What If... Roman Reigns NEVER Turned Heel In WWE
Even before 'The Big Dog' had opted to put his family first and take a break away from all things WWE in those early pandemic days, Roman Reigns had been eyeing a long-awaited descent into darkness.
In fact, the multiple-time World Champion admitted to Ryan Satin a year on from that eventual villainous change-up that he'd been wanting to be bad since his days in the Shield. However, even with TV reactions often being split at best, the numbers from live events and tours, for example, were too strong to take a chance on pivoting away from Roman as the number #1 WWE babyface.
But even with those live event numbers still being decent enough to keep him at the top of the babyface pile, Reigns had definitely had enough of all things bark bark by the end of 2019. Paul Heyman ultimately recalled how his beloved 'Tribal Chief' felt he couldn't "go any further" in the wake of that infamous dog food mess with Baron Corbin.
And after he opted to step away for a spell a few months later, Reigns soon decided he wasn't going to be coming back as the same bland hero that hadn't gotten over in half a decade.
But what if the ever-volatile Vince McMahon refused to give Roman his wish?
Firstly, that iconic SummerSlam comeback would have likely been scrapped, meaning the late, great Bray Wyatt's Fiendish reign as Universal Champion may have lasted longer than a week.
Or maybe there was a world there where Reigns was given no choice but to return with the tactical vest and overly scripted promos - he was being paid to do a job, after all - before being shoved into a potentially disastrous feud against that demon clown.
Those were some dark, dark times, never forget. And it wouldn't have been all that surprising to see WWE attempt to offer some light in the darkness in the form of what they saw as sports entertainment's white knight.
Hell, they could finally control your audible response to their forced hero, too!
So, let's say Roman did do exactly what he was told like the professional fans know him to be then, and came back as that painfully stale babybully in the summer of 2020. Well, one of arguably the greatest tales ever told would never have made its way to the table...