A major possible spoiler for the WWE SummerSlam main event has surfaced.
This year’s big SummerSlam event will be taking place inside Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. The show is going down on July 30.
In the main event, WWE Undisputed Universal Champion Roman Reigns will put his gold on the line against Brock Lesnar. For weeks, WWE has been teasing the idea of having Theory cash in his Money in the Bank contract to close out the show.
As it turns out, the main event may have been spoiled ahead of the big night.
Spoiler Alert
(via WWE)
Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter is reporting that the plan as of now within WWE is for Roman Reigns to enter Clash at the Castle as the Undisputed Universal Champion going up against Drew McIntyre.
Of course, that would mean that Reigns would defeat Brock Lesnar in their Last Man Standing match and avoid a successful cash-in from Theory if the company plans to have the briefcase holder show up after his United States Title match against Bobby Lashley.
WWE has been building up Drew and keeping him away from The Bloodline for months in order to build towards the big Sept. 3 show in Cardiff, Wales.
This seems to be the perfect time for Reigns to drop the gold and give McIntyre that big feel-good moment that he was robbed of back in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Time will tell if WWE will actually go through with having Drew McIntyre dethrone Roman Reigns.
Last Friday, Vince McMahon announced his retirement, bringing an end to his four-decade career as part of WWE.
McMahon’s retirement comes one month after he stepped down as CEO and Chairman of WWE, due to the ongoing investigation against him.
The former Chairman is alleged to have paid over $12 million to multiple women over 16 years in Non-Disclosure Agreements.
The Tribal Chief reacts
Many WWE Superstars personally benefited from pushes by Vince McMahon, but few stars were treated better than Roman Reigns.
Under McMahon, Reigns was pushed heavily as one of the company’s biggest stars, earning a mixed response from fans.
It wouldn’t be until Reigns turned heel in August 2020 that he would win over his critics, and has dominated WWE since then.
While signing autographs following a recent appearance on the Today Show, and was asked for his comments on McMahon’s retirement.
“I just wish him nothing but luck and happiness in the future. It’s been great.”
Roman Reign on Vince McMahon’s retirement.
There’s no word on what McMahon plans on doing with all his newly-acquired free time now that he’s retired.
McMahon’s Future
Vince McMahon may be retired, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be enjoying life away from WWE.
After the two articles from the Wall Street Journal, which made the claims against McMahon, the authors have teased another article coming very soon, and have been speaking to former employees.
McMahon is still under investigation by WWE’s board, who are under investigation themselves over claims they breached their duties to shareholders, by not mentioning the McMahon scandal prior to it going public
The betting odds for the matches that will take place at the WWE SummerSlam event have been released.
The card for the show that takes place this Saturday appears to be finalized. So far, nine matches have been announced for the show.
Roman Reigns is a major favorite at -500 to retain the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Brock Lesnar in a last man standing match. Logan Paul is the biggest favorite on the card at -1500 and there are no titles favored to change hands.
WWE SummerSlam Preview
SummerSlam Betting Odds
Here are the betting odds, courtesy of Bet Online:
Happy Corbin is an underdog (+200) against Pat McAfee (-300)
The Mysterios are underdogs (+150) againstFinn Balor & Damian Priest (-200) in the No-DQ tag match.
Bobby Lashley is expected (-300) to retain the United States championship against Theory (+200)
Bianca Belair is favored (-400) to retain the Raw Women’s title against Becky Lynch (+275)
The Usos are favored (-300) to retain the Undisputed Tag Team Champions against the Street Profits (+200)
Riddle and Seth Rollins are even.
Logan Paul is heavily favored (-1500) to beat The Miz (+650)
Liv Morgan is favored (-200) to retain the SmackDown Women’s title against Ronda Rousey (+300)
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns is favored (-500) to defeat Brock Lesnar (+300) in the Last Man Standing Match
While promoting his episode of Biography: WWE Legends on A&E, Goldberg discussed possible dream matches and talks about Wardlow and their parallels.
Goldberg Vs Roman Reigns Again?
After Vince McMahon announced his retirement from WWE, reports emerged revealing that Brock Lesnar is extremely upset and that he left the July 22 SmackDown tapings.
