Wrestling veteran questions Roman Reigns' absence from WWE SmackDown (Exclusive)

Modified Jan 04, 2025 09:28 GMT

Roman Reigns and Jimmy Uso make their entrance at a SmackDown event. (Image via WWE.com) — Roman Reigns is a SmackDown Superstar. (Image credits: WWE.com)

Former Undisputed WWE Champion Roman Reigns didn't appear on the first episode og SmackDown in 2025. The show's main event saw The New Bloodline' Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga and Jacob Fatu pick up the win over The OG Bloodline's Sami Zayn and The Usos.

Speaking on the latest episode of BroDown on Backstage Pass, former WCW World Heavyweight Champion Vince Russo questioned Reigns' absence from the show, noting WWE could've used his star power to create more hype for RAW's Netflix debut.

"Don't you find it weird? Like, bro, there's so much Netflix, Netflix, Netflix, Netflix, Netflix. Wasn't it kind of weird that Roman Reigns wasn't on the show?"

He continued:

John Cena's last PPV's name revealed by Kurt Angle? More details HERE

"I wish there was somebody I could ask these questions to. I really do. Now you got something. I mean, this (SmackDown) is an infomercial for Netflix. The biggest star that's going to be on that show doesn't make an appearance on this one." [From 35:20 onwards]

Check out the video below:

Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa will decide the fate of the Ula Fala and The Bloodline in a Tribal Combat Match when WWE RAW makes its debut on Netflix. It remains to be seen which of these two men will stand tall after the match as the one true Tribal Chief.

If you like such exclusive content, consider subscribing to Backstage Pass for complete access to BroDown and more!

About the author

Manik Aftab writes Exclusive articles for Sportskeeda Wrestling’s WWE division. A BA (Hons) in English Literature helped him improve his writing skills before starting his career as a pro wrestling writer.

Before joining Sportskeeda, Aftab worked for Ringside News and The Sportster, where his wrestling articles and feature pieces consistently ranked on the first page of Google SERPs.

He prioritizes accuracy, relevance, and ethics in his reporting by conducting thorough research, verifying sources, and adhering to professional journalistic standards.

While Aftab’s favorite wrestler in AEW is Hangman Adam Page, he doesn’t have a favorite in WWE yet. However, he considers Stone Cold Steve Austin to be the greatest professional wrestler of all time. His earliest memory of watching pro wrestling was when The Rock faced The New Age Outlaws in a handicap match, but it was the John Cena vs. Edge match from Unforgiven 2006 that got him hooked. If given the chance to manage a star from the Attitude Era, he would choose The British Bulldog, as he believes Davey Boy Smith was a terrific worker and could've benefitted from having a mouthpiece for his lack of mic skills.

When not watching pro wrestling, Aftab enjoys reading science fiction and watching anime.

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Edited by Gurjyot Singh Dadial