4 hasty mistakes Roman Reigns should NOT make on WWE SmackDown (September 26, 2024)

WWE Friday Night SmackDown is set to air on the USA Network tonight. This will be the third edition of the blue brand to air on the network following their exit from FOX earlier in September.

So far, several big-time matches and segments have been announced. Solo Sikoa will return after a week away and he no doubt has his eyes set on Bad Blood. Additionally, Bayley will battle Naomi, Piper Niven will take on Michin, and Andrade will go one-on-one with Carmelo Hayes.

The big question mark for the blue brand is regarding Roman Reigns. The Original Tribal Chief is back on television and is clearly seeking revenge on The Bloodline, but he also has an interesting dynamic with other stars on the show, including Cody Rhodes.

Roman has to play his cards very carefully if he wants to get to Bad Blood without any more drama. This article will take a look at four hasty mistakes that The OTC must not make on the blue brand tonight.

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#4. Roman Reigns must not try to confront Kevin Owens on WWE SmackDown

One of the most interesting stories on WWE SmackDown is the dynamic between Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes. What makes an already intriguing and potentially explosive relationship all the more compelling is another superstar who has a long history with both men.

Kevin Owens has been a rival of Roman Reigns for essentially the entirety of The Bloodline saga. In fact, they even fought before The Bloodline formed in WWE. As a result, he seems quite emotional about Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns forging an alliance of some kind.

With Reigns having to deal with Cody Rhodes and The Bloodline, it would be a massive mistake to confront Kevin Owens tonight. It is best to allow for The Prizefighter to wallow in his own misery at least until after Bad Blood, or else Roman will have even more on his plate.

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#3. He should not disrespect Cody Rhodes

The story of Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns is a long and interesting one. The two had issues all the way back in the days of The Shield, but their feud reached new heights since Rhodes returned to WWE and headlined two WrestleMania events back to back with Reigns.

The two have had a lot of issues, but now they will be teaming up together. The pair are going to battle Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu in a tag team match at WWE Bad Blood. Despite that, the two still have a lot of animosity and it could reach a boiling point on SmackDown.

It would be unwise, however, for Roman Reigns to let that happen. As good as Reigns is, he cannot handle the entirety of The Bloodline on his own. If he disrespects Cody or otherwise sets The American Nightmare off, he may lose a partner at the last minute, which would be bad news for The Original Tribal Chief.

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#2. Reigns should also not fully trust The American Nightmare

While antagonizing Cody Rhodes ahead of Bad Blood would be a mistake, Roman Reigns can't do the opposite either. The Tribal Chief cannot blindly trust the Undisputed WWE Champion heading into their match.

Cody comes across as the ultimate good guy in the same vein as Rey Mysterio, John Cena, Ricky Steamboat, and others, but make no mistake about it, Cody can get down and dirty. He has been a heel in the past and he isn't afraid to be underhanded if necessary.

While Rhodes isn't likely to betray Roman Reigns tonight on WWE SmackDown, it is possible. Roman needs to keep an eye on Cody and make sure that The American Nightmare won't try a cheap shot of some kind.

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#1. He should avoid trying to fight The Bloodline on his own

The final hasty mistake Roman Reigns must avoid making has to do with The Bloodline. The WWE faction is currently comprised of Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, Tama Tonga, and Tonga Loa. The four are extremely dangerous.

Roman has a big ego and may see the likes of Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, and the rest as beatable, but he needs to remember the past. When Reigns tried to fight off Jacob Fatu and the rest of The Bloodline, he was viciously put through a table on WWE SmackDown.

While Reigns may want to fight them as soon as possible, he needs to be calculated and wait until Rhodes fully has his back at Bad Blood. Attempting to fight them now, potentially alone, would be a grave error by The OTC.