The Beast Incarnate is scheduled to compete at WWE SummerSlam 2022 next weekend and challenge Roman Reigns for the Unified WWE Universal Championship. Following Lesnar leaving SmackDown, Bryan Alvarez reported that a replacement is being considered for him at SummerSlam.
WrestlingNews then went on to report that WWE was considering bringing back Goldberg as the SummerSlam replacement for Lesnar.
Goldberg’s Dream Opponents
Interestingly enough, before this report even came out, Goldberg noted that Roman was one of the opponents that he would like to get retribution from.
Goldberg spoke with Graham “GSM” Matthews of Bleacher Report about the possibility of squaring up with guys like Brock and Roman again, along with a possible first-time-ever match-up.
The only man in history to hold the WCW World Heavyweight Championship, WWE World Heavyweight Championship, and WWE Universal Championship said:
“Oh, man, you know, there there are a number of guys out there that would be interesting for sure. I think Riddle and I have had a little bit of a controversial past. I’d love to pop him in the face a couple of times.
“But yeah, Roman I owe Roman something for sure. I’d always like to get Brock again. But you know, hey, man, beggars can’t be choosers. And if it happens, it happens. If not, then, you know, I just got to deal with it. I’ll catch him on the street or something.”
Goldberg Speaks About AEW Champion
Graham “GSM” Matthews also asked about Wardlow. Many comparisons have been made between Wardlow and stars of the past, and Goldberg has been one of them.
Goldberg had the following to say about the current AEW TNT Champion:
“I understand the comparisons. I’ve heard of him for sure. I’ve seen pictures of him. I haven’t seen him work that much. But yeah, hey, man, more power to him. There needs to be more characters like that. There needs to be serious intensity out there. There’s people that slice meat and there’s people that eat meat, and he needs to be eating meat; and now Big E is going to come into it.”
Goldberg on Wardlow comparisons
“But yeah, man, I don’t know I’ve never read anything about a comparison from him and how he passes judgment on it. But at the end of the day, anybody that’s close to the top and their prospective business to be compared with myself. That’s an honor and a privilege.”
The Undisputed WWE Universal champion Roman Reigns returned on Raw this Monday night and dropped a big reference during his promo.
The Bloodline showed up during the second segment of the show. Paul Heyman started hyping up The Tribal Chief’s upcoming title defence at SummerSlam.
Though he could not conclude his talk, as Theory interrupted the wise man. Mr Money In The Bank told Reigns that he will win both the US championship and the Undisputed world title at SummerSlam.
The Head Of The Table invited Theory to the ring, and he told the young star that he should look around and analyse the situation before saying anything.
The segment ended with Reigns leaving the ring with others. You can check out the full segment from Raw below:
Theory had been involved in a storyline with Vince McMahon since last November. The retired Chairman had been projecting the young star as the next face of the company.
Roman Reigns is set to defend his title against Brock Lesnar at the SummerSlam PPV this Saturday, July 30. Theory is going to challenge Bobby Lashley for the US title on the same show.
Seth Rollins doesn’t expect The Shield to reunite with one another until they’re eventually inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame.
Rollins was recently interviewed by Stephanie Chase with Digital Spy, where he was asked about a potential reunion between the trio. “The Architect” admits that he doesn’t expect a true Shield reunion could ever take place again given the star power of the three as individuals.
“It wouldn’t look the way you want it to look. It wouldn’t be like the old days in The Shield, it would be a different animal. I think we’re all just too big stars with too big personalities at this point.
“We needed each other back then and now none of us need the other one. We’re at a point where we’re all standalone stars on a different level. So to have to kind of minimize that to fit into each other’s molds, I just don’t see it ever happening again. I think it would look a whole lot different than the next time you see us together.
“The next time you see us together it’s going to be when we’re inducted into the Hall of Fame. That’s going to be it.”
When the three do finally reunite together on WWE TV, Rollins expects it will be when they’re inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame.
Currently, both Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns remain as top stars in WWE. Reigns holds the WWE Undisputed Championship over on SmackDown Live. As for Rollins, he’s one of Monday Night RAW’s top stars.
Dean Ambrose, now going by the name Jon Moxley, reigns as the World Champion over at All Elite Wrestling (AEW). If and when the three do finally get together again on professional wrestling programming, it will likely be a very long time from now.
Next Saturday, Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns will defend his title against Brock Lesnar.
