Will WWE listen to the fans at Monday's Raw and turn Roman Reigns heel?
Reigns was treated to a chorus of booing at the open of Monday's show, which was more or less expected. Figuring out exactly who the fans are going to support is actually a lot trickier than it seems in a lot of cases. The fact that the Undertaker appears to have retired at this point completely changed the context of everything in the ring.
People that were betting at the top 10 casinos going into WrestleMania might have been disappointed in the results, since a lot of people probably decided to back the tremendous wrestling legend known as the Undertaker. However, sports betting is complicated in that it does not take into account who the actual winner is in some cases. Some people will lose a match but they will ultimately win over the fans, and it looks like this is the case for the Undertaker himself at this point.
Fans seem to get heavily invested in the narratives behind professional wrestling, to the point where the somewhat fictionalized nature of the proceedings can get lost on a lot of fans. However, Roman Reigns is not the most popular of the wrestlers working at present. He probably would have been treated to a hostile fan reaction even if it didn't look like he was the one to retire the Undertaker. The Undertaker has had decades to build up a really positive fan reaction, so it isn't surprising that in spite of the fact that he did not emerge victorious, he was the one that got all of the glory. It is always interesting to see this sort of reaction from the fans, and there is something almost heartwarming about it in a way.
At the age of fifty-two, the Undertaker certainly had a much longer career than a good portion of the professional athletes that people will see working today. Many professional athletes rarely make it to their forties. Athletes are in their prime in their twenties and early thirties for the most part. The fact that the Undertaker did have such a long career and that he ultimately did manage to leave on a high note is something positive.
He seems to believe that he is at the point in his life where this is what needs to happen. In recent statements, the Undertaker has treated fans to a symbolic representation of how he feels in the form of a George Strait country song that he likes. Many professional wrestlers are not men of words, and fans might be able to learn everything that they need through this gesture, and not just that the Undertaker is a fan of country icons. Many fans would probably still rather hear from the Undertaker himself at this point and not from the WWE.
The Undertaker is going to be in need of surgery following his retirement. Wrestling takes its toll on the body. Emotions are running deep at present, and we will have more information on that as time passes.
If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!