10 WWE Plans Doomed From The Start
2. Roman Reigns' Babyface Push
Much like the boos that first greeted John Cena during his 2005 feud with Chris Jericho, the low-level jeers heard for Roman Reigns during his first solo programme proper in 2014 were the sorts of reactions that always stood a chance of completely sabotaging his babyface career.
Cena had long ceased being particularly cool as a babyface by the time he came up against heel (but sentimental favourite) 'Y2J', but back then the precedent for a mixed reaction main eventer hadn't even been set. 'Big Match John's tenure at the top broke a mould, but it was the worst one for the 'Big Dog' to be forced into when time came for his own major push.
Assuming things would go for Reigns as the eventually did for Cena, the company made all the same mistakes in the first months before - like with Cena - doubled down on them the following year to try and remedy the problem. The cold killer from The Shield was suddenly an above-it-all douchebag with unearned confidence in his singles position.
Roman Reigns became defined by who he wasn't rather than was, and the notion follows and troubles him to this day. When The Shield first split, he wasn't Dean Ambrose. On the Road To WrestleMania in 2015 he wasn't Daniel Bryan. At no point was he The Rock. And unfortunately for Vince McMahon and WWE, he never will be.