Roman Reigns is the greatest Champion in WWE history: 3 reasons it is not an overstatement
For almost a decade, Roman Reigns has been positioned as the face of WWE, however, it was not until 2020, when he altered his gimmick to become the Tribal Chief, that fans finally began to take him seriously and accept him at the top of the card.
The Head of the Table has been the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion for 1157 days and counting, taking on a vast array of different challengers.
Join us as we take a look at three reasons why Roman Reigns is the greatest champion in the history of World Wrestling Entertainment.
#3. Roman's reign has outlasted many greats
Over the years, many top stars have had lengthy title reigns while also being the face of the company, such as Bruno Sammartino, Hulk Hogan and John Cena.
However, none of those icons have been able to generate as much revenue and business for the company as Reigns has, with WWE setting multiple premium live event records during Roman's current title reign.
This past April saw WWE smash their global viewership record for WrestleMania as night two of the event had 33% more eyes on it than the year before. It cannot be denied that this record would not have been achieved without the star power of the Tribal Chief.
One person who sees Roman's championship run as the best of all time is his special counsel, Paul Heyman, who recently touted Reigns' accomplishments whilst speaking on WWE’s The Bump.
"Roman Reigns wanted to be the greatest of all time. Roman Reigns wanted to solidify his legacy. Roman Reigns knew that he had peaked as the Big Dog, and there was nowhere left for him to go. Four WrestleMania main events, multiple heavyweight championships. What more could Roman Reigns have pulled off? Then he realized there is more. There is a higher mountaintop. There is more greatness to pursue. So yes, when Roman Reigns went after the championship, I knew he was going to be reigning at least this long, if not far longer. I knew the legacy that we were going to create, and we’re just getting started around here." [H/T: TJRWrestling]
#2. Roman Reigns has elevated many WWE Superstars
During his three-plus-year reign as the champion, Roman has not only elevated his own stock but has also heightened the name and brand of many current WWE Superstars.
In recent years, Reigns has been part of some of the greatest storylines in company history, going up against performers such as Brock Lesnar, Kevin Owens, John Cena, Jey Uso, Cody Rhodes, and Sami Zayn.
Roman's alliance and eventual split with Sami was arguably the best story of his career, with fans hanging on both superstars' every word and action during their almost year-long storyline.
The pair's singles feud would culminate in February 2023 in Sami's hometown of Montreal at Elimination Chamber, where he came inches away from ending Roman's reign.
Speaking on the Out of Character podcast, Sami Zayn recapped how he was able to tug at the heartstrings of wrestling fans all over the world.
"Getting to that match where everyone wants you to beat Roman and getting an audience in that frenzy and experiencing an audience like that, being part of a story like that, very few people on earth can say they’ve ever done that. Like I said, I’ve been able to penetrate the hearts of so many fans to where now I’m in their good graces, regardless of the storyline that I’m in next." [H/T: Fightful]
#1. The Head Of The Table is on top
Whilst Roman has been in the main event scene for nearly 10 years it wasn't until he became the Tribal Chief that many both in and out of the business began to appreciate him.
With his skills on the mic improving tenfold as well as Reigns being completely sure of himself in the ring, the Tribal Chief is performing in what he calls "God Mode."
During a recent interview on The Michael Kay Show, a confident Roman announced himself as the greatest of all time, with his ongoing title reign being a big contributing factor.
"To me, I’m not trying to get there, I believe I’m there," Reigns said. "I believe I’m living in the day of the GOAT within my own performance. I’m just constantly pushing myself, and for many reasons, I feel like I’m surrounded by the greatest and me as a singles competitor, as the Universal Champion, as the top guy of WWE, the face of this billion-dollar company, I’m the greatest of all time." [H/T: Sportster]
Reigns has also managed to make history as champion, having main evented three consecutive WrestleManias all during his current title reign, and with 'Mania 40 on the horizon, do not be surprised if he walks into Philadelphia with the gold still around his waist.