WWE: Roman Reigns Heel Turn Depends On Crowd Reaction

Posted on February 18, 2015 by sparxteam in Film/TV, Home, Sports, Videos // 0 Comments

According to a Feb. 17 report from Cageside Seats, Roman Reigns may or may not turn heel, as it all may come down to crowd reaction. Reigns, 29, has been a babyface character throughout his WWE career, but the backlash he received from winning this year’s Royal Rumble obviously caused WWE’s creative team to re-think his role.

By all accounts, it was teased during last night’s episode of Monday Night Raw that Reigns would be turning heel. Additionally, he has been exhibiting some heel-like behavior at recent WWE house shows, including a feud with Daniel Bryan. The biggest indication that Reigns will turn heel is that he’s set to fight Daniel Bryan on the WWE’s next pay-per-view card.

Since Bryan is a fan favorite and the most popular babyface on the WWE roster besides John Cena, the booking of the match itself is evidence that Reigns is being considered for a run as a heel. Will Reigns’ heel turn come to fruition? Apparently, Reigns’ heel turn is a fluid concept that will be determined by crowd reaction.

Daniel Bryan vs. Roman Reigns face each other at WWE Fast Lane, where the winner goes to WrestleMania 31 to face Brock Lesnar for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Image credit: angelmj06

If WWE Universe buys Reigns as a villainous character, the rumor is that the WWE will run with the concept. If he continues to get treated to thunderous rounds of applause, obviously the WWE will think twice about turning him heel.

Heel turns are risky business for the WWE, as it could make a huge impact on merchandise sales. Part of the reason why John Cena never turned heel is because his merchandise continues to fly off the shelves. As a babyface character, he has a family-friendly image that kids and parents adore.

Heels typically do not come close to the merchandise sales of WWE babyface superstars. Here’s the thing: The WWE leaving Reigns’ heel turn up to the crowd is a win-win for all parties involved. Triple H and Stephanie McMahon know the customer is always right. They want to do what’s best for business, and that means pleasing the crowd.

If most of their audience want to see Reigns as a heroic character, that’s what he’ll be. If they like him as a heel, then they’ll go in that direction. This way, the WWE gets what they want, and so does the audience. Reigns as a heel would also set him up for intriguing matches that have never happened before, such as a singles bout between him and Dean Ambrose.