How Paul Heyman Fixed Roman Reigns
Heyman was also said to be "directly involved" with Roman's new direction. Early signs were ominous because Heyman's stock wasn't exactly high; after a promising start, his regime as RAW's Executive Director, a role cursed to be ineffective in the first instance, generated fierce criticism. Beyond Drew McIntyre's babyface push - and even that was all very sudden - RAW was a mess of squished giant spiders, nightmarish continuity and tedious 45 minute Gauntlet matches that functioned only as swerves.
The booking at Payback felt Very Paul Heyman in the pejorative sense. A trademark shock tactic that opened up a plot hole - what if the Fiend snatched a roll-up? - that a line was drawn under the goofy spooky bullsh*t was immensely satisfying, nonetheless. Incredibly, WWE pivoted to a new adventurous direction and promoted Roman's cousin, Jey Uso, as the #1 contender to Roman's new Universal Title.
Heyman, drawing on family history, booked Jey to get over just how much of a killer this new Roman Reigns was. He retained something of his old heart, so that this wouldn't feel sudden, inexplicable, unconvincing - he entertained the idea of teaming with Jey - but the very second Jey felt like he could go to the same places, Roman's expression shifted. In the near-terrifying closing angle of September 18, Jey celebrated his and Roman's victory on the way to the back. Roman looked at him with a superb expression. So much was written on his face: a sinister latent fury, of course, but also a certain jealously that subtly put Jey over. This, a SmackDown angle in 2020, was masterful stuff.
The genius of this new arc, and in particular the triumphant main event of Clash of Champions, is that Roman has been expertly positioned as the 'Tribal Chief'.
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