JBL believes Roman Reigns has earned a rare position in wrestling, and WWE should keep his television matches feeling special.
Speaking on Something to Wrestle with Conrad Thompson, JBL praised Reigns’ main event against Penta on Raw in Mexico City. He explained that Reigns now carries the appeal of an attraction whose appearances mean more because fans do not see him wrestle every week.
“Roman Reigns has become the guy that’s very rare in this business, that can come along as an attraction,” JBL said. “You don’t want them wrestling on TV every week.”
JBL compared Reigns to names such as The Sheik, Bruiser Brody, Abdullah the Butcher and Jack Brisco, whose appearances could make a show feel like a major occasion.
For JBL, that is precisely why Reigns stepping into the ring on Raw carried so much weight.
“When he has one of his first matches on television, it’s a big freaking deal,” JBL said.
He also had plenty of praise for Penta, who received strong support from the Mexico City crowd. JBL was particularly impressed by the dedication fans showed before the event.
“Penta is a massive star. I mean, you saw the social media people staying up all night to go see him the next day,” JBL said. “That’s freaking rock star level, man. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen that.”
Penta earned his World Heavyweight Championship opportunity by winning an eight-man tournament featuring talent from Raw, SmackDown and AAA. His route included victories over Laredo Kid and La Parka before he defeated his brother, Rey Fenix, in the final.
That journey helped build anticipation for the September 14 match at Arena CDMX, with Penta challenging Reigns in his home country.
JBL believes Reigns’ ability inside the ring also deserves greater recognition.
“I think Roman Reigns is an incredible worker,” JBL said. “Roman Reigns, man, he deserves his flowers.”
Rather than crediting one moment for the match’s success, JBL pointed to how the entire build came together.
“Everything about it, from the tournament to decide who’s going to wrestle Roman Reigns to being in someone’s home country to Roman not wrestling hardly ever on regular television, I just think the whole thing worked in this perfect storm,” JBL said.
Penta pushed the champion throughout the contest, targeting his right arm with the Sacrifice and connecting with the Mexican Destroyer. Reigns also took a microphone during the match to demand that Mexico acknowledge him before eventually securing the victory with a spear.
Although Penta left without the championship, JBL’s comments highlighted how the challenger, the crowd and Reigns’ limited television schedule helped give the match a big-fight atmosphere.
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