Let me start by saying I want this match to work. I really do. But, there’s no way it’s going to go well.
Roman Reigns vs. Jinder Mahal, in theory, should be a great way to build up Reigns as a good guy. There’s no denying that it’s been hard for Reigns to get cheered in his WWE singles career, and having him face a strong heel like Mahal should elicit cheers for “The Big Dog.” But if nothing else has worked to this point, why should we expect it to work now?
Mahal doesn’t have the typical “heel heat.” The heat Mahal generates is mostly from fans being angered that he is still on our TV. His WWE Championship run last year was much maligned, as his run wasn’t deemed worthy in the eyes of many wrestling fans. Ever since then, it’s felt like Mahal has been forced on to our TV screens, whether we want him there or not.
The same thing, but in reverse, can be said for Roman Reigns. While Reigns receives too much criticism for my liking, he still feels forced down our throats sometimes. His match against Samoa Joe at Backlash was the most recent indication of this, as Reigns took a beating before miraculously beating Joe. Reigns deserves better than that because he is a very talented wrestler. However, there’s no denying the booking of him has been brutal at times.
These factors are coming together for a match in three weeks at Money In The Bank. You have two guys who have a hard time getting over in their roles, facing off on one of WWE’s bigger shows of the year. It spells a recipe for disaster for both guys.
And, on top of all of that, the event is taking place in Chicago. A notoriously tough wrestling town, there’s a strong chance that the crowd takes over this match early. That’s why I give this match a zero percent chance of being successful on June 17.
I like Roman Reigns. He’s not my favorite, but he also isn’t as bad as others think he is. But when he’s put in positions like this, he has no room for error. I want to be wrong about this match, but deep down, I know this is going to be a mess.