For years, WWE fans were not on board with the idea of Roman Reigns being the top star in the promotion. Many felt that WWE was forcing Reigns upon the audience, instead of allowing his rise to happen naturally like other legendary wrestling superstars. One major example of this was the 2015 Royal Rumble, where Reigns was heavily booed by the crowd, leading to chants of “We want refunds.” Even The Rock’s appearance couldn’t win the fans over to Reigns’ side.
However, things changed for Reigns in August 2020 when he made a surprise return at SummerSlam. After choosing to skip WrestleMania earlier that year due to being immunocompromised from battling leukemia, Reigns returned with a new look and aligned himself with Paul Heyman, turning heel. This was a move that fans had long been demanding, as they rejected the idea of him being the promotion’s top babyface. Reigns went on to win the universal title in a triple threat match and his historic title reign began.
Carrying the ThunderDome era
Reigns’ return and new persona created a buzz for WWE during the ongoing pandemic. The company launched the ThunderDome, utilizing LED boards to create a virtual crowd, and Reigns was able to develop his character in new ways because of this. He adopted a slower, more methodical wrestling style while engaging in in-match dialogue with his opponents.
Reigns’ first feud as champion was with Jey Uso, which not only solidified Reigns’ new heel persona but also elevated Uso to main event status. The rivalry established The Bloodline, with Reigns becoming the leader of the Anoa’i family after defeating Jey in an I Quit match inside Hell in a Cell.
A dominant run to the undisputed title
Reigns continued to dominate as universal champion, defeating challengers such as Kevin Owens, Edge, and Daniel Bryan. He even defeated John Cena at SummerSlam, adding another big name to his championship resume. However, there were some moments that didn’t resonate with the audience, like The Usos constantly interfering in Reigns’ matches.
After more than 580 days as champion, Reigns faced Brock Lesnar in a unification clash at WrestleMania 38 and emerged as the undisputed WWE universal champion.
The Bloodline drama escalates
Reigns’ undisputed championship reign coincided with him being on television less frequently. The Bloodline storyline remained a prominent focus, with Solo Sikoa and Sami Zayn joining the group. Zayn’s inclusion in The Bloodline was initially met with skepticism, but he gained trust by helping the group and eventually received his own “honorary uce” shirt from Reigns. Jey Uso was the last to fully trust Zayn.
Sikoa joined The Bloodline by saving Reigns from Drew McIntyre at Clash at the Castle. While Reigns’ title reign had some challenges, he consistently turned away challengers and remained the undisputed champion.
Cody Rhodes and the road to Roman Reigns’ fallen kingdom
Zayn and Owens reunited to challenge The Usos for the tag titles at WrestleMania, where Reigns would also defend his undisputed title against Cody Rhodes, the Royal Rumble winner. Rhodes had the support of the crowd, and not having him win would be a major mistake.
Reigns’ incredible 950-day championship reign has had its ups and downs, but he has elevated everyone in The Bloodline. Now, it is time for the next chapter where Reigns must face the consequences of his actions and see if he can hold The Bloodline together.
WrestleMania 39 will reveal whether WWE takes this storyline in the direction it needs to go or makes a major mistake by not doing so.
