Why is Matt Riddle not allowed to challenge Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship?
Recently on RAW, Matt Riddle challenged Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. However, it was declined, much to the chagrin of The Original Bro. Although it wasn’t specified on the show, Riddle has already lost the right to challenge The Tribal Chief for the title.
The entire point of his confrontation with Reigns appeared to be because he spoke at the wheel of the storyline involving Jey Uso and Sami Zayn. Now, this brings us to the question of why Matt Riddle cannot challenge The Head of the Table.
Following Randy Orton's injury at the hands of The Bloodline, The Original Bro embarked on a solo mission to avenge his partner. He challenged Roman Reigns for the world title on SmackDown. However, the Tribal Chief accepted his request but on one condition.
'The Wiseman' Paul Heyman introduced a stipulation that implied that Riddle wouldn't be able to challenge Roman Reigns if the latter defeated him. To his fury, the RK-Bro member accepted the terms. What followed was a thrilling match on SmackDown that ended with a defeated Riddle. Thus, he has no right to challenge for the WWE world title as long as Roman remains the champion.
Therefore, on RAW, Riddle faced off against Sami Zayn after Jey Uso tricked the latter into accepting the former’s challenge. Prior to the match, The Tribal Chief gave direct orders to Jey to assist The Honorary Uce, but they weren’t followed. In the end, Matt Riddle emerged victorious over Zayn, and WWE subtly continued teasing The Bloodline's implosion.
What's next for Matt Riddle and Roman Reigns following WWE RAW?
The King of Bros. could have a bigger part to play in the upcoming weeks. His win against Sami Zayn might be the initiation of a program involving the whole of Bloodline and Riddle. He is fresh off a victory against Seth Rollins, and the momentum is enough to propel him to the top.
The stipulation issued in the past could hinder his plans. However, he could force Roman Reigns to nullify it by targeting each member of The Bloodline while also widening the rift between Sami Zayn and Jey Uso. The Tribal Chief could also be forced to take action against Matt Riddle following his title defense against Logan Paul at Crown Jewel.