How Paul Heyman Fixed Roman Reigns

by Michael Sidgwick
Roman Reigns
WWE.com

We have been told for years, by those who'd know and those who know how to get over in this game, that Roman Reigns really is a cool guy.

He really does exude a star presence. It's just that an ailing and disconnected Vince McMahon has no clue how to maximise it. Speaking to WhatCulture Wrestling's very own Adam Wilbourn, Chris Jericho said that Roman Reigns topped his AEW wish list. "Not only is he a great worker, but he's such a cool guy. If they just let him be him, he'd be the biggest star in the industry, for real."

Jericho's successor as AEW World Champion and former Shield stablemate Jon Moxley echoed that sentiment in a 2019 interview with Chris Van Vliet. "His personality is so great. He's such a loveable dude. He's the guy everybody gravitates to in the locker room. But they don't let him be himself".

This is the first real glimpse of the evolved version of the Roman Reigns that retreated under a quasi-John Cena veneer after 2014. Paul Heyman has coaxed him out, and in a brilliant onscreen acting performance, the Paul Heyman character is almost afraid of what he has conjured.

Not to end an optimistic piece on a downbeat note, but isn't it astonishing how Roman became this great so soon after removing himself from Vince McMahon's purview?

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Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!