Huge Cody Rhodes match to be set up, return of popular Hall of Famer? - 4 directions for Roman Reigns on the season premiere of WWE SmackDown

A massive edition of WWE Friday Night SmackDown will be airing later tonight. The hit program has been on the FOX Network for the past five years, but beginning tonight, the show will be returning to the USA Network.

Only a few matches have been confirmed for the show so far. Cody Rhodes will take on Solo Sikoa in a Steel Cage Match, Andrade and Carmelo Hayes will battle again, and Kevin Owens will team up with a mystery partner to take on A-Town Down Under.

One star many fans are hoping will appear on the show is Roman Reigns. The Tribal Chief hasn't been seen for several weeks after being laid out by Solo Sikoa and The Bloodline, but there is a chance he returns later tonight.

This article will take a look at a handful of possible directions for The Head of The Table on the season premiere of SmackDown tonight. This includes setting up a big Bad Blood match, confronting a rival, and even missing the show entirely.

Below are four directions for Roman Reigns on the season premiere of WWE SmackDown.

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#4. He could miss the show but be represented by the returning Paul Heyman

Just to point out the elephant in the room, there is no guarantee that Roman Reigns will appear on WWE Friday Night SmackDown tonight. His schedule is part-time and he misses a lot of important shows.

With that being said, this doesn't mean he can't have a presence on SmackDown without actually being there in person. Instead, he could be represented by WWE Hall of Famer Paul Heyman, who could make his return to television after several months away.

Heyman was brutally attacked by The Bloodline months ago and put through a table. Come SmackDown, Heyman could show up and reveal that Roman Reigns is coming for them and he might even reveal that Reigns is challenging Solo Sikoa to a big-time match.

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#3. Roman Reigns could return to confront Solo Sikoa and continue their rivalry

While Roman Reigns could miss WWE SmackDown, most fans are hoping that The Tribal Chief will indeed return and make a big appearance. If he does, Reigns will almost certainly be targeting Solo Sikoa and The Bloodline.

As noted, Reigns was brutally assaulted by the WWE stable a few weeks ago. Jacob Fatu took the former world champion out and the group went on to hit the Shield Powerbomb through the announce table. It was brutal to witness.

Reigns might crash SmackDown and confront the self-proclaimed new Tribal Chief, Solo Sikoa. If he does, things could get violent in a hurry. Regardless, his appearance would set up Roman's direction moving forward: feuding with and fighting his cousin.

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#2. He could set up a tag team match at Bad Blood with an unlikely partner

WWE Friday Night SmackDown will be opening with a huge match. Cody Rhodes will defend his Undisputed WWE Championship against Solo Sikoa. Not only will the two men clash, but they'll do so in a Steel Cage match.

In what could be a shocker, Roman Reigns could return and once again help Cody Rhodes. That isn't the end of it, however. From there, the Tribal Chief and The American Nightmare could fight off The Bloodline and surprisingly stand tall together.

This would then lead Roman to his next direction: a tag team match at Bad Blood. Long-time rivals Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes could unite to take on Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu. The match would be huge and one fans will never forget.

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#1. Roman Reigns' future with The Rock in WWE could be teased

The biggest direction for Roman Reigns moving forward is his inevitable feud with The Rock. Most WWE fans are under the assumption that the two former world champions will clash at WrestleMania 41 in 2025.

Before they can get there, though, the two need to officially split up. Roman Reigns and The Rock actually united in The Bloodline earlier this year when trying to prevent Cody Rhodes from capturing the Undisputed WWE Championship. Obviously, the two were unsuccessful, which likely planted the seeds for their inevitable match.

On SmackDown tonight, more seeds could be planted and more teasers could take place. The Rock could either appear on the show or Roman could return and finally speak, teasing an inevitable confrontation or on-screen reunion with The Final Boss. These seeds will go a long way in setting up their eventual match.