7 Reasons Roman Reigns Should Beat The Undertaker At WrestleMania 33
The present must conquer the past if WrestleMania 33 is to succeed.
The build towards The Undertaker vs. Roman Reigns is well underway. It started when Reigns eliminated The Deadman from this year's Royal Rumble, and continued on this week's Raw. Reigns arrogantly proclaimed that the WWE ring was "his yard now," and after turning to the WrestleMania 33 sign, The Undertaker laid his prospective opponent out with a Chokeslam.
The match will pit the most despised babyface in WWE history against a beloved company institution on the show that defines his incredible legacy. Naturally, the fans are already firmly behind 'Taker in this one, and understandably so. Reigns' mishandled push and role have made him a pariah in WWE's main event scene, and the thought of him potentially beating The Deadman is too much for many to bear.
This divisiveness makes Reigns vs. Undertaker one of WrestleMania 33's most interesting matches, but while most would prefer 'Taker walking away victorious, this wouldn't be the most productive outcome. If handled correctly, The Undertaker losing need not be the disaster it's being portrayed as, and could instead be exactly what Reigns needs to break his current hex.
Provided WWE play their cards right, book it with care, and create the perfect set of circumstances, a Roman Reigns victory is absolutely best for business in Orlando...
7. The Start Of An Epic Heel Run
If WWE are going to pull this off, they must cast the past few years aside and finally recognise that Roman Reigns isn’t going to make it as a top babyface. The experiment has failed, and if WWE have Reigns defeat 'Taker as some kind of babyface “passing of the torch” moment, there’ll be riots in the stands.
Pulling the trigger on Reigns’ long-awaited heel turn is best for all involved. He’s already the most hated wrestler in the company, and at a time when WWE are desperate for heels who draw genuine crowd heat, he’s exactly what they need in a villain. Defeating The Deadman at WrestleMania will send this heat through the roof, and transform the Samoan into the most universally-despised heel they’ve had in years.
WWE have already hinted at the turn. Reigns cast 'Taker a look of pure scorn after eliminating him from the Royal Rumble, and he was incredibly cocky in The Deadman’s presence on Raw. Trying to play babyface against a man as beloved as The Undertaker just doesn’t work, and while these signs are relatively small, they show that WWE at least recognise this.
Reigns is a natural bad guy, and this is the perfect way to transition him to the role he was born to play, and there are plenty of ways to pull it off. Whether he turned heel in the build-up to WrestleMania 33 or at the event itself, defeating 'Taker as a bad guy could (and should) be the making of Reigns’ WWE career, particularly if he’s the one who ends his career.