10 Times WWE Failed To Pass The Torch
2. John Cena To Roman Reigns (No Mercy 2017)
Apologies Roman Reigns, this is your last inclusion on this list, I swear.
If it hadn't already happened after his rejections at WrestleMania 32 and 33, by the time No Mercy 2017 rolled around fans had now lost any sense of remorse towards 'The Big Dog' and that once divisive reaction had turned overwhelmingly sour across the board.
So, what did WWE do to resolve this obviously failing experiment?
Did they give Reigns a bit of respite away from the top tier of the card or even turn him heel in the hope of leaning into his response?
Nope, they opted to use the company's top face over the last 12 years as a way of trying to provoke some fire out of Reigns and the results were... unfortunate.
Cena tore Reigns to shreds and exposed his weak promo game in front of a live audience and the millions watching at home. Instead of opening the door for Reigns to establish himself as the true heir to Cena's throne, he came across as an unworthy would-be king who couldn't hold a candle to the 'Franchise'.
Cena did the honours for Reigns at No Mercy and even held up the victor's arm as a sign of the symbolic torch being handed over - much like The Rock did for Cena in their 'Mania 29 clash - but that still didn't do much to present Reigns as the fan favourite top babyface which WWE desperately wanted this match to help him become.
He'd continue to be booed and found himself in yet another 'Mania main event against Brock Lesnar in New Orleans, but fans still weren't having any of it and the Cena passing of the torch moment had done little to nothing in aiding his cause.