.

UFC light heavyweight champ Jon "Bones" Jones called out Lesnar after winning that title on Saturday night. Rumors of Lesnar potentially returning to cagefighting have been swirling even before that.

If Lesnar is indeed going to take some time off to train or to fight Jones after his USADA suspension is over, losing the title at SummerSlam clears the path for that.

He wouldn't have to get pinned or submit to lose the title. He can maintain his aura of invincibility that way.

And then the WWE could welcome him back in time for WrestleMania season, potentially with the buzz created by his superfight with Jones still surging. Bleacher Report's Donald Wood laid out an ideal scenario:

Having The Big Dog enter his long-expected WrestleMania 34 clash with Lesnar as champ is the better move, too. Dragging out a Lesnar title reign until next spring was always going to be difficult with his limited schedule.

Con: Spotlighting the WWE's Stubbornness

Should Reigns emerge from SummerSlam as a smarmy, cocky, selfish creep, his Universal Championship reign will be glorious. But the WWE has refused to go the obvious route and make him a full-fledged heel.

Even after attempting to murder Strowman at Great Balls of Fire, Reigns isn't presented as a merciless villain. The company continues to try to make him a tweener character instead.

Should he become champion, the spotlight will be brighter on his character issues.

The WWE is likely to sell Reigns as the gutsy hero who made it out of SummerSlam on top. It may keep pushing him as a top-tier babyface despite all the negative reaction he receives.

That's been the company's approach to this point.

A loss at SummerSlam, meanwhile, would be another ideal impetus for his much-needed heel turn. He would be forced to consider changing how he does things after coming up short. 

That transformation is less likely to happen if Reigns conquers Lesnar and awaits the next showdown with the monster.

Pro: Great Championship Matches

Lesnar has been the universal champion since April. Not counting house shows, he's defended the title only once since. And that bout with Joe lasted just under six-and-a-half minutes, per CageMatch.net.

The Beast Incarnate is a part-timer put in a top spot. Reigns is far from that.

As champion, The Big Dog is sure to defend the title often. He's a workhorse who employs a physical, hard-hitting style.

And a number of those championship matches promises to be great.

Reigns has delivered thrillers against Strowman, AJ Styles, Kevin Owens and others. He's morphed into one of the WWE's best big-match performers. In 2016 and 2017, Dave Meltzer rated seven of his matches four stars or higher in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t the Internet Wrestling Database).

Should Reigns claim the Raw throne at SummerSlam, the rest of the 2017 PPV calendar will benefit, as the powerhouse tears the house down against the red brand's top contenders.

Con: Missed Opportunity to Make a Monster

Joe and Strowman are both red-hot.

The Destroyer has been a revelation as a bloodthirsty predator on the hunt. His ring work has been excellent. His presence has grown.

Total Wrestling Magazine raved about Joe:

One could make a similar argument for Strowman. Before The Monster Among Men went down with an elbow injury in May, he was the best thing going on Raw each week. He destroyed and roared and had the WWE fanbase hypnotized the whole time.

Both Strowman and Joe would make tremendous universal champs.

Should Reigns wins at SummerSlam instead, he's likely going to reign for a long time to set up a money match at WrestleMania. Strowman and Joe, meanwhile, won't get a shot to prove their worth with the gold in their grip.

The timing is perfect to crown Joe right now as he's worked his way to marquee status late in his career. Strowman reigning would put a fresh face on top, making this feel like the New Era.

Both men may win the title elsewhere, but it's hard to match the impact of surviving this Fatal 4-Way match filled with behemoths on a stage as grand as SummerSlam.

Only one man can garner the momentum of that moment.