3 Reasons why Big E should pin Roman Reigns at Survivor Series & 2 reasons why he shouldn't

Big E and Roman Reigns are expected to clash at Survivor Series 2021
Big E and Roman Reigns are expected to clash at Survivor Series 2021

As of this writing, Big E vs. Roman Reigns at Survivor Series 2021 isn't official, but it's highly likely unless the former loses the title before the pay-per-view.

Last year, Reigns had an instant classic Champion vs. Champion bout against Drew McIntyre - who was also on top of his game. The Tribal Chief won, but that should be obvious given that it's been 682 days when we last saw him get pinned.

Surprisingly, it was King Corbin who pinned Roman Reigns at TLC 2019. It's been nearly two years since, and the latter has yet to suffer a pinfall or submission. He tapped out to Daniel Bryan in 2021 for the first time in his career, but that didn't count.

Be that as it may, Reigns has been WWE's MVP since his return at SummerSlam 2020. It only took him a week to capture the Universal Championship, and he has gone on to become the greatest champion in its five-year lineage.

Big E is next in line for Roman Reigns should he retain the WWE title against Seth Rollins on RAW. This article makes a case for why the New Day member should be the first man in 707 days to pin Roman Reigns:


#3. Should pin Roman Reigns: It fully legitimizes Big E's WWE title run

This isn't to say that Big E isn't a legitimate WWE Champion. The company bided their time and pulled the trigger at the right moment to make him the World Champion. The fact that he was split from The New Day in the 2020 Draft meant that there were big plans for him as a singles star.

Less than a year later, Big E is the reigning, defending WWE Champion. Vince McMahon's promotion started the World Champion vs. World Champion concept at Survivor Series 2017, and since then, the Universal Champion has always won.

It was Brock Lesnar who beat AJ Styles in 2017, and The Beast Incarnate beat Daniel Bryan in 2018. While 2019 didn't feature the traditional match between the two world champions, Roman Reigns won in 2020.

Big E is still in the infancy stage of his world title run, and a pinfall over Reigns would benefit him more than it would the latter. One could even argue that The Tribal Chief won't be affected by losing to him - who is the other brand's world champion.

#2. Shouldn't pin Roman Reigns: Big E winning would be done with little build or interaction

There is an argument to be made as to why Big E shouldn't pin Roman Reigns at Survivor Series. As we mentioned, it's close to 700 days for Reigns without getting pinned.

Him as The Tribal Chief and Universal Champion has been one of the best and most consistent long-term storylines that WWE has done in years. It's the most justice that they've done to his ability, and he has thrived while being a heel.

The last 14 months have been enough for the WWE Universe to change their entire perception of Roman Reigns. Shouldn't the first pinfall he suffers be on a big stage such as WrestleMania?

Big E vs. Reigns is an enthralling match to look forward to, but there isn't going to be much of a build to it. The former will be occupied with Seth Rollins before (and presumably after) Survivor Series, and there is likely to be little interaction between him and Roman Reigns.

When there's such little build-up to the match, would it be the right decision for Big E to pin Roman Reigns?

#2. Should pin Roman Reigns: WWE can use Big E's win to further Reigns' character

As great a champion Big E is, his character doesn't have the same draw or appeal that Roman Reigns' does. While the perception may have been different had he gotten pushed instead of Reigns in 2014-15, it would potentially alter the course of WWE history, and likely wipe out The New Day's all-time great tag team run.

Let's take a scenario where Big E pins The Tribal Chief at Survivor Series. If booked well enough during the match and after it, the pinfall could further Roman Reigns' character and make him an even bigger heel than he already is.

It could lead to a storyline where Big E's victory makes Reigns so paranoid that he goes to even further lengths to retain the Universal Championship. It would be an enjoyable storyline to watch and a fresh change from his normal dominance on SmackDown.

Adding another layer to Roman Reigns' character would be a brilliant way of a defeat being a catalyst for something even bigger and better.

#1. Shouldn't pin Roman Reigns: Big E isn't in a position to end the best long-term storyline in WWE in years

Big E has been doing great as WWE Champion, but that has been more exclusive to RAW recently. Roman Reigns has been dominating the promotion since his return in 2020, but his overall run on the top has gone much further back than that.

We're now six years into Reigns' run as a top dog in WWE, and he has only had an eight-month hiatus in between - once in 2018-19 and the other for five months in 2020.

Big E should continue to dominate RAW. In all likeliness, the Seth Rollins match is likely meant to elevate him, and it wouldn't be surprising to see it extend until early 2022.

With that said, he isn't in a position to be the first man in over 700 days to pin Roman Reigns. Unfortunately, the negative aspect of The Head of the Table's incredible run is that there doesn't seem to be anyone in a position to topple him off.

#1. Should pin Roman Reigns: Big E winning sets up an epic rematch down the road

This argument for Big E winning is made with a long-term vision. We argued earlier that him winning wouldn't affect Roman Reigns that much, and as long as The Tribal Chief is handled well after that, it may even make things better.

But what if Big E winning serves another purpose - to set up a big match down the road. This would mean one thing - keeping the two men apart for a long time. Reigns is currently rumored to be scheduled for another WrestleMania clash against Brock Lesnar in 2022, while WWE is reportedly eyeing a dream match against The Rock in 2023 at WrestleMania Hollywood.

Whether it's 2024 or earlier, Roman Reigns vs. Big E will be an even bigger bout down the line if the latter picks up the pinfall. It ultimately depends on how WWE handles his post-title run because it's guaranteed that Reigns will be in the top spot until it's time for a change.

Ex WWE writer blasts Liv Morgan HERE