Roman Reigns' rise to the top of WWE in the mid-2010s was a challenging journey, not just for the fans but also for the writers behind the scenes. Jimmy Jacobs, a former WWE writer, recently shared his insights, revealing the unique difficulties of crafting a compelling babyface character for Reigns during this period.
Jacobs' tenure as a writer spanned from March 2015 to November 2017, a time when WWE was actively pushing Reigns as the next big star. Working alongside legends like John Cena and Chris Jericho, Jacobs faced a unique challenge with Reigns, who, despite being a babyface, lacked a distinct and defined character voice.
In an interview with SportsShadow, Jacobs revealed, "The toughest wrestler to write for was Roman Reigns during the 2015–2016 period. We were still trying to find his specific identity, and it was made more difficult by Vince McMahon's hands-on approach with Roman."
Vince McMahon, the legendary WWE chairman, had declared Reigns as "the next guy," which meant every move Reigns made was under intense scrutiny. Jacobs explained, "Roman hadn't yet found the strong voice that emerged later with the 'Bloodline' storyline."
Jacobs' critique is not a personal attack on Reigns but an observation on the inherent difficulty of writing for a top babyface without a strong, defined character. He noted, "Heels have more creative freedom; you can go wild with their characters. But for a babyface, especially at the top of the card, the creative path is much narrower, and the expectations are sky-high."
Finding a voice that resonates genuinely with the audience within these constraints was an uphill battle.
Roman Reigns' booking and character during this period often drew criticism from fans, who struggled to fully embrace his babyface persona.
So, here's the question for our readers: Do you think WWE made the right creative choices with Roman Reigns during this time? Or should they have taken a different approach? Let's discuss in the comments and share our thoughts on this controversial topic!
