10 Things Everybody Got Wrong About WWE In 2016
2. Roman Reigns Did Not Turn Heel
WWE spent all of 2015 trying to get Roman Reigns over as the company's top babyface, and it failed. His initial push coincided with Daniel Bryan's return to the ring, and fans much preferred Bryan, making Reigns the de facto villain. Still, Reigns won the the Royal Rumble and defeated Bryan in a singles match. "The 'Yes' Man's" endorsement did little to help Reigns with the fans.
At WrestleMania 31, fans hated Reigns so much that WWE decided to change the long-standing plans. Instead of having him beat Brock Lesnar for the WWE World Championship, Seth Rollins cashed in his Money in the Bank contract during the main event and pinned Reigns, winning the title. For most of the rest of 2015, Reigns was moved to the midcard while WWE waited to push him again. At the end of the year, he would finally become WWE World Champion.
Despite a laying beating on Triple H that got fans cheering, Reigns's unpopularity was still solid. In 2016, the company had to turn him. Otherwise, they'd risk treading new lows in terms of popularity and show quality.
Instead, Reigns remained a dyed-in-the-wool (but unlikable) babyface, winning the championship back in a terrible WrestleMania main event and getting booed throughout the year. After a Wellness Policy suspension, Reigns was sent to the midcard again, but it was really just a ruse. He was still the most pushed face on the roster, and fans still hated him.