WWE Reportedly Has Long-Term Plans To Turn Roman Reigns Babyface

Roman Reigns has carried WWE SmackDown as its Undisputed Universal Champion and top villain for nearly three years, but there is a bigger goal in mind: Turning “The Head of the Table” into WWE’s most beloved superstar.

According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t EWrestling News), WWE’s ultimate goal with Reigns’ massive push is to turn him into a fan favorite and “the special attraction superhero babyface” for major events in the future.

Along the way, Reigns is expected to feud with his Bloodline stablemate Solo Sikoa and rekindle his WrestleMania rivalry with Cody Rhodes. However, the final destination is the downfall of a heel Reigns and the rise of the most beloved babyface in all of WWE.

And you know what? That’s actually a great plan.

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Prior to Reigns’ epic heel turn in 2020, numerous pro wrestling legends called for Reigns to move to the dark side. From 2014 to 2020, Reigns received a huge push as the heir apparent to John Cena and the new face of WWE. But despite blockbuster feuds with the likes of Brock Lesnar and The Undertaker, fans simply weren’t buying it.

It took that unforgettable heel turn for Reigns to reach new heights as a performer both in the ring and on the microphone, and over the past few years, he’s entered his own stratosphere as the clear alpha dog in WWE. During his 1,000-plus day reign as WWE’s top champion, he’s once again been labeled pro wrestling’s biggest draw, and his stable The Bloodline emerged as WWE’s top merchandise seller despite their portrayal as villains.

Across movies, TV shows and various forms of entertainment, villains have made for the most entertaining—and most beloved—characters in recent years. Reigns is no exception. Ironically enough, it was a heel turn that transformed Reigns into one of the most beloved and widely praised superstars in pro wrestling history.

Even The Undertaker recently heralded Reigns’ title reign as one of the greatest of all time. Of course, it often takes a major heel run for superstars to gain the approval of the babyface. In essence, pro wrestling’s top stars have to be hated before they can be loved, and no one knows that better than Reigns.

But it’s clear from The Bloodline’s ongoing storyline—with Reigns beefing with the Usos and, to a lesser extent, Sikoa—that Reigns’ once-dominant faction is beginning to crumble. That will result in Reigns eventually being dethroned as champion, even though that may not happen until nearly a year from now at WrestleMania 40.

Once Reign drops his title, however? There is only one direction for him to go: Back to being a babyface.

Sure, Reigns will initially crumble upon the end of his legendary title reign, but as we’ve seen with numerous top stars in the past, WWE will fans will then start to appreciate him more than ever. Reigns—like Cena, Batista and The Rock—hasn’t been shy about his potential transition to Hollywood, and he’s likely coming close to being a full-blown part-time “special attraction.”

It may not be now or even a year from now, but rest assured that babyface Reigns will be here before we know it—and WWE will have another hit on its hands.