3 things that would've happened if Roman Reigns retired from WWE in 2020
The Bloodline's Roman Reigns is one of the biggest names in pro wrestling today. In his 1300+ day reign as Universal Champion, The Tribal Chief has forever etched his name in the history books of sports entertainment.
His unparalleled run of dominance has been remarkable to witness, and such greatness may never be replicated. However, Reigns' Special Counsel, Paul Heyman, recently revealed that The Head of the Table almost retired from WWE in 2020 during his hiatus in the pandemic era.
The retirement would've meant that he would have never returned as The Tribal Chief, won the Universal Title, created The Bloodline, and spearheaded the greatest stories pro wrestling has ever seen.
On the contrary, WWE would have had an entirely different landscape if Roman Reigns had hung up the boots for good in 2020.
#3. The Fiend may have had a longer Universal Championship reign
When Roman Reigns returned at SummerSlam 2020 with newfound aggression and Paul Heyman by his side, he had one goal: reclaim the Universal Title he never lost.
The Tribal Chief defeated Braun Strowman and "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt in a Triple Threat match at Payback 2020 to win the Universal Championship and kickstart one of the most remarkable runs in sports entertainment.
Assuming Reigns never returned, the immediate consequence would have been a longer world title run for the late Wyatt. The Fiend had defeated Strowman at SummerSlam 2020 only to drop the belt to The Head of the Table less than a week later.
This, unfortunately, turned out to be the late superstar's final title run in WWE as he sadly passed away in August 2023. While Reigns' record-setting championship reign has been stellar, fans would have wished that Wyatt's last reign would have been more meaningful.
#2. The Usos may never have parted ways
The Bloodline was born to protect Roman Reigns, the undisputed leader and The Head of the Table. The Usos were his most loyal henchmen, doing his bidding and serving as reliable insurance policies.
However, their time in The Bloodline came to a disturbing end in 2023 during the well-received implosion saga. The seeds were initially sown by Sami Zayn's exit at Royal Rumble 2023, but The Tribal Chief grew extremely upset with The Usos when they lost the Undisputed WWE Tag Titles at last year's WrestleMania.
The Undisputed WWE Universal Champion belittled his cousins until Jimmy Uso snapped and Superkiced Reigns at Night of Champions in May 2023. Jey was initially reluctant, but he, too, eventually joined forces with his brother to take down the abusive Tribal Chief.
They seemed to be on the same page until Jimmy shockingly cost Jey the Undisputed WWE Universal Title at SummerSlam 2023. The elder twin believed that the former Right Hand Man would eventually become the devious manipulator Roman Reigns did as Tribal Chief.
Jimmy and Jey are on a collision course at WrestleMania XL. None of this would have happened if it wasn't for The Bloodline and Reigns' antics that set a complex sequence of events in the chain.
#1. Roman Reigns would be a Hall of Famer today
Make no mistake about it, Roman Reigns' generation run as Universal Champion has altered the landscape of pro wrestling and left an indelible footprint on the industry. It is a major reason for his greatness and superiority.
However, remove the last three and a half years from his career, and the Samoan superstar would still warrant a Hall of Fame induction. Before becoming The Tribal Chief, Reigns had become a Grand Slam Champion, and won multiple World Championships, and the Royal Rumble.
He also has wins over John Cena, The Undertaker, Triple H, Batista, and Randy Orton among others. With such an impressive resume, Reigns would have become a first-ballot Hall of Famer and a headline act.
On an individual note, Reigns' return in 2020 has had one positive outcome for him. It has earned the approval, validation, and acceptance of the WWE Universe.
For years, fans had rejected and resent his push, but things were different when he became The Tribal Chief. He was still detested but acknowledged, accepted, and respected globally.