Roman Reigns has not been one of the most over superstars over the past few years much to the WWE’s dismay. The talk of turning the “Big Dog” heel has made the rounds several times and WWE veteran Chris Jericho voiced his take on this versatile situation to Jim Ross on the podcast The Ross Report.
The 47-year-old stated that Reigns is a tremendous worker and was over as a babyface during their time in the ring together last year. Jericho said:
It is [difficult to be a heel nowadays], but, once again, I’ve worked with Roman Reigns in 2017, I don’t know, two dozen times.” Jericho recalled, “I had so much fun working with him in every single aspect and I’d say in those two dozen times there were only two or three times where he wasn’t the super over babyface. You just have to know what to do [as a heel]. You have to know how to live in that moment. Just be a piece of s–t, man! It’s really easy to do if you know how to tap into it and Roman is a tremendous worker. He’s fun to work with.
Jericho also stressed on the point that wrestlers are not responsible for the way they are booked and elucidated the Reigns situation.
I think people get too preoccupied with, ‘oh, turn him heel!’ Okay, turn him heel. Then what happens? Everybody that was booing him starts cheering him, so then he’s a babyface anyways! What difference does it make?”
“There’s one thing that people have to realize and it’s that you can’t change the booking [as a performer], not even I can change the booking. Not even Brock Lesnar can change the booking. If the booking dictates, ‘well, here’s the finish of the match with A, B, C, and D,’ and you think it sucks, it doesn’t matter. Vince [McMahon]’s big quote is, ‘I just book this s–t – you make it work.’
Reigns is slated for yet another title shot after having secured the number one contender ship for the Universal Title at Summerslam against Brock Lesnar.
