4 mistakes Triple H must avoid making with Roman Reigns upon his WWE return
Roman Reigns has been off WWE television since his historic WrestleMania XL loss to Cody Rhodes. His absence left a massive void in The Bloodline. The void has been admirably filled by Solo Sikoa, keeping the four-year storyline compelling. Sikoa's thuggish approach has led fans to chant "We Want Roman!" in the last three months.
The feeling is that the original Tribal Chief's return is imminent, with Summerslam 2024 being the most likely place and time. Given the fans' current yearning for The Big Dog and The Street Champ's booking, the return will likely blow the roof off Cleveland Browns stadium. That said, what the Triple H-led creative team does with him afterward is of the utmost importance.
Here are four mistakes The Game must avoid with Roman Reigns when The Tribal Chief returns to WWE:
#4: Triple H must avoid booking Roman Reigns back into the Undisputed WWE Title scene with Cody Rhodes
For 1316 days, Roman Reigns was the top champion in WWE. For 1316 days, Reigns used the title to propel himself into the all-time greats stratosphere, elevate mid-card mainstays into main event stars, and spearhead record business for the Stamford-based promotion. The Tribal Chief had one of the greatest reigns in history. However, it was also one of the longest.
As such, there is massive fan fatigue towards the 39-year-old about the Undisputed WWE Championship. Should he immediately slot back into that scene, the reception towards his return may sour very fast. The former Shield powerhouse does not need a rematch with Cody Rhodes for yet another title reign.
The smart move would be to save Reigns vs. Rhodes III for a later date and keep the duo separate for now. Alternatively, they could form a reluctant alliance to fend off Solo Sikoa's Bloodline, showing each other mutual respect.
#3. Triple H must not rush the Original Bloodline's reunion with Roman Reigns
Roman Reigns' potential return to WWE at Summerslam 2024 is widely expected to lead to a clash of Bloodlines, most likely at the Survivor Series: WarGames. For this to happen, though, The Big Dog would need to assemble a team to oppose Solo Sikoa's group. There are many variants of this being discussed, some including Cody Rhodes, others with Sami Zayn, and yet more with the not-yet-debuted Hikuleo.
All these combinations involve Roman Reigns and Jimmy Uso recruiting superstars they have wronged in the past, most importantly Jey Uso. If this is the direction, Triple H must make sure not to rush any potential reunion, ensuring that the characters' grievances with The Tribal Chief are properly addressed.
This will help the eventual reunion feel organic and spur the subsequent group warfare to even greater fan interest. Rushing the story could squander that momentum altogether.
#2. Triple H must avoid unnecessary swerves with Roman Reigns upon his WWE return
![Reigns re-aligning with Sikoa would be very unpopular [Image via WWE.com]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/07/1dcbe-17219101724546-1920.jpg?w=500)
As Roman Reigns' potential Summerslam return draws near, the WWE Universe has a pretty good idea of what they want to see happen with his story. This is a blessing for Triple H and the creative team because they have a story on their hands with ready-made momentum. It could also prove to be a curse, causing great fan backlash if an unpopular move is made.
The Bloodline storyline, though highly acclaimed, has been guilty of some swerves that did not resonate with fans. Decisions such as Jimmy Uso turning on Jey Uso at Summerslam and The Rock returning to take Cody Rhodes' WrestleMania XL spot proved very divisive. The Game and his creative team must avoid such a faux pas, ensuring they pay off the anticipation for Reigns' return in a grand manner.
One such swerve could see the 39-year-old shock the world by staying heel and aligning with Solo Sikoa. Such a move must be avoided at all costs, as it would lead to a massive backlash from fans.
#1. Triple H must not revert Roman Reigns to The Big Dog if he returns to WWE as a babyface
Before Roman Reigns became one of the greatest heels in WWE as The Tribal Chief, he was a polarizing babyface as The Big Dog. The former Shield powerhouse struggled to gain universal acceptance from fans as the successor to John Cena's "ultimate babyface" crown. This reaction was, ironically, the same as The Champ had been getting for a decade before that.
When Roman finally turned heel as the audience had long desired, he unlocked a new level of superstardom. However, Reigns' heel run has come full circle, and he's expected to return as a babyface or at least a "tweener." With this in mind, it would be a mistake if he reverted to the Big Dog persona, at least in the near future.
One reason is that Cody Rhodes has already filled the "ultimate hero" spot, and The American Nightmare is showing no signs of slowing down. Another reason is that The Big Dog's greatest allure was arguably in Shield reunions, which look extremely unlikely with Jon Moxley firmly entrenched in AEW. Triple H and Co. must avoid the mistake of bringing back that character since there's little to no upside to it.