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When the Superstar Shake-Up concluded, it seemed like WWE had made up their mind. Roman Reigns would become the face of the blue brand right before the brand moved to FOX.
But then, strangely enough, Roman Reigns sent out a very strange Tweet saying that he would be appearing on this week's episode of RAW. An even stranger development came from WWE shortly after saying that he wouldn't be appearing on the red brand.
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Everyone has been puzzling over why this strange angle is being carried out, and while I don't have the answer, I can make a few guesses. In the pages that follow, I will try and shed light on why Reigns is being teased as a superstar who can appear on both WWE brands.
I want to hear your thoughts and views on the situation too.
#5 NBA playoffs
Let me plead ignorance at the start and say that I know nothing at all about the NBA and the world of non-scripted sports in general. But what I do know is that that the NBA Playoffs are in full swing and there is a big crossover in terms of the audience between the two 'sports'. There is a chance at all times that viewers, especially if the product seems to lose steam, may switch over to the other channel.
Next week's edition of RAW goes up against two NBA Playoff games. The Milwaukee Bucks-Boston Celtics game starts an hour before Raw, while the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets game will start in the second hour of the show (thanks to my colleague Simon Cotton for the said update).
There is no guarantee that people will watch RAW if Roman Reigns is brought back. But he's clearly their biggest star and could keep the viewers engaged.
#4 To work two different programs on two brands
We already know that Roman Reigns is feuding with Shane McMahon on SmackDown Live. But there's always the chance that a RAW appearance is being teased for him, for a completely new feud. The rumor that is doing the rounds is that he will be the man to face Goldberg at the upcoming pay-per-view in Saudi Arabia.
There's yet one more possibility that I don't think has been addressed thus far. It is quite clear that AJ Styles will be aligning himself with Gallows and Anderson to create a new incarnation of The Club and take on Seth Rollins. The Beastslayer will need the heavy cavalry to take on three men at once.
I can even see a new Shield being formed with a third member. If I had to pick one person to be part of this outfit, I'd say Ricochet!
#3 To slip into the John Cena 'free agent' role
I mean people have made comparisons between Roman Reigns and John Cena for many years now. It is now clear that with John Cena pursuing avenues outside WWE, Roman Reigns may be looked upon as the Superstar to assume his role.
It is a well-known fact that John Cena is the only free agent in WWE, which means that he can appear on both brands. This role may be conferred upon Roman Reigns as well when this particular storyline concludes.
I mean both men get half the crowd cheering for them and half the crowd booing them on every occasion. But when these two men come to the ring, the crowd is never silent, and always reacts in some fashion.
Plus, we all remember the passing of the torch moment between Cena and Reigns after the former lost to the latter Superstar.
#2 Record low ratings this past week
Once again I'm not saying that Roman Reigns is not a surefire draw who will bring viewership back on track. But the fact of the matter is that the numbers and statistics from the past week were so dismal that WWE had to go back to the well and tease bringing back a known commodity. RAW averaged only 2.16 million WWE fans watching which is a shockingly low number.
The third hour of RAW experienced the biggest drop in terms of viewers tuning in. Yes, it was even below the two-million mark. SmackDown isn't much better off either, with the ratings sinking.
Vince McMahon may believe that the current champions are not draws and decide to base everything around Roman Reigns yet again. It will certainly not be the first time that he has decided to go down this route, as fans well know.
#1 The inability of WWE to build new top stars
Some of you may argue the fact that Roman Reigns isn't the biggest star that WWE has right now. But if you actually look at the current WWE roster, the truth is that WWE has been unable to get anyone over but The Big Dog.
Becky Lynch and Kofi Kingston were red hot before WrestleMania happened but since the pay-per-view, it's almost like they haven't done anything at all. As the statistics prove, the Seth Rollins and AJ Styles contract signing segment wasn't enough of a draw for fans to stay tuned for three whole hours, this past week.
Sure, Roman Reigns isn't a traditional big star like John Cena was or anyone from the Attitude Era used to be. But there is a belief that whenever he does something, the WWE Universe invariably reacts.
Why else has he been pushed so hard in the years past?
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