Roman Reigns may not be one of WWE’s most frequently seen stars, but ESPN personality Joe Fortenbaugh believes that scarcity has become one of his greatest strengths.

Since reinventing himself as the Tribal Chief during WWE’s pandemic era, Reigns has gradually moved away from the traditional full-time wrestling schedule. His appearances have become more selective, particularly in recent years, with WWE often reserving him for major storylines and premium live events.

While that approach has occasionally frustrated fans who want to see Reigns more regularly, Fortenbaugh believes WWE and Reigns have turned his limited availability into an advantage.

Speaking during an interview with Denise Salcedo, Fortenbaugh discussed Reigns while being asked to choose between him and Bret Hart. Although Fortenbaugh ultimately selected Hart, he offered considerable praise for what Reigns has accomplished and compared the aura surrounding him to The Undertaker.

“Bret. I, again, Roman needs to exist like Taker. He needs to exist as a heel. Roman’s, I mean, from a business perspective, the fact that he has done what he has done financially for this company for so long, thoroughly impressive. I think there’s a lot that people like us who work on a camera can learn from him with how slow he takes everything.

“I think sometimes myself, this is something I’m guilty of, being in a rush, trying to get everything out quickly, trying to realize the commercial’s coming. Roman slows everything down. He does everything three steps slower than he needs to, and that dramatic effect really works well for him,” Fortenbaugh said.

Roman Reigns’ Patient Approach Helps Create His WWE Presence

Fortenbaugh also highlighted something that has become a major part of Reigns’ presentation: his willingness to take his time.

Whether making his entrance, delivering a promo or simply reacting to another wrestler, Reigns rarely appears rushed. Fortenbaugh believes that slower approach gives his performances greater dramatic weight and allows moments to feel more important.

His comments also point towards Reigns understanding how to make the most of his screen time. Rather than attempting to fit as much as possible into every appearance, the former world champion frequently allows the crowd and atmosphere to become part of the segment.

That philosophy extends beyond what Reigns does when the cameras are rolling.

Fortenbaugh believes the fact that Reigns is not constantly available for interviews, media appearances and weekly WWE television actually makes fans more interested when he does surface.

“On top of that, supply and demand. You don’t see him doing interviews. He’s not everywhere this week. That is big. Not being able to access him only leads to more desire for seeing him and hearing him.”

Reigns’ reduced schedule has been debated among wrestling fans for years, particularly during his lengthy championship reign when WWE sometimes went without its top titleholder appearing every week.

However, Fortenbaugh sees the opposite side of that argument. By keeping Reigns away from television for stretches of time, his eventual returns can carry considerably more significance.

Reigns was much more visible during WWE’s build towards SummerSlam, culminating in a victory over longtime rival Seth Rollins.

With WWE continuing to carefully manage his appearances, Fortenbaugh’s comments suggest there may be considerable value in ensuring the Tribal Chief never becomes too accessible.

What do you think? Does Roman Reigns feel like a bigger star because WWE limits his appearances, or would you rather see him competing every week? Let us know in the new WNS comments section!