Why Most WWE Fans Don't Respect the Hardest Working Guy: Roman Reigns

Do we know he is the hardest working guy in the WWE? Haven't really heard anything from other wrestlers, to be honest. Granted, someone like Lashley, another heel who's around, didn’t say much about the hardest working guy either.

And you might be confused. I don’t think people are hating on Joseph Anoai, but Roman Reigns, the character. And when it does get personal, it really isn’t about Joseph Anoai. It is about Vince and the writers.

From time to time, WWE fans express their dissatisfaction with Roman Reigns, despite acknowledging that he's the hardest working guy in the company. However, this perception is not necessarily born out of a lack of respect for his hard work but rather the ongoing saga of his unwarranted push as a face, failing to deliver against expectations. In this article, we delve into why Roman Reigns might not be as highly regarded by many fans.

His Push as a Face

Recently, there has been an increased respect for Roman Reigns among WWE fans. Yet, saying that he is the hardest working guy does a disservice to all the wrestlers featured in main spots in WWE. They all work incredibly hard, even the enhancement talent, as they got there for a reason. Many of them wish for a better spot, proving that the claim of being the hardest working guy is oversimplifying the efforts and achievements of other wrestlers.

The Role of WWE in Rein’s Career

What Roman Reigns is, however, is the victim of at least five and a half years of bad booking and storyline mishandling. WWE has consistently struggled to elevate babyfaces, with every main eventer catching on as a heel and then turning later. This is not the case with Roman, who, due to WWE's persistence in forcing him into a face role, ended up playing a bland character designed to make it to the main event scene. His transition to a heel role came about 5 and a half years after being booed at the 2015 Royal Rumble.

Wrestling Mismanagement and Character Development

This mismanagement is evident in his storylines and the character development that was never properly addressed. WWE attempted to force Roman into the main event without the necessary early development as a singles wrestler. His heel turn was a direct result of this forced transition into a face role, proving that WWE's booking strategy has been reckless and unsuccessful.

Respect and Performance

I respect everyone in the WWE for the simple fact that they have the drive and focus to be in the company. The lazy need not apply. Even for someone like Reigns, who likely had family connections to get his foot in the door, he still has to work out like a beast, travel, and put his body on the line nightly. I respect what he does, and what all of those people do.

The Issue of Respect

Respect, however, is not really the issue with Roman Reigns. In fact, I have no problem with heel Reigns. I think he is right where he should be right now, though I wish they wouldn’t have him cheat so much. He gets heat just by being a very hirable heel. He should win clean, which would make him feel more of a threat. I don’t know why they don’t do more clean heel wins like Triple H used to get. Those wins made Triple H feel like the final boss of WWE, and that’s what Reigns should be now.

The True Face of WWE

However, the real issue is that he was pushed as the face of WWE and just isn't meant for that spot. He doesn't have the overwhelming charisma that one needs to fill those shoes. There have only been two wrestlers who ever completely filled those shoes: Hulk Hogan and Stone Cold Steve Austin. Everyone else, including in The Rock's case, was missing some crucial element or took off for Hollywood right when it was time for them to step into that role.

In conclusion, while Roman Reigns has shown immense hard work and dedication, the overall dissatisfaction from fans largely stems from his misuse as a face and WWE's failure to develop him properly. Recognizing this, it becomes clearer why some fans prefer to see him as a well-deserved heel rather than a face that should have been a more gradual process.