10 Promos That Totally Changed Your Opinion Of A Wrestler

7. Roman Reigns Turns Heel (With A Babyface Promo)

I Don T Sleep
WWE

Before the promo:

Is...is he the next John Cena?

They're pushing him like he's the next John Cena, this is very obvious, but he's a better athlete than John Cena, he doesn't sell too comically, and the Shield were awesome - but this is beginning to feel like bargaining, which shouldn't happen, this should feel organic and in some way "right", and why is he still out here looking like he's in the Shield?

He's not in the Shield. This is troubling. There's already a top babyface who never developed his character for nearly a decade. Put some trunks on him. Give him some new music. Pretend that this is different because it's really starting to feel like this is happening again. It cannot happen again. A top WWE babyface cannot for another decade talk in nursery rhymes and call steel cages death stars in punch-the-f*cking-TV-screen Star Wars promos. No. No.

F*ck this.

After the promo:

Sufferin' succotash, he's the next John Cena, and this promo cemented this to such an extent that he might as well have worn jorts and made an awful gay joke at Seth Rollins.

This one, infamous promo killed Roman's push because, even thought it absolutely wasn't, it felt personal.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!