The two will meet in a Last Man Standing match, which WWE is promoting as the final showdown between the two main eventers.
This will also mark Lesnar’s first match since WrestleMania 38, where he lost the WWE Championship to Reigns in their Winner Takes All Title Unification match.
The Spoiler
Reigns Vs. Lesnar at Summerslam will no doubt be the main event, but the match may have already been spoiled for fans.
Reddit user u/BigUllie has shared a photo of a new Ringside Collectibles WWE action figure which displays Lesnar in his most recent ponytail look.
What’s interesting however is that the figure comes with both the WWE and Universal Championships, both of which displaying “The Beast’s” sideplates.
While Lesnar is a former Universal Champion, that was the red version of the title, and many are seeing this as a spoiler that it will be Brock who walks away as the champion at Summerslam.
If so, Reigns’ tenure on top will have ended just one month short of two years, at 699 days.
Reigns Vs. Lesnar
If this is the last match between the two as WWE has promised, then it’ll mark the end of a seven-year rivalry between Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar.
The pair first faced off at WrestleMania 31, where Seth Rollins would cash in to win Brock’s WWE Championship.
The pair would go on to headline two more WrestleManias (34, 38) Summerslam 2018, the Greatest Royal Rumble, and Crown Jewel 2021.
WWE has revealed when tickets will go on sale for fans looking to attend WrestleMania 39 next year.
After the success of WrestleMania 38, fans have wondered when WWE will announce the date WrestleMania 39 tickets will be available. The event has also sparked interest as The Rock is rumored to have a match with Roman Reigns on the card.
The company shared a press release on July 14th that WrestleMania 39 tickets will go on sale to the public on Aug. 12 at 1 pm EST/10 am PST on Ticketmaster.
The show will also be a two-night event taking place on April 1 and April 2 at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California.
The press release also states that fans could buy tickets for both shows as a combo. It’s unclear if WWE will give a special discount for fans looking to see both shows.
(via WWE)
Will The Rock Appear at WrestleMania 39?
The Rock potentially having a match at WrestleMania 39 against Roman Reigns is something that WWE fans have speculated. The Rock has also teased the thought of him facing the current Undisputed WWE Universal Champion on his TV Show Young Rock.
However, WWE hasn’t shared if that is their plan for WrestleMania 39.
Another potential problem WWE may have in getting The Rock to appear is the current investigation that WWE Chairman Vince McMahon is having. The Chairman is under investigation by the Board of Directors for an alleged $3 million hush pact with a former employee.
The situation worsened when The Wall Street Journal revealed that he had a non-disclosure agreement with four other women to hide allegations of sexual misconduct and infidelity.
As the situation seems to be worsening and WWE is receiving negative press, it’s possible that The Rock could distance himself from the company until the investigation is complete.
Although, we don’t know how long the investigation will take or if more information about McMahon will come out.
A lot can happen between now and WWE Survivor Series 2022. It’s possible Roman Reigns will lose the his unified world title to Brock Lesnar in their Last Man Standing Match at SummerSlam.
Theory is also lurking with his Money in the Bank briefcase, offering a way for Reigns to drop his titles while both saving face and pushing a fresh talent whom WWE seems highly invested in. Drew McIntyre is the presumptive challenger to Reigns at Clash at the Castle, and if there were ever a time to reinstate The Scottish Superstar on top, that would be the venue.
However, the prevailing wisdom is that The Head of the Table will remain on top until at least WrestleMania 39, where he has a rumored dream match awaiting him with The Rock, or else the possibility of WWE going all the way with a returning Cody Rhodes and having him unseat Reigns.
So what should WWE do in the mean time? The answer may sit no further than the SmackDown broadcast table.
No One Thinks Reigns Is Going To Lose At Survivor Series
(via WWE)
One of the more awkward dimensions of Roman Reigns having such a long reign atop WWE as that the more time goes by, the more certain it seems he’s keeping the title until at least WrestleMania 39. Moreover, there seems to be less and less chance of him dropping the title to an underdog, as it would disrupt not only The Tribal Chief’s reign, but the aura of invincibility the company has carefully cultivated around him over the last two years. This dynamic hit its nadir when Finn Balor challenged Reigns, and absolutely no one bit on even the Demon version of Balor pulling off that win.
