What If... Roman Reigns NEVER Turned Heel In WWE
With no 'Tribal Chief', just how different would the wrestling industry look today?
WWE warned us that we would never see it coming on the night of SummerSlam 2020.
And they were right... for a change.
Not only did fans and many of the talents behind the scenes have zero clue 'The Big Dog' was set to spear his way back into the promotion that night, they also didn't see the exciting, white hot, and fresh Roman Reigns-led future that was heading their way in the years that followed this crucial moment in WWE history.
Everything changed that night, folks.
Reigns' days of trying to be 'The Guy' as the most generic wrestling hero imaginable were over. After wrecking both Bray Wyatt's Fiend and Braun Strowman and leaving, the industry's newest bona fide superstar was born.
And it was that dramatic and deeply unexpected decision to finally take a walk on the dark side that kicked off an often riveting (cinematic, even) spell, even against the initial backdrop of bizarre LED screens and cheers/boos.wav.
WWE's long-time project had finally found himself alongside his 'Wiseman' Paul Heyman. But he also found a way to bring his family and more along for the thrilling, long-term ride, elevating Usos, underdogs, and NXT call-ups as the captivating years rolled by.
'The Head of the Table' even made the often ridiculed Universal Championship somehow feel like the most prestigious belt in the industry, too.
Turning the current era of sports entertainment into the hottest since the 'Attitude Era' wasn't a one man job, of course. But having the most badass, fascinating, and believable person in the business leading the charge certainly made a difference and then some, forcing all around him to up their game and acknowledge that the bar had been raised.
It simply cannot be understated then exactly how important the night of August 23, 2020 was in not just Roman's ongoing story, not even just WWE's, but the industry as a whole's.
So, what if none of that actually happened, eh?
What if Roman wasn't able to convince his bosses that it was finally time to leave the dull babyface schtick behind?
What if this former Shield man hadn't been allowed to burst back onto the scene with a chip on his shoulder, a newly perfect and gloriously arrogant grin, or a much-needed lack of tactical vest?
Well, for a start, this megastar may not have even decided to come back at all...