3. Have The Odds Stacked Against Him At WrestleMania
Yes, I know - again. But this time, do it properly. Have him beaten up before the event, and have him sell it. Have him trashed at ringside by the League Of Nations, or by D-Generation X, or anyone - it doesnt matter who it is, as long as he sells it. Have him kick out at 2.9. Have him bleed early, and often. Have him chopped, diced, fricasseed and ground to a pulp - as long as he sells it. Selling is key, and its embarrassing that a non-wrestler should have to remind them of this. A babyface who pops up like a weeble whenever he's knocked down isn't a real person, and only children cheer a cartoon character. Conversely, a babyface who is treated unfairly, beaten down gangland style, used as a guinea pig for potential new finishing moves, and who still gets up... that's a babyface that people can get behind. Romans problem right now is that, Cena-style, none of the odds stacked against him faze him in the slightest. When he was beaten down and carried backstage at the Rumble, he ran back in half an hour later as though hed been locked in the toilet and was making up for lost time. If youd missed the table spot, youd be forgiven for thinking that he was literally just turning up. NXTs Sami Zayn is my go-to guy, here. Every match that Sami takes part in takes a little something out of him. Hard fought victories and close fought losses are his bag: the important thing to him, and to all of his fans, is that he never gives up. Not the John Cena/Roman Reigns version of that, where never give up means never get hurt. No, Sami Zayn just keeps staggering back to his feet again, no matter how many times he gets put down. By the end, he might look like cold, hammered sh*t, but hes still fighting. Thats real courage. Thats the kind of selling that Reigns did against Lesnar last year - and it got him over with the Levis Stadium crowd. He needs to break it out again and make it part of his thing. Thatll make Roman look strong.
Professional writer, punk werewolf and nesting place for starfish. Obsessed with squid, spirals and story. I publish short weird fiction online at desincarne.com, and tweet nonsense under the name Jack The Bodiless. You can follow me all you like, just don't touch my stuff.