The bottom line is that, unless WWE were to pull the trigger early on bringing back The Rock, it’s hard to fathom anyone beating Reigns at what’s, at best, the fourth biggest PPV on WWE’s calendar, especially so close to the launch of the Road to WrestleMania.
If There’s No Drama About Who’s Winning Or Losing, WWE’s Job Is To Make The Story And Match As Entertaining As Possible
(via WWE)
The question of who will win or lose a match is one of the most fundamental sources of drama professional wrestling has at its disposal. Once the outcome of a match is no longer in doubt, WWE has to find other ways of creating drama and entertainment for fans.
The 1989 trilogy of matches between Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat is widely remembered as one of the greatest series of bouts in wrestling history. Ask a more casual fan who won which matches out of the three, though, and they may well not be able to say. This was a case of match quality superseding the outcomes of the contests at hand.
Similarly when Cactus Jack challenged Big Van Vader in a Texas Death Match at WCW Halloween Havoc 1993, there was little question The Mastodon would retain the WCW Championship. It was brutality, storyline, and a wild blow-off match that became iconic, though.
If WWE is unwilling to have Roman Reigns drop the WWE Championship at Survivor Series and everyone knows it, WWE’s job is to find other means of delivering the most entertaining story possible. Pat McAfee is the man to deliver.
Pat McAfee Is The Most Entertaining Man In WWE Today
Pat McAfee is a truly unique phenom in the landscape of WWE. His run at the SmackDown broadcast table has placed him among the best color commentators, and indeed one of the best talkers in general in all of wrestling. Moreover, he has exceeded expectations in his every WWE match to date.
McAfee beat Theory at WrestleMania, and it stands to reason he’ll prevail over Happy Corbin at SummerSlam as well. These victories will ultimately make him about as credible as any full-time babyface on the WWE roster—at least in terms of kayfabe—to challenge Roman Reigns for his undisputed championship.
Between his gift for gab on the mic and his tendency to over-deliver each time he steps in a wrestling ring, Pat McAfee is an ideal choice to tide over Roman Reigns through the fall, before he gets to more competitive title defenses in WrestleMania season.
Roman Reigns is WWE’s reigning Undisputed Universal Championship, and has decimated the competition over the past two years.
Reigns’ list of victims is a who’s who of WWE, with names including John Cena, Bray Wyatt, and Goldberg all falling to the “Tribal Chief.”
As the unquestionable top star of WWE, matches featuring Reigns have become rarer and rarer but he returned to the ring this weekend.
Reigns Back in the Ring
Earlier this year, Roman Reigns signed a lucrative new deal with WWE, one that has seen him compete in far fewer matches.
Reigns’ most recent televised match was nearly a month ago, where he defeated Riddle on the June 17, 2022 SmackDown to retain the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.
The Champ broke his hiatus from the ring last night, competing at the July 9, WWE Live Event in Sacramento, California. Unsurprisingly, Reigns headlined the event, successfully defending his title against Drew McIntyre.
Roman Reigns is the top heel in all of pro wrestling, but he once again broke character and delivered a heartfelt message to the fans in attendance after his match.
Below, you can see footage of Reigns addressing the audience at WWE Sacrameno:
Having the “Head of the Table” was a rarity, but it wasn’t all that happened on the show.
The show opened with Intercontinental Champion Gunther retaining his title against Ricochet, followed by a Triple Threat in which Raquel Rodriguez defeated Shayna Baszler and Lacey Evans.
The Viking Raiders defeated Jinder Mahal and Shanky while Happy Corbin got a win over Drew Gulak.
SmackDown Women’s Champion Liv Morgan retained against Natalya and Ronda Rousey and Madcap Moss defeated Humberto.
In the penultimate match, there was a triple threat for the Undisptued Tag Team Titles that saw the current champions The Usos take on The New Day and The Brawling Brutes, with The Usos retaining.
A major player for WWE may not be on the docket for one of its premium live events.
The wrestling business has certainly had its share of circumstances that haven’t been ideal this year. There have been a slew of injuries impacting top promotions such as WWE and AEW.
Some top performers also haven’t been around often due to reduced schedules.
For this top superstar, in particular, he may be missing out on a key event set to take place in a few months.
Roman Reigns Missing Extreme Rules?
(via WWE)
The poster for Extreme Rules has been released and the current WWE Undisputed Universal Champion Roman Reigns is nowhere to be seen. This doesn’t serve as a confirmation of his absence but it certainly isn’t a good sign.
