If this rumor from Dave Meltzer has any merit, and his stuff is usually close to accurate as any dirt shirt can get without working internally, Roman Reigns got absolutely screwed at WrestleMania.
According to the Wrestling Observer, WWE made the call to have Seth Rollins cash in his Money In The Bank briefcase at the last possible minute. It was so last minute, it happened in the middle of the face off between The Rock, Ronda Rousey and The Authority. Allegedly, during that segment, Rollins was then taken into a room with producer Michael Hayes, as well as Brock Lesnar, Paul Heyman and Roman Reigns. WWE officials explained the new plans for the finish of the main event.
Here’s the worst part: “Originally, the plan was for Roman Reigns to win the title from Lesnar, however WWE reportedly changed those plans sometime in advance. The belief is that Lesnar was fully aware of the new plans before he signed his new deal with WWE last Tuesday.”
That’s Montreal Screwjob-level stuff. Imagine thinking for WEEKS you’re going to be the champion, inviting your entire family to celebrate, only to be told in the eleventh hour “nope, not happening.” Reigns’ family is furious, according to several sources, and lost their minds on Sunday at ‘Mania.
To Reigns’ credit, he took it all in stride and still went out and put on an unbelievable performance. It also explains Rollins’ thanking Reigns, former Shield buddies and real life friends, during the pin on Sunday. Roman Reigns could have easily lost his mind in that meeting, no showed, or done any numbers of things to turn the biggest event of the year into the biggest black eye since Bret Hart popped Vince in the face.
I also feel bad for Lesnar and Heyman, in a way, because as men I can’t imagine it sat well to know all of this information and be unable to go “hey, bro, you’re going to get screwed.” I could be very wrong on that though.
If this is all a clever ploy to get fans to open up to Reigns, it certainly worked. He already won me over in a pre-WrestleMania interview when he explained his passion for the business.
“A lot of people get into wrestling just because they want to wrestle or because they grew up watching as fans and they’re living out a fantasy,” Reigns told me over the phone. “I have some of that but I got into wrestling with one goal –to be the top guy.”
I know Roman Reigns will still have plenty of chances at the heavyweight championship, and that this is just a business, but there are better ways of doing business. Especially with the company-appointed “future” of the WWE.
Love wrestling? So do I. Follow me on Twitter and we’ll talk about our problem.