Roman Reigns capped off 2022 with yet another victory under his belt when Jey Uso's pinfall over Kevin Owens gave The Bloodline the win at WWE Survivor Series: WarGames.
The most interesting development to come out of this match is that Sami Zayn was the most crucial factor in The Bloodline's triumph.
The next Premium Live Event for the main roster is Royal Rumble. Despite there being a few wrestlers on the current roster who could argue for an opportunity to fight The Tribal Chief between now and late January 2023, here on this list are five potential returning superstars who can direct their focus to Reigns.
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#5. Reigns find himself a target of The Viper on the Road to WrestleMania
Let's begin with the most unlikely scenarios in this list. Randy Orton's status is sadly up in the air as of now, but even so, one can't completely rule out a potential return when it comes to The Viper.
Earlier this year, he was rumored to face Roman Reigns at Summerslam. This would not have been their first encounter as the two met in the 2014 edition of the Biggest Event of the Summer.
In 2020 there was a rumor circulating around when Orton won his 14th world championship that the two were set to lock horns at the Survivor Series event, but ultimately that didn't pan out either.
A showdown between The Tribal Chief and WWE's resident Viper screams instant classic, much like their Summerslam encounter, and whether the latter returns soon or not, their sequel should happen at some point.
#4. The People's Champion shows up in WWE sooner rather than later
Nothing is officially confirmed at this point. The Rock vs. Roman Reigns is arguably the biggest money match there is today.
A recent report suggests that The Brahma Bull will return to the company sooner rather than later. With The Bloodline displaying utter dominance at Survivor Series, stronger than ever, The Rock might just be in line for the undisputed WWE Universal Championship.
All that needs to happen is for the seeds to be planted. The Great One's return will instantly boost ratings and bring eyes to the product. This could potentially happen in the upcoming months.
#3. An unlikely yet intriguing challenger in John Morrison
John Morrison is one of the most underutilized talents in the company's history. During his second stint, he had a WrestleMania moment in 2020 when he defeated Jimmy Uso and Kofi Kingston in a triple-threat ladder match. Morrison single-handedly retained the tag team championship for himself and his partner, The Miz. But for most of his time in WWE, he floundered.
With Triple H running creative since July, there is newfound hope that The Shaman of Sexy could find his way back into the company. The Game should seriously consider his return.
There are plenty of reasons why he should make a comeback. The fact that he hasn't won the WWE or the Universal Championship could be an immediate focus upon his return. A match between him and The Tribal Chief would be spectacular.
#2. Andrade El Idolo shocks the WWE Universe with a return
Despite still being under contract with AEW, as per speculations, Andrade's recent issues with Sami Guevara covered the fact that the former NXT Champion was sent home before an episode of Dynamite. Hence, a WWE return seems like a plausible scenario for The Mexican Star.
Triple H has valued Andrade's work in the past and might be interested in bringing him back. The latter's wife, Charlotte Flair, is a mainstay at the Stamford-based promotion. He might be interested in a comeback as well. A showdown with The Tribal Chief could be a solid re-introduction for El Idolo to the WWE Universe.
The Instagram post, as seen above, might have just been from an angry AEW talent. If Andrade is released from AEW, however, chances are very high that he will return to the global juggernaut.
#1. Cody Rhodes returns to set up a match vs. The Tribal Chief at Royal Rumble
The American Nightmare, looking to dethrone The Tribal Chief, is a WrestleMania-worthy storyline. However, with The Rock's return being a major possibility, the two could square off at the Royal Rumble event in January instead.
It would make all the sense in the world to book The Grandson of a Plumber to go against the undisputed WWE Universal Champion. But if he were to lose, then there is a way to go about it. As per a recent report, Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes will resume their feud upon the latter's return.
If that is the case, then WWE can easily book a blockbuster world championship match at the Royal Rumble with a reignited feud en route to WrestleMania.
Who would you like to see next in line to face The Tribal Chief? Leave your pick in the comments section below.