5 best Roman Reigns matches from the last 12 months
Roman Reigns has had an incredible last 12 months. The Tribal Chief has solidified his spot as the best WWE Superstar in the world today.
He has dominated SmackDown, unified WWE's two world championships and defeated several of the company's greatest superstars.
The Head of the Table has been firing on all cylinders over the last year and, as such, has had some incredible matches. From bouts with all-time greats to explosive brawls alongside his cousins, The Usos, Reigns has built an impressive resume over the last 12 months.
On that note, here are the five best WWE matches from Roman Reigns over the last year.
#5. Reigns' match with Finn Balor at Extreme Rules was great but suffered from a poor ending
Shortly after Brock Lesnar returned and confronted Reigns at Summerslam, the Tribal Chief was forced to quickly turn his attention to Finn Balor.
The two engaged in a brief feud while The Beast wasn't around. The rivalry was an entertaining one, though, and their match at Extreme Rules was a blast.
The only match on the show to actually be an Extreme Rules bout, the two put on a hell of a show. Balor, as his alter ego "The Demon," looked like a real threat to the Head of the Table's championship reign.
Unfortunately, a disappointing conclusion prevented the match from being even better. With Balor perched atop the top rope, ready to hit Reigns with his finisher, the turnbuckle somehow collapsed and it ended up costing him the match. The champion hit the Irishman with a spear shortly after.
The finish was a goofy one that had no payoff in the end, making it a disappointing finish to an otherwise great match.
#4. His match with Edge at Money in the Bank was great
UNPOPULAR OPINION:
Roman Reigns (C) vs. Edge at Money in the Bank is Roman's best singles match in this heel run.
The storytelling and psychology were fantastic. Even the interference from Seth made sense because his feud with Edge already began
KeeganRW's rating: ****1/4 https://t.co/vMHgOs2PUo
Edge finally got his one-on-one match against Reigns at Money in the Bank 2021 and it was worth the wait.
It looked as if the two were going to square off at WrestleMania 37, but Daniel Bryan was eventually added to the encounter. Fans had to wait several months before the two men would meet again.
The match was superb, though, and lived up to all expectations. The buildup was entertaining and the bout was electric.
Both men put on a great performance, and although the result was never really in doubt, Edge had fans believing he would emerge victorious for just a moment. Unfortunately for the Rated R Superstar, Seth Rollins would cost him and The Tribal Chief's reign continued.
#3. His RAW triple threat with Bobby Lashley and Big E was wild
A random RAW main event ended up being one of the matches of the year.
The triple threat bout in September last year with Bobby Lashley and Big E was an explosive one. All three men looked to be winning throughout the match.
Lashley and Big E were at their peak at the time, but Reigns was still the man with his arm raised at the end. The match was electric from the get-go and was filled with incredible action that had fans on the edge of their seats.
The end result helped solidify the 37-year-old's place as the biggest star in WWE.
#2. His Summerslam bout with John Cena was a true passing of the torch
Since everyone is talking about the John Cena Vs Roman Reigns feud
This match was a banger and I’ll die on that hill probably one of my favourite matches in Roman’s reign https://t.co/9FZNmhYVTi
In one of the most highly anticipated matches in the last 12 months, Reigns' meeting with John Cena at Summerslam was fantastic.
The build-up to the bout was incredible and some of the best in WWE over the last decade. The in-ring work held up its end of the bargain as well.
Despite having been away from WWE for over a year, Cena looked like he hadn't missed a beat and the two put on an incredible match that had fans hooked.
The match acted as a passing of the torch, with Cena officially handing the reigns to the champion. With his second victory over Cena — the two had battled once before at No Mercy 2017, the 37-year-old beat the biggest WWE Superstar of the 21st century. It showed how highly the company valued him.
Over his career, Cena became known for his heroic underdog exploits, but the Tribal Chief proved to be just too much for him at SummerSlam.
#1. The six-man tag at WrestleMania Backlash was The Bloodline at their best
Initially, fans were disappointed at the news that Reigns wouldn't be defending his newly won undisputed world championship at WrestleMania Backlash. The revelation that he would be teaming with The Usos to take on Drew McIntyre and RK-Bro in a six-man tag was instead deflating.
Boy did they redeem themselves, though. The eventual match was an absolute blast. It was the best The Bloodline had ever looked.
The bout was chaotic, with a wild brawl worthy of closing any pay-per-view. The carnage had fans on the edge of their seats and the six men didn't hold back one bit.
Reigns would eventually secure the win for his team with a spear on Riddle. It wasn't the match fans wanted heading into the show, but it was certainly one they were glad they witnessed afterwards.