Roman thought he was going over.

[SocraticMethod]

Yep. I'm not a huge Roman fan, but the potential was there. He was loved as a simple silent assassin type, and then word got out that he was the golden boy, and they were going to try and make him John Cena. Now, if that's where the gossip stopped it would be fine, but in that initial Roman push, they really tried to make him into John Cena. In personality and booking. He stumbled through some wise cracking promos, and was booked identically as "against all odds" Cena, with them trying to make you feel sympathy for him by beating him down with mobs, and rising above it all...over and over and over again. The fans saw right through it.

If they had just stayed the course with the dude, and kept his character as the same no nonsense, ass kicking muscle man that he was in The Shield, it might've all worked out. Instead, they ruined his character beyond repair.

They plugged him into Daniel Bryan's underdog/anti-Authority spot despite the fact that: (1) he's a 6'4", 265 pound dynasty; and (2) everyone knows he's the hand picked golden boy, not an overachieving little indie guy. Everything involved with everything they've done with him post Shield has been idiotic. It's a master class in how not to build a superstar.

 

[sleepwalk]

They plugged him into Daniel Bryan's underdog/anti-Authority spot despite the fact that: (1) he's a 6'4", 265 pound dynasty; and (2) everyone knows he's the hand picked golden boy, not an overachieving little indie guy. Everything involved with everything they've done with him post Shield has been idiotic. It's a master class in how not to build a superstar.

Exactly. Every time he fails to win the title (off of Rollins, off of KO, off of Lesnar,) every time he hard teased a heel turn, every time he got chumped on the mic and never cut back, he lost more of his his fan base. People don't like losers, especially if they're supposed to take then seriously.