Reigns inked a new deal with WWE that sees him work fewer dates. While some thought the “Tribal Chief” would only be reducing his house show schedule, he has been MIA for many TV shows and he wasn’t present at the Money in the Bank premium live event.
A report from WrestleVotes claims that when the decision was made to unify the world titles with Reigns as the champion, the belief was that it would allow the “Head of the Table” to make more appearances on Raw and SmackDown.
At Money in the Bank 2022, Theory captured the Men’s briefcase, earning a guaranteed championship opportunity at a time of his choosing.
Theory has certainly been on the receiving end of a major push in recent months, but many have questioned this decision.
Right now, the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship is firmly in the grasp of Roman Reigns, and many doubt how the cocky young Superstar could be a threat to “The Tribal Chief.”
Booker T’s Comments
Speaking on his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker T discussed Theory’s win last Saturday night, and said that dethroning Roman Reigns makes sense for the former United States Champion.
“It’s not losing, but it’s how you lose. He could beat Roman, he could beat anybody on the card if the situation is right. If a person is unconscious when I cash in, who loses? If you book it properly, Theory is not going to be one of the guys that got the briefcase and didn’t cash it in and win it. I don’t see that happening.”
He continued, “This kid has got way too much upside for something like that to happen. That’s just me and what I would be thinking if I had Theory in this position.”
“He could beat anybody on the card if the situation is right.”
Booker T on Theory possibly cashing in on Roman Reigns.
Theory could (in theory) be the next Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, but that’s not the only piece of gold on his mind.
It has been confirmed that at Summerslam, Theory will take on new United States Champion Bobby Lashley for the title.
Theory lost the U.S. Title to Lashley at Money in the Bank prior to winning the Men’s Ladder match, making him the first Superstar to lose a title and win the coveted briefcase on the same night.
The Next Face of WWE
On the topic of Who is the next Face of WWE?, we recently wrote this feature looking at 5 WWE Superstars that we feel have the potential to carry the company after Roman Reigns:
A big-time WWE superstar will be making his return this Friday.
WWE is known for having larger-than-life characters. Some feel that the star power has been running thin, however. We’ve seen key injuries to the likes of main eventers such as Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton.
There have also been megastars that have taken reduced schedules but one major name is set to return.
Roman Reigns Returns This Week
(via WWE)
Roman Reigns is the WWE Undisputed Universal Champion. Fans haven’t been able to see much of him, however.
That’s because Reigns inked a new deal with WWE that will allow him to work fewer dates. He hasn’t been seen since successfully defending his title against Riddle on the June 17 episode of SmackDown before being laid out by Brock Lesnar.
WWE has announced that Roman Reigns will be back on the July 8 episode of SmackDown in Fort Worth, TX.
It’ll be interesting to see what he’ll have to say after being attacked by Lesnar during his last appearance.
Eric Bischoff is actually in favor of WWE and their decision to book Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar yet again.
WWE has received a bit of push back for again booking Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar opposite one another for the World Title. The pairing of Reigns and Lesnar has been made several times already.
The duo have headlined numerous WrestleManias opposite one another, as well as SummerSlams. Now, they’ll rematch yet again at SummerSlam on July 30. It will be their rematch from WrestleMania 38 this past April, where they also headlined.
Recently, former WCW president Eric Bischoff took to his podcast, “83 Weeks” to offer his take on the situation. Bischoff actually supports the booking, and dove a little deeper to explain why.
“I can’t wait to see it. I know they’ve wrestled seven times or whatever it is – seven, eight, 20, whatever. It doesn’t matter. Remember when Brock came back most recently, when it was first announced that Brock was coming back?
“I think it was on 83 Weeks, I said, ‘You know what, it’s not gonna do anything for me. If he’s gonna come back as the same old Brock – the man killer, one dimensional, no promos, go out and eat people and spit them out, go home – it’s not gonna do a thing for me.’
“We’ve seen that guy. A lot of him. This is not that guy. This Brock Lesnar is a completely different Brock Lesnar in many respects. He’s a different character. He’s having more fun when he goes out there. He’s not relying on Paul [Heyman].
