Roman Reigns is arguably the biggest star of the modern era. Although Reigns initially struggled to connect with the fans as "The Big Dog," he has climbed to the pinnacle of sports entertainment as The Tribal Chief.
The current Undisputed WWE Universal Champion found his rhythm as a heel. Since joining forces with Paul Heyman in August 2020, Roman Reigns has only left terror in his path, setting a new standard of dominance with every opponent he defeats.
However, there are subtle signs that The Head of The Table may soon turn babyface. Multiple outlets have reported that the ultimate goal was to turn Reigns into a fan-favorite.
The most significant hint was dropped on SmackDown last night. The Judgment Day was in town for the show. Paul Heyman apparently worked out a truce with Rhea Ripley to gain the upper hand on John Cena and LA Knight.
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After Solo Sikoa caused a disqualification victory for LA Knight, Sikoa and Jimmy Uso began a two-on-one beatdown on The Megastar before Cena ran down the ramp to even the odds.
However, the atmosphere changed drastically once The Judgment Day reached ringside. The devious Wiseman of The Bloodline formed a temporary alliance with RAW's top faction to execute an assault on Cena and Knight.
The plan backfired as Jey Uso and Cody Rhodes leveled the playing field. A massive brawl broke out to close SmackDown.
The concern is that The Judgment Day-Bloodline alliance may force Roman Reigns into the background. This could eventually lead to Reigns being exiled from the same faction he once created.
There is an ironic precedent. The founder of Judgment Day, Edge, was kicked out of the group after The Hall of Famer recruited Finn Balor into the faction. If both teams were to unite to form a larger unit, there may no longer be a place for The Tribal Chief.
One must also take notice of Heyman's endeavors. The Wiseman does have a history of flexible allegiances. Thus, Reigns cannot count on him forever.
Roman Reigns will likely have his next title defense at WWE Crown Jewel 2023
After a two-month absence, Roman Reigns will return to SmackDown. This will likely set the tone for The Tribal Chief's next title defense, expected to take place at Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia.
News broke out earlier this week that Cena was being planned as Reigns' next opponent. However, Dave Meltzer ended those rumors.
"Although the promos where the Bloodline and Heyman talk of Cena as 'the second greatest wrestler of all-time,' with the idea Reigns is the greatest and a play off Cena’s WWE tag line of being the greatest, and Cena also at this point scheduled for Crown Jewel, it was confirmed to us that Reigns vs. Cena is not the match planned for the show."
There is no shortage of opponents for Roman Reigns. LA Knight and AJ Styles are probably the strongest contenders right now.
The Phenomenal One has a major bone to pick with The Bloodline after he was ruthlessly assaulted by Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa last month. Knight seems to have inserted himself into the main event following his association with Cena.
If Knight and Cena can vanquish The Bloodline at Fastlane, Reigns may have to take matters into his own hands.