3 ways WWE can have Roman Reigns retain at WrestleMania without hurting Cody Rhodes' momentum; MITB cash-in, and more

This Sunday, one of the greatest WWE heels of the modern era goes against the current biggest babyface. While a happy ending is anticipated, it isn't guaranteed.

Last year at WrestleMania, thousands of fans left SoFi Stadium with broken hearts. They were confident that Roman Reigns had finally met his match in the uber-popular Cody Rhodes. However, The Tribal Chief managed to steal a victory. Over the last year, the same fans have passionately followed Rhodes' journey to getting his earned rematch.

While almost all signs point to WrestleMania XL ending with a new Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, nothing is for sure until the match ends. For all one knows, the officials could decide to continue Reigns' historic title run until he breaks Hulk Hogan's record later this year.

But if a victory is not in the cards for The American Nightmare, WWE better book the finish in a way that doesn't make him look weak. Here are three ways to ensure that:

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#3. Damian Priest cashes in mid-match and eats the pin

Over the last three-and-a-half years, The Bloodline has been the top faction in the Stamford-based promotion. On the other hand, The Judgment Day members claim that they run the company.

Thus, to show his dominance, Damian Priest might consider cashing in his Money in the Bank contract during the WrestleMania XL Sunday main event. After all, the fact that The Judgment Day members are part of the RAW roster hasn't stopped them from meddling in top SmackDown programs.

That said, The Archer of Infamy might attempt to dethrone Seth Rollins as the mastermind behind The Heist of the Century, making Rhodes/Reigns II a Triple Threat.

This way, The Tribal Chief can keep his title reign going by pinning Priest. Cody, on the other hand, would get a reasonable out for not "finishing his story" for the second year in a row.

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#2. The Bloodline pulls off the Philadelphia Screwjob

The more things change, the more they stay the same. That's a lesson The American Nightmare could learn at The Showcase of The Immortals this weekend.

A key driving force behind one of the most mainstream eras of WWE, The Attitude Era, was the infamous Montreal Screwjob incident. That incident resulted in the creation of the most unapologetic, villainous on-screen authority figure, prompting red hot babyfaces and anti-heroes to up their games to take him down.

Who's to say that WWE wouldn't consider repeating that experiment without keeping either Rhodes or Reigns in the dark? Ever since turning heel, The Rock has said time and again that he's above the rest and that he can make championships "disappear."

So, if the main event is "Bloodline Rules," The Final Boss could use his power to dictate to the referee to get the bell ringing whenever he deems fit. As a result, Reigns would walk out as champion and Rhodes' credibility wouldn't plummet.

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#1 Groundshaking heel turn leaves WWE Universe baffled

It has only been two years since Cody Rhodes made his tremendous return to WWE, and he has already become one of the biggest pure babyfaces since John Cena.

One would think that it wouldn't be a wise move to turn The American Nightmare heel anytime soon. Still, the ''expect the unexpected'' factor is what has resulted in countless memorable moments over the decades. So, if the plan is for Reigns to keep the title without derailing Rhodes' momentum, WWE could have Cody undergo a heel turn.

It could either be part of the plan that he hatched with The Rock, or it could simply be a by-product of him realizing mid-match that there's no way he could beat The Tribal Chief, prompting him to unleash his dark side. However, as he gets burdened by his untamed desperation, Reigns could escape with the win and be on his way to breaking Hulk Hogan's record.

However, The Dashing One reverting to his evil ways when kids worldwide literally cry while watching him get hurt would be a diabolical swerve.