“He’s cutting a lot of his own promos. He’s coming to the ring looking and feeling like the Brock Lesnar that I know. I’m not suggested I know him real well, but he’s a farmer cowboy. He’s coming out there with a different vibe.
“So yes, we’ve seen the match before, but we haven’t seen this character before. So let’s just wait and see. I’m not against it. I think it’s awesome.”
The pair have been exchanging words through the media in recent weeks, as fans have witnessed that relationship go sour in a hurry. As for Bischoff and WWE, Bischoff actually worked for WWE briefly as close back as 2019, however, that only lasted for a few months.
Now, Bischoff is a member of the “Ad Free Shows” network hosting several podcasts and analyzing the professional wrestling world as a former executive and current fan.
Everyone wants to be the best at what they do, and professional wrestling is no exception.
In WWE today, it’s safe to consider Roman Reigns the biggest Superstar of the current era, as the “Head of the Table” is now in his 661st day as Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.
Reigns has dominated WWE since his heel turn and title win in August 2020, but Seth Rollins believes he has a leg-up on the Champ.
Rollins’ Comment
This week, the New York Post published an article, saying that Rollins is on an all-time run in WWE.
The article said that Rollins’ current run may be better than the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.
Responding, Rollins told the NYP to drop the maybe, assuring that he is definitively better than the “Tribal Chief.
Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns have had their careers compared for years, thanks in part to their simultaneous debuts at Survivor Series 2012.
In terms of metrics, Reigns has a clear advantage, being taller, bigger, and with more World Championships to his name.
However, Rollins is often considered the better wrestler between the two given the multiple styles he can bring to the ring.
Rollins is considered by many to be the more popular of the two, given that Reigns was hated by fans for much of his tenure as a babyface.
“The Architect” also has some accolades Reigns does not have, including two tenures as Intercontinental Champion, as well as being a former Mr. Money in the Bank.
Rollins is also the only person to hold a PLE victory over Reigns since the latter’s heel turn, albeit via disqualification at the 2022 Royal Rumble.
With that said, it’s clear which name WWE considers to be a bigger star, as while Rollins competes each week, Reigns’ appearances are becoming rarer and treated as a much bigger deal.
Roman Reigns’ WWE SummerSlam opponent has been revealed.
Reigns made his latest defense of the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Riddle in the main event of Friday’s episode of SmackDown. Brock Lesnar also made his return. It had the stipulation that if Riddle loses then Riddle can’t challenge for the title as long as Reigns is champion.
The match saw Reigns dominate the majority of it until Riddle made a comeback with Randy Orton’s signature moves. At one point, Riddle hit an RKO for a near fall. Reigns hit a spear for the win.
Post-match, Reigns said there is no one left and he wrecked Riddle then he’s leaving. Lesnar walked out to have a face-to-face with Reigns before extending his hand and Reigns went to shake it before Lesnar hit an F5.
This marked the first televised title defense for Reigns since he unified the WWE and Universal Championships at WrestleMania 38. It was also the first time we saw Lesnar on TV since Mania.
Riddle earned the title shot when he beat Sami Zayn in the main event of last week’s SmackDown with the stipulation that he would earn the shot at Reigns with a win. However, Riddle would be banned from SmackDown with a loss. Riddle pinned Zayn with an RKO. Post-match, he fought off an attack from The Usos.
Originally, Reigns was slated to defend the title against Riddle at Money in the Bank, but WWE nixed plans for Reigns at the show once they moved from Allegiant Stadium to the smaller T-Mobile Arena due to weak ticket sales.
Reigns’ next PPV title defense will be at SummerSlam and it’ll be against Lesnar as WWE announced once SmackDown went off the air. It’ll be a Last Man Standing Match.
It had been reported that there were plans in place for a big WWE Undisputed Universal Title match at SummerSlam but some changes are likely in order.
Backup Plan For Roman Reigns’ Opponent
(via WWE)
WWE had been targeting a title match between WWE Undisputed Universal Champion Roman Reigns and Randy Orton for SummerSlam. Fightful has reported that WWE now fears that Orton’s back injury could keep him out for the remainder of 2022.
Orton may need surgery.
Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that WWE does have a backup plan in the event Orton can’t go. It’s noted that the backup plan is not Riddle.
Roman is scheduled to put his gold on the line against Riddle on the June 17 episode of WWE SmackDown. If Riddle loses, then he can never challenge Roman for the championship again.
