Summer Slam invades Brooklyn this evening, and all eyes are on the Universal Championship encounter between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns. The match itself is a non-starter but the implications of its result are what’s driving interest in the main event. While this is pure speculation on my part, I have a sneaking suspicion Paul Heyman is leaving the Barclays Center with the champion.
Notice I didn’t say Brock Lesnar. I said champion. I believe Lesnar’s time is up. It makes no sense for him to hold the title while preparing for a UFC fight. The fans have spoken, and they want to see a champion defending the title on a regular basis. Summer Slam closing with a babyface Roman Reigns celebrating his title win would leave things on a flat note. There is no drama or true happy ending in that scenario.
Roman Reigns could turn heel. However, I don’t see that happening. More people, albeit slowly are starting to get behind Roman Reigns. For all the static he gets from the audience, he’s not a bad wrestler. The fact that WWE didn’t let Reigns’ ascension happen organically and decided to shove him down everyone’s throat is the reason coronation after coronation has been virtually crownless. The audience is not booing Reigns but rather WWE’s insistence that we get behind him whether we like it or not.
If they turn Reigns heel now, who takes his place as the number one babyface? Possibly Seth Rollins, but I believe the company doesn’t see him in that light despite arguably being the best in-ring performer in WWE. Reigns is our resident squared circle Superman for the time being, however, once Summer Slam is over and Lesnar is gone, who takes the Lex Luthor role?
Maybe you don’t go with a Luthor type evildoer but perhaps a Doomsday esque briefcase wielding Monster Among Men, Bruan Strowman. Strowman is a popular babyface, but he was more compelling as a heel. While he still wrecks things, it’s done in a more comedic tone as opposed to the sheer devastation of his heel persona. Being a heel is what got Strowman over with the audience, and it’s time for him to return to those roots with an upgrade.
Prediction: It’s WrestleMania 31 all over again. Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar are engaged in a heated battle. Just when the end is near, Strowman comes out and cashes in the Money in the Bank contract. Strowman pins Lesnar, with help from Paul Heyman. That’s right, Heyman trades in his beast for a monster.
Bruan Stowman with Paul Heyman as his manager become the new two-man power trip of Monday Night Raw. Heyman and Strowman not only cost Reigns the glory of being champion, they took away something he can never get back due to Lesnar’s departure from WWE. From there, Regins hunts down Strowman in pursuit of the belt because after all, the money is in the chase.
