Opinion: Roman Reigns should lose the WWE and Universal Championships
Roman Reigns is almost certainly the biggest star in WWE today. Since returning from a five-month hiatus in August 2020 with newfound aggression and aligning himself with Paul Heyman, The Tribal Chief has been on another level. In Reigns' own words, he is in "God Mode."
The list of his victims includes the cream of the crop from the past, present, and future. Brock Lesnar, Edge, Goldberg, John Cena, Finn Balor, Kevin Owens, Big E, Seth Rollins, Cesaro, and even Jey Uso have all felt the wrath of The Head of Table. He has been hell-bent on seeking acknowledgment from the roster and the WWE Universe, and he has been quite successful in doing so till now.
The Head of the Table created history at WrestleMania 38 when he pinned Brock Lesnar in the main event to become the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.
Having run through just about everyone, it seems as if Roman Reigns may indeed be invincible and unstoppable. However, his reign of dominance should end, and the timing is right.
WWE is running out of credible challengers for Roman Reigns
😱😱😱 #SmackDown @WWERomanReigns @WWEUsos @ShinsukeN @HeymanHustle https://t.co/gOZzxi7qso
As of now, there are only three individuals who have a realistic chance of dethroning Roman Reigns and ending his reign of terror: Cody Rhodes, Bobby Lashley, and Drew McIntyre. The American Nightmare was in the midst of a massive push, but an ill-timed injury has put him out of commission for the foreseeable future.
The All-Mighty Bobby Lashley is one of the few men who can rival Reigns' sheer power, strength, and mean streak. They traded victories in the summer of 2018 and their series of matches did not disappoint. However, Lashley needs to gain some steam and momentum before he can pose a serious threat to Reigns.
The Scottish Warrior and The Head of the Table have some unfinished business with each other. The two powerhouses most recently crossed paths in a six-man tag match at WrestleMania Backlash. It is extremely likely that Reigns and McIntyre battle for the World Championships in September at Clash at the Castle.
WWE is also turning to desperate measures to create placeholder feuds for Roman Reigns. Shinsuke Nakamura, a mid-card mainstay who has lost considerable credibility, was teased as a potential challenger for The Tribal Chief.
More recently, The Bloodline has engaged in a feud with RK-Bro. The program has been a central feature of programming on SmackDown. Furthermore, the Original Bro laid out a challenge for the Tribal Chief on Miz TV this past week, heralding that the storyline is far from over. Sportskeeda's very own Shiven Sachdeva's report indicate this feud will stretch out through the summer as The Head of the Table is expected to face Riddle and Randy Orton in the foreseeable future.
Roman Reigns' new contract allows him to make fewer appearances.
🏽
Unstoppable. Undisputed.
From Day One.
Acknowledge Us. ☝🏽
@WWEUsos @HeymanHustle twitter.com/WWE/status/152…
The greatest upside to Roman Reigns' unprecedented reign of dominance was that he was a mainstay on television. As a full-time in-ring competitor, Reigns regularly competed in weekly televised episodes and monthly premium live events. It was a sigh of relief for fans tired of Vince McMahon's obsession to put World Championships on part-timers like Goldberg and Brock Lesnar.
However, The Tribal Chief has recently taken on a reduced role. He did not compete at the Hell in A Cell premium live event and has not made regular appearances on RAW and SmackDown. As with most part-timers, the 30-day championship defense rule does not apply to The Head of the Table, a move that has baffled and disappointed many WWE fans.
Reigns has not defended his World Championships since winning them at WrestleMania 38. Moreover, in July, his rumored title defense against Riddle at Money in the Bank is also in doubt due to poor ticket sales and lack of creative direction.
Having a part-timer stay on top never bodes well in the long term, and the same applies to the case of The Tribal Chief. The top champion is WWE's poster-boy and a needle-mover. A full-time World Champion keeps fan interest consistently high.
Roman Reigns' run at the top has been nothing short of incredible. He has solidified himself as a priceless, invaluable asset, and his reign has left an indelible footprint in the wrestling business. Now that he has become a massive star, the end of his remarkable reign will mark the birth of a new star that will achieve instant greatness. Losing the championship to someone like Cody Rhodes, Drew McIntyre, or Theory will elevate any of these stars to Superstardom.