One superstar on the WWE SmackDown roster believes he has what it takes to defeat Roman Reigns.
The “Tribal Chief” is the reigning WWE Undisputed Universal Champion. He was promoted to undisputed status after defeating Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 38. Going into that match, Reigns was the Universal Champion, while Lesnar was the WWE Champion.
Reigns has long dominated the main event scene but could his time be running out?
“Why Not Madcap?”
(via WWE)
During an appearance on KFAN 100.3’s Power Trip Morning Show After Party Podcast, Madcap Moss expressed his belief that he can be the one to take the undisputed gold from Roman Reigns in due time.
“Then, you know, this one at this point may seem like a bit of a stretch to some people. Because the guy’s just an absolute all-time run right now. But I’d love to get a shot at Roman Reigns.
“I mean, he is the pinnacle of the business right now. He likes to say he’s in God mode, and it’s hard to disagree with him. God meaning ‘Greatness On a Different Level.’ I mean, it’s just unbelievable what he’s done over the past 8-10 years, but specifically in the last few.
“He’s really just been untouchable in every aspect of the business. But I think that someone needs to eventually dethrone the guy I look at myself and I say, ‘Why not Madcap?’ So, I got my work cut out for me.
Roman Reigns will not be on Monday Night Raw very often this summer.
Reigns is the WWE Undisputed Universal Champion. He also happens to be the biggest star in WWE.
The problem WWE is left with, however, is that the “Tribal Chief” signed a new deal that sees him work fewer dates. Many have criticized the company for putting both world titles on Reigns only to extend his deal for fewer shows.
Now, word has gotten out that Reigns won’t even be on Raw for most of the summer.
Roman Reigns’ Lone Raw Appearance
Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer has reported that Reigns is only scheduled to make one WWE Raw appearance this summer. That being the Madison Square Garden show in New York City on July 25th.
It was reported by WrestleVotes that WWE’s creative team had no clue that Reigns would sign on for fewer dates when the decision was made to unify the world titles.
The thought was that Reigns having both championships would actually lead to more appearances on both brands.
Roman Reigns hasn’t wrestled in a match since WrestleMania Backlash on May 8. That’s about to change, however.
He will be putting the WWE Undisputed Universal Championship on the line against Riddle on the June 17th episode of SmackDown. If Riddle loses, he can never challenge Roman for the gold again.
When WWE first decided to put the Undisputed WWE Universal Title on Roman Reigns, it didn’t seem like a bad idea.
After all, Reigns is the top star in the company. On top of that, fans had been clamoring for just one recognized world champion in WWE as the feeling among some was that having two champions devalued the importance of having a world title.
When Reigns defeated Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 38, there was some hope that one recognized world champion would do some good for WWE.
That was before the company’s world champion took on a reduced schedule.
Creative Unaware of Roman Reigns’ New Deal
(via WWE)
A new report from WrestleVotes claims that when WWE’s creative team decided to put both the WWE and WWE Universal Championships on Roman Reigns, they weren’t aware that he had been working on a new deal.
The report notes that the team was under the impression that Reigns would actually be making more appearances on both Raw and SmackDown.
Obviously, that hasn’t been the case. The “Tribal Chief” ended up inking a new contract with WWE that sees him working fewer dates.
While WWE claimed that there wouldn’t be much of a difference, Reigns has missed a few weeks of television and will finally be making his return on the June 17 episode of SmackDown.
Reigns will put the Undisputed WWE Universal Title on the line against Riddle. If Riddle loses, he can never challenge Roman for the championship again.
This November will mark a decade since Roman Reigns debuted on WWE’s main roster, and the “Head of the Table” is no stranger to championship gold.
A former United States, Intercontinental, and Tag Team Champion, he is also the reigning Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, now in his 653rd day of this reign.
Whether fans cheer him or boo him, Roman Reigns has proven to be a success in WWE and he could take his success to another industry.
Reigns in the UFC?
Speaking with The Philadelphia Inquirer, Roman Reigns’ special counsel Paul Heyman praised the “Tribal Chief,” saying that he would fit right in in the UFC.
“He has the agility and aptitude of a Division I athlete, and don’t ever lose sight that Roman Reigns could be the UFC heavyweight champion in a heartbeat.”
