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WWE Friday Night SmackDown had a very special episode this week. This edition took place in Barcelona, Spain, and it had fans buzzing thanks to mysterious vignettes, a major title change, and several other major happenings.
SmackDown featured numerous big stars, including names from RAW and even NXT. Performers such as LA Knight, Jacob Fatu, Cody Rhodes, Charlotte Flair, Tiffany Stratton, Jade Cargill, Gunther, Axiom, and The Street Profits appeared on the program.
One name who was notably absent from Friday Night SmackDown was Roman Reigns. The OTC is one of the biggest stars in World Wrestling Entertainment and the industry as a whole, but he was nowhere to be found on the blue brand's latest episode.
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Some fans are curious as to why The Tribal Chief may have missed SmackDown this week. This article will take a look at three possible explanations, which include marketing, Triple H's booking style, and Reigns' schedule:
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#3. He has a part-time schedule in WWE and doesn't attend every show anyway
The most obvious explanation for Roman Reigns' absence from WWE Friday Night SmackDown this week comes down to one key factor: Roman Reigns is a superstar who operates on a part-time schedule.
The Tribal Chief joined WWE's main roster nearly a decade and a half ago as a member of The Shield. After 13 years or so, Roman has worked extremely hard for a long time. He traveled all over the world and worked a grueling schedule for many years.
Now that he is a veteran and a proven major draw, he has been afforded a significantly lighter schedule. He only competes a handful of times a year and only makes slightly more appearances than that. In many ways, his schedule replicates that of John Cena's or The Rock's at certain points in time.
Due to his limited schedule, Roman misses a lot of SmackDown and RAW episodes. This is likely just one of several that he'll miss on The Road to WrestleMania. If he has limited dates, Roman can only show up when it really matters.
#2. Triple H likes slow storytelling that builds over many weeks and months
For a long time, Vince McMahon led the creative direction of WWE. Since World Wrestling Entertainment is the industry leader, that means his style of storytelling in pro wrestling became the norm.
In some ways, that was good. However, in other ways it wasn't. McMahon's booking style was erratic and he often rushed things or would change plans on a whim. WWE under Triple H is vastly different.
The Game is a slow booker. He often has a story in mind and sticks to it, building upon it slowly with each passing week. Triple H doesn't rush his angles. They build up naturally. This is generally for the best, even if it feels sluggish at times.
Triple H's style of booking could be exactly why Roman Reigns didn't appear on SmackDown. If he wanted Reigns' return from RAW to breathe and for Paul Heyman's promo to stand on its own, it would make sense to keep the OTC off SmackDown for this week.
#1. Not appearing this week allows the company to promote his arrival next week
On Friday Night SmackDown, Paul Heyman was tasked with continuing the WWE storyline from RAW. The legendary performer did exactly that, taking a microphone in the center of the ring and cutting a promo like only The Wiseman can.
Heyman discussed Roman Reigns' return on WWE RAW to Madison Square Garden where the OTC attacked Seth Rollins and CM Punk. He even shared his feelings on Seth's theme song with the fans singing along, which was quite negative.
Most notably, Paul revealed that Roman Reigns will be on Friday Night SmackDown next week. He also teased that if CM Punk or Seth Rollins wish to confront Roman over what happened at Madison Square Garden, they can do so on the blue brand next Friday.
Now, fans have a big segment to look forward to next week and will likely tune in to see what happens. The fact that WWE can promote Roman's return and a potentially combustible segment may be exactly why he wasn't on tonight's show. Sometimes marketing matters most in entertainment.
