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When Roman Reigns returned to WWE TV on the season premiere edition of SmackDown, he had a new challenger.
LA Knight rose up the ranks during The Tribal Chief's absence and is now a legit contender for the top prize of the promotion. Only, he most likely isn't going to win the title just yet.
Per BetOnline, LA Knight is the underdog, at +800. This equates to a 96.8% chance that Roman Reigns is retaining the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at Crown Jewel.
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While it is a no-brainer for any true wrestling fan that The Megastar likely does not stand a chance against The Tribal Chief at this point in time, the company has notoriously pulled the rug out from under its top champion for a shocker in the past. But with Cody Rhodes yet to be coronated, perhaps Knight will have to wait.
Has LA Knight's push been put on hold for Cody Rhodes? WWE Hall of Famer weighs in
Bully Ray recently discussed the rise of LA Knight and what it means for the WWE Universe. On Busted Open Radio, the Hall of Famer, who shared a locker room with The Megastar on IMPACT/TNA (then known as Eli Drake), revealed that there is more to the latter than what is being presented on TV.
According to the veteran, the creative team needs to put some more effort into establishing Knight's personal side, rather than only sticking to the catchphrases. Ray also noted how the Stamford-based promotion probably knows this, but Knight is "compartmentalized" for the time being.
"There's more to LA Knight that fans can get into — like a Stone Cold. I just think the WWE knows they have to keep LA Knight compartmentalized until this Cody story ends," possibly at WrestleMania 40, according to the veteran. "Coming out of Survivor Series, you don't want anybody to be a bigger star than Cody."
LA Knight's evolution from being the leader of Maximum Male Models in 2022 to what he is today is a testament to how good of a talent he is. As Triple H said earlier this year, "Great things come to those who wait."
It seems WWE does not have plans to book Roman Reigns at this year's "Big Four" event, Survivor Series. Check out when he is expected to be back here.
Is it the right time for LA Knight to dethrone The Tribal Chief at Crown Jewel? Sound off in the comments section below!
