AEW Star MVP Isn't Sure WWE's Roman Reigns Has 'Mainstream Crossover Potential'

Roman Reigns is considered by many as the biggest star in WWE today, but Reigns' abilities and level of stardom have been a topic of conversation on many wrestling podcasts as of late. That includes MVP's "Marking Out." While Reigns has appeared in video games and has slowly been ramping up his film roles, MVP stated that he doesn't believe that the "Tribal Chief" is on the level of stars from previous eras. 

"Traditionally, the biggest stars that we've had in wrestling have had a mainstream crossover appeal," he said. MVP argued that in the case of someone like John Cena, The Rock, or Stone Cold Steve Austin, you didn't have to watch wrestling to know who they were. "Their fame transcended beyond pro wrestling. I don't necessarily see Roman Reigns ... having the same level of popularity outside of wrestling."

At the same time, MVP admits that the numbers within wrestling tell a different story when it comes to Reigns' drawing power. The veteran then stated that he's open to being wrong, but made the example of asking 10 random people if they knew Cena, The Rock, Austin, or Hulk Hogan, most would recognize them, but he doubts this would be the case with Reigns. "It doesn't seem [like it] to me, but in terms of being 'the man' for WWE? The numbers say different!" he admitted.

Despite not necessarily breaking into the mainstream, MVP believes that Roman Reigns has proven himself as a box office draw for WWE, opining that the mere addition of him would sell more tickets to any show. 

"Industry plant? I think that's absolutely ridiculous," MVP added, commenting on claims that Conrad Thompson made about Reigns not too long ago, where he stated that "The Tribal Chief" was just being pushed by the WWE office. "Every star is, as they like to say, 'crammed down your throat.' That's how you become a star! Vince [McMahon], back in the day decided, 'this is the guy I'm going with,' and you beat everybody!"

The veteran then agreed that it took a long time for Reigns to truly win the majority of fans over, but it's undeniable today that he does have star power. "At some point, Roman is going to go the way of The Rock and become a movie star," he maintained. "He's got the presence, the good looks, the charisma; Roman Reigns will be an actor, he will be a television star, he is that dude!"

Looking back at the period after the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, MVP identified it as the time when Reigns "hit his stride," and credited Paul Heyman for contributing a lot to his re-establishment. "I don't think there's anybody that's worked closely with Heyman in that dynamic, that relationship, that didn't grow," MVP agreed.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Marking Out" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.