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Roman Reigns Building Empire With Or Without Heel Turn At ‘WrestleMania 33’

By Evan Morgan
Published on: 02:52 PST, Mar 30, 2017

The big Roman Reigns news dominating the headlines for the past few days largely has to do with the Roman Reigns match against The Undertaker at WrestleMania 33. There has been endless speculation surrounding Roman Reigns and The Deadman, and one way or another, we will get a definitive answer when the Super Bowl of wrestling (WrestleMania 33) takes place this Sunday.

There are numerous storylines and outcomes that could go down at this year’s event, and much of the speculation has to do with whether or not Roman Reigns will finally turn heel. Triple H even went on to say, in so many words, that Roman Reigns is already a heel because so many fans boo him regularly (and with vigor).

There is further speculation surrounding the idea that this could potentially be the last match ever for the 52-year-old Deadman, who has had one of the most fascinating and memorable careers in the history of wrestling. The Undertaker has been part of more memorable matches than anyone can count, and it certainly is a possibility that this last match could be the final nail in the Deadman’s coffin. If this is to be The Undertaker’s final match, there are those who might say that it’s an insult to have it be against Roman Reigns — even more so if The Undertaker were to lose the match.

Roman Reigns has caught a lot of flak for numerous reasons, and he will likely continue to do so. Whether it’s the fact that the WWE tries to shove Roman Reigns down fans’ throats at seemingly every opportunity, the fact that they are trying to push Roman Reigns as the heir apparent to John Cena as the face of the company, his poor mic skills, or his limited repertoire in the ring — take your pick.

Still, whether you love him or hate him, and you are looking for him to turn heel (or not), the fact remains that at the end of the day, Roman Reigns is building his empire and laughing all the way to the bank. According to Wrestling Inc (via The Wrestling Observer Newsletter), Roman Reigns sells the most merchandise out of any full-time Superstar on the WWE roster.

With John Cena essentially taking on a part-time role as he is busy with outside projects, that more or less leaves the door wide open for Roman Reigns to grab the crown and expand his Roman Empire. While Roman Reigns certainly has not overtaken John Cena as the face of the WWE; at least as far as merchandise sales are concerned, he does indeed wear that crown.

While The Richest only lists Roman Reigns’ net worth at $180,000 (with $245,000 made in 2015), his impact on the company, the brand, and his ability to fill seats with both lovers and haters (and keep them talking long after they’ve left the arena or watched a live broadcast) is an intangible thing that can’t always be measured.

Added to this, wherever Roman Reigns goes, and whenever his entrance theme sounds, the crowd reaction is one that never ceases. Sure, it can be argued that Roman Reigns’ reception is a mixture of both cheers and boos (mostly boos), but, even so, the point is that he is generating a reaction and eliciting something from people, and it’s that kind of charisma and/or notorious nature that sells tickets (and merchandise).

Much like Floyd Mayweather, Conor McGregor, and countless other athletes and public figures that have come before him, Roman Reigns attracts an audience, and that audience is currently gearing up for WrestleMania 33, which takes place live in Orlando, Florida this Sunday.

[Featured Image by Lukas Schulze/Stringer/Getty Images]

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