Roman Reigns WWE Rumor Roundup: Backup plan for WrestleMania 39 if The Rock is out, reason why he is off Money in the Bank

Welcome to this week's edition of the Roman Reigns-specific WWE Rumor Roundup, where we look at some of the most prominent stories about The Tribal Chief in the past few days. This time, they relate to his current status over the summer of 2022.

Reigns was taken off Money in the Bank and will instead defend the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Riddle tonight on SmackDown. The reason is now known. We also know how often The Head of the Table will be present during the build to SummerSlam, where he's set to defend his title next.

And, perhaps most interestingly, we may have found out WWE's alternative to The Rock at WrestleMania 39. While Reigns' cousin is the ideal plan, the rumored backup is equally exciting.

So, without further ado, here are the biggest rumors about The Tribal Chief from the past week:

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#3. The rumored reason why Roman Reigns vs. Riddle will not be at Money in the Bank

It seems baffling that WWE booked Roman Reigns' match against Riddle on SmackDown instead of Money in the Bank, which is the company's next premium live event. However, there's a method to this.

Dave Meltzer reported on Wrestling Observer Radio that it's down to financial implications. WWE wouldn't make additional money off Peacock if Reigns is added to Money in the Bank but stands to gain if SmackDown's viewership ratings increase.

The Tribal Chief's first title defense since WrestleMania 38 has garnered interest, likely leading to better numbers for tonight's episode of the blue brand. Higher ratings would contribute to a better television deal in the future.

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#2. The Tribal Chief will only appear once on RAW ahead of SummerSlam

The Tribal Chief's SummerSlam opponent is unknown.

It's safe to say that while he won't be at Money in the Bank, Roman will defend the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at SummerSlam. It's the second biggest show of the year, with a clash between The Tribal Chief and Randy Orton previously earmarked.

However, The Viper's back injury could force the company to alter its plans for the main event of SummerSlam. Either way, no matter who Reigns faces, he's rumored to appear just once on RAW ahead of The Biggest Party of the Summer, according to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio.

While there's no word on how many times he'll appear on SmackDown, Reigns' only RAW appearance before SummerSlam will seemingly be at Madison Square Garden on July 25. It remains to be seen, though, who his opponent will be.

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#1. WWE's backup plan for Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39 if The Rock is unavailable

The original plan for WrestleMania 39 is Roman Reigns vs. The Rock. However, if The Great One cannot return next April, Cody Rhodes is rumored to step into the huge main event spot.

According to the company, The American Nightmare will be out of action for nine months. However, he may return sooner than announced. As per Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Rhodes will likely miss six months, making a comeback at the Royal Rumble a possibility.

If that's the case, and The Rock's return isn't finalized by then, Rhodes would be the biggest opponent Roman Reigns can face at WrestleMania. However, it'd take several things to come together for this rumor to come to fruition.

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Look at some of the top rumors from a few months ago and see how they played out in our weekly WWE Rumor Review HERE.