10 Most Improved WWE Superstars Of 2016

5. Roman Reigns

Almost none of Roman Reigns’ current issues are his own fault. The burly Samoan has been shoe-horned into a role that just doesn’t suit him, and it looks increasingly unlikely that he’ll ever get over as Raw’s sassy, faux-underdog babyface. He has become one of the most divisive men in wrestling, and a man whose arrival is usually greeted with some of the night’s biggest jeers. Reigns’ critics are incredibly vocal, and it’ll stay this way until his “Superman babyface” project is abandoned.

Fans are right to voice displeasure for Reigns’ gross overpush, but he’s a far better performer than most give him credit for. His promos stink, absolutely, but that’s because WWE are forcing him to read from a script that he’s not at all comfortable with. If Reigns was allowed to adopt the strong, silent badass role he was born to play, and perhaps turn heel, his presence at the top of the card would be a far easier pill to swallow.

2016 has brought considerable improvements in Reigns’ wrestling skills. He’s not a virtuoso, but he’s currently participating in the best singles matches of his career, and he has improved leaps and bounds since his clumsy early days. He regularly delivers the in-ring goods on Raw, and high-profile matches with guys like AJ Styles, Seth Rollins, and Dean Ambrose exemplify the progress he’s made this year.