Top 8 moments from Roman Reigns' record-breaking title reign
Roman Reigns’ record-breaking 1,316-day reign as Undisputed WWE Universal Champion came to an end at Night 2 of WrestleMania 40. Such a title run has been deemed by pundits as one of the greatest in the history of the Stamford-based promotion.
Alongside the fact that The Bloodline spearhead has defeated every formidable challenger that threatened to take away his gold, there were also moments during his reign that were also worth noting. His three-year reign has an abundance of these though we can only fit a handful of it on this list. To that end, here’s a throwback to some of them.
#8. Catching the microphone like a Tribal Chief should
It sure was satisfying for Roman Reigns when he successfully defended his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam in 2022. Before the match, though, there was a spot that was indeed awesome, not to mention went viral across Titanland.
Lesnar was on top of his tractor at the time while Reigns was standing inside the ring. As soon as the former was done talking, he threw the mic in the direction of the latter which Roman Reigns amazingly caught. The Bloodline’s Head of the Table even gave a wink at The Beast Incarnate before all hell broke loose.
The boy’s got hands indeed.
#7. That Ucey segment
Current WWE Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn was trying to fit in as a member of The Bloodline back in 2022. He later on became an honorary member of the villainous coalition, though not all from the group were down with the idea, especially Jey Uso.
This created cracks within the faction and during an episode of SmackDown, he showed defiance against Roman Reigns that almost got him in deep trouble. Zayn came in for the save, though, reasoning out that Jey’s not been very “Ucey” at the time.
Reigns, Jey, and even Jimi at the back were struggling not to break character for the most part but managed to deliver at the end of the promo.
#6. Winning the WWE Championship from Brock Lesnar
Capturing a win from Brock Lesnar may well seem to be a herculean task to accomplish due to his ferocity inside the squared circle. Roman Reigns had a first-hand experience with the above-mentioned when he locked horns with The Beast Incarnate at WrestleMania 38.
The two WWE Superstars have had numerous back-and-forths in the past and this was one of those epic matches. It was a Winner Takes All match as they put their titles on the line. For over 12 minutes, the two titans brawled and unleashed everything they’d got at each other. At the tail end of it, Reigns connected a spear that ultimately secured his fate in becoming WWE’s Undisputed Universal Champion.
#5. Capturing the WWE Universal Championship from Bray Wyatt
The Fiend Bray Wyatt was one of the most feared Superstars at the time due to his otherworldly and seemingly unbeatable persona. Nonetheless, Roman Reigns still set his sights on him since Wyatt was the reigning WWE Universal Champion at the time.
Come Payback in 2020, Reigns, Wyatt, and Braun Strowman would collide in a No Holds Barred Triple Threat match for the aforementioned championship title. Despite slugging it out minus the crowd due to the global health crisis at the time, all three Superstars delivered a superb match. They even went on to destroy the entire ring.
The thing is, however, is that it was not Wyatt (The Fiend) who got pinned by Reigns. He (Wyatt) was taken out by Reigns by delivering a low blow during the latter part of the match. The Tribal Chief would then turn to Strowman and deliver a spear for the win and ultimately the WWE Universal Championship.
#4. Presented with a new Undisputed WWE Universal Championship belt on his 1000th day as champ
Another momentous occasion during The Tribal Chief’s championship reign was when he reached 1,000 days as the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. To celebrate such an achievement, Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque personally presented him with a new belt.
This happened during the June 2, 2023 episode of SmackDown where The Cerebral Assassin himself wrapped the new belt around him. Reigns would then demand the entire universe to acknowledge him.
#3. Inducted Paul Heyman to the WWE Hall of Fame
During Roman Reigns’ final days as the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, he had the honor of inducting The Bloodline’s Wiseman Paul Heyman in the promotion’s Hall of Fame. The WWE Universe is well aware of how Heyman stood by him (Reigns) from the start and even went on to betray his long-time client Brock Lesnar at the Royal Rumble in 2022.
During his speech, Reigns highlighted that him being The Bloodline’s Tribal Chief doesn’t happen if he’s not with his Wiseman. Further, he stated that the moment that he’s not with Heyman is the moment that fans won’t be seeing him as The Tribal Chief.
#2. Getting acknowledged by The Rock
When The Rock made his return to WWE in January of this year, many thought that he would be facing The Bloodline’s Tribal Chief and his cousin Roman Reigns at this year’s WrestleMania. However, to everyone’s surprise, he opted to fight alongside Reigns effectively making him a heel.
This was the first time in over two decades that the Superstar-turned-Hollywood actor turned to the dark side, not to mention that he tapped into his so-called Hollywood character from way back.
Come March this year, both were cutting a promo when The Head of the Table demanded The Great One to acknowledge him to which the latter did.
#1. Roman Reigns retaining the championships against Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 39
The main event of WrestleMania 39’s Night 2 between Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes was one of the most well-received matches during the annual event. It was also a momentous occasion for the former as he successfully defended his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at the time.
For over 30 grueling minutes, the two Superstars went back and forth at each other as their fans cheered them on during the brawl. Most fans believe that The American Nightmare will finally finish his story at 2023’s Showcase of the Immortals. However, just as when he’s about to do so, The Bloodline’s Enforcer – Solo Sikoa comes in for the save resulting in Roman Reigns retaining his title. As for Rhodes, he was left on the canvas defeated with a rubber chicken near him.