Opinion: What WWE needs to do with Bobby Roode

Former TNA World Heavyweight Champion Bobby Roode delighted many when he made his WWE debut for the NXT brand in 2016.

One of the greatest performers in the history of TNA Impact Wrestling, Roode, being a huge fan favorite of NXT's core audience, was given a strong push upon his arrival. Maintaining an impressive win/loss record, it didn't take Roode very long to become NXT Champion, defeating Shinsuke Nakamura for the title at NXT TakeOver: San Antonio.

A big part of the reason why Bobby had such a great run with NXT was because he played to his strengths of being a great heel. Much like in TNA, Bobby shined as an obnoxious heel in NXT, and fans both loved it and loved to hate him. However, reportedly due in part to Roode's theme music, 'Glorious', being so over with the WWE audience, Vince McMahon felt Bobby needed to debut as a face, out of fear of fans cheering his heel persona, due to his catchy theme.

During better times

As a babyface, he hasn't been anywhere near as entertaining as he was as a heel in NXT. Many of his matches have only been decent at best due to who he has been working with. His United States Championship loss to Randy Orton at Fastlane last February has been his only really good main roster match, as everyone else he has faced has been short-term, go nowhere angles, and Roode's transfer over to RAW has been a let down so far as they have done next to nothing with him.

What Bobby needs is simple; he needs to play to his strengths and turn heel.

I really think enough time has gone by for his 'Glorious' theme to not win him over as a popular heel, and if he is booked in a very similar way to as he was in NXT, then WWE will have their next best heel in main roster history. And with the absence of Brock Lesnar and lower card roles for Kevin Owens and Jinder Mahal, a top of the card heel run for Bobby Roode is not just something that he needs, but is what RAW desperately needs.

I'm not saying Bobby should go immediately to the top, but having him cut the same style of promos he did in NXT would put him almost on Miz levels of heat with the live audience. I think Bobby would get over as an incredible heel if he were to feud with the like of Seth Rollins and Finn Balor for the WWE Intercontinental Championship, before moving upwards to his former TNA rival Bobby Lashley and maybe even Braun Strowman.

I think a big point of interest for a heel Bobby Roode could be a heel faction. Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre currently have a team on RAW, where they are not challenging for the Tag Team titles, but instead taking part in feuds with top stars. I could easily see Bobby joining up with them to form a trio, and maybe even more members to form the next big faction in WWE and see them feud with, perhaps a reunited Shield, or maybe even a power struggle with General Manager Kurt Angle.

Should nothing like this ever happen, Bobby would still go onto be a fantastic heel WWE Universal Champion after some months spent building his way up to the top and maybe even lend a helping hand into getting Roman Reigns more over as a face, if his time as a heel on top is booked similar to how he had been in NXT.