Roman Reigns is finally back on WWE television, determined to take back his place at the Head of the Table. He successfully destroyed Solo Sikoa and his reformed faction at SummerSlam and the following SmackDown, but the tides turned when Jacob Fatu returned this week. While many hope to see The Original Tribal Chief respond with ferocity, he will likely fail and meet the same fate when he meets the new Bloodline again.
Here, we look at four reasons why Roman Reigns will lose against Solo Sikoa and The Bloodline anytime they cross paths on SmackDown for now. So, without further ado, let's begin.
#1 Roman Reigns left alone to face the monster he created
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The repeated use of number advantage was one of the most defining traits of Roman Reigns' historic run as the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion and The Bloodline's subsequent dominance. Solo Sikoa played a crucial role in upholding Reigns' superiority by enforcing The Tribal Chief's will by all means necessary.
Now that he sits at the Head of the Table, Sikoa is bound to employ similar methods. It is common for former heels to pay for past sins in the Triple H regime. Reigns has created this monster, and it is imperative for him to face the consequences before finding a way to combat the threat.
#2 Solo Sikoa earns credibility on WWE SmackDown as the new leader
Roman Reigns returned at SummerSlam and immediately took out almost the entire Bloodline. He repeated the same on SmackDown, only to fall when Jacob Fatu returned this week. If the Original Tribal Chief had the upper hand throughout the feud, the rivalry would hardly be intriguing.
The Bloodline has often been the center of dramatic story-telling, and the entire Civil War plot desperately needs a balance between both sides. Solo Sikoa needs to build more credibility before he takes on Reigns. The Original Tribal Chief can afford to be in a losing position for a while to help build up his nemesis as the storyline progresses.
#3 Short-term battles in a long-term Civil War
The WWE creative team has shown immense patience with several recent storylines, gradually but effectively building towards a satisfactory playoff. Triple H is unlikely to rush one of the most intriguing rivalries involving the company's biggest superstar, thus leading to several small battles before the massive big fight.
These matches, or altercations, will see Roman Reigns fall over and over again without affecting his credibility. He instantly turned into a babyface after his return, but he will hardly return to old ways from his Big Dog days. Instead, Reigns would be forced to face new and creative challenges every other meeting, just as he had planned for his opponents when he was The Tribal Chief.
#4 The set-up for former Bloodline members' return -- The Usos and Sami Zayn
They may be a little far down the line, but a massive reunion involving Roman Reigns is as good as set in stone. This would see his long-term history and individual storylines with Jimmy Uso, Sami Zayn, and Jey Uso culminate into the old Bloodline coming back together on WWE SmackDown against the Solo Sikoa-run faction.
Continuous losses, brutal beatdowns, and unfair humiliation could serve as massive motivational factors to facilitate the reunion. The Usos and Sami Zayn were put through a world of torture at the hands of their Tribal Chief. They would have to be compelled by their love and sympathy for Reigns to come to his aid, and that won't happen unless he is buried in adversity.