Roman Reigns
Heyman added that the mystique around Reigns as “The Tribal Chief” betrays what an extremely “tough man and athlete” he is.
Interestingly enough, Reigns’ next challenger for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship knows all about competing inside the Octagon.
Reigns Vs. Riddle
While Reigns could hold the UFC Heavyweight Championship, at least according to Heyman, the Tribal Chief’s focus will be on this Friday’s SmackDown.
On the show, Reigns will defend his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Riddle, a match that was originally scheduled for Money in the Bank 2022.
On Raw, it was announced that if Riddle loses, he will no longer be able to challenge for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship as long as Reigns is champion.
The stage is set for a big WWE title match on next week’s edition of SmackDown.
On the June 10 episode, Riddle took on Sami Zayn in the main event. The stipulation was that if Riddle won, he’d get a shot at Roman Reigns for the WWE Undisputed Universal Championship on June 17.
If he lost, he would be barred from SmackDown.
Roman Reigns vs. Riddle Official
In an exciting SmackDown main event, Riddle defeated Zayn with the RKO. After the match, The Usos attacked Riddle but one-half of RK-Bro sent them packing by retaliating with kendo stick shots.
Reigns will now put the undisputed gold on the line for the first time against Riddle on the June 17 episode of SmackDown.
The match is happening on that date as Reigns isn’t scheduled for the Money in the Bank premium live event on July 2.
There will be a big fight feel for this year’s SummerSlam event when it comes to one title match.
WWE SummerSlam will take place inside Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee on July 30. Some big names are expected for the show.
Many anticipate the likes of Roman Reigns, Ronda Rousey, Charlotte, and potentially Brock Lesnar to appear. With this being a stadium show and one of WWE’s biggest events of the year, the heavy hitters will be out in full force.
Roman Reigns vs. Randy Orton
(via WWE)
Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio reports that Roman Reigns is currently set to put the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship on the line against Randy Orton at SummerSlam.
WWE has been running an injury storyline with Orton. The story told by WWE is that Orton could barely walk ahead of the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Title match against The Usos on the May 20 episode of SmackDown.
Sports Illustrated recently reported that Reigns isn’t scheduled to be on the Money in the Bank card. If that plan sticks, then Roman’s next title defense will likely be against Orton instead of Riddle.
The SmackDown brand has been feeling the effects of Roman’s new WWE deal in recent weeks. The new contract allows Reigns to work fewer dates and his absence has been noticeable on the blue brand.
It appears Roman Reigns is no longer on the docket for Money in the Bank.
Reigns is considered to be the biggest player in WWE at the moment. He is the current Undisputed WWE Universal Champion but he’s taking the road less traveled these days.
“The Tribal Chief” inked a new deal with WWE that sees him work fewer dates. Some believe that the 37-year-old could be winding down his career and WWE will need to build new stars quickly.
For now, Reigns is still the top dog in WWE and his presence has been missed on Friday Night SmackDown.
Roman Reigns Reportedly Skipping MITB
(via WWE)
Those hoping to see Roman Reigns in action at the Money in the Bank premium live event on July 2 may not want to hold their breath.
Sports Illustrated is reporting that Reigns is no longer scheduled to be on the MITB card.
It had been reported that Reigns was likely to meet Riddle at MITB and then Randy Orton at SummerSlam. The dates were said to be interchangeable.
When WWE moved Money in the Bank from Allegiant Stadium to the MGM Grand Garden Arena, the company stopped advertising Roman for the show.
It’s possible that WWE could feel pressured to try to get Roman on the show since Cody Rhodes suffered a completely torn pectoral muscle and will be out of action for possibly four to six months.
Roman Reigns continues to rack up accolades during his time in WWE.
The secret has long been out, Reigns is the top dog in WWE. While the company always tried pushing the former Shield member, things just always seemed to be forced.
That changed with Reigns aligned himself with Paul Heyman, becoming the “Tribal Chief” in the process. Reigns eventually convinced The Usos to join him through some tough love. Together, they are known as “The Bloodline.”
Roman Reigns Surpasses Future Hall of Famer
At this point, Roman Reigns is a surefire future WWE Hall of Famer. You can say the same about Randy Orton. Speaking of “The Viper,” Orton has been passed by Roman on the all-time list for most days as WWE world champion.
Orton has a total of 815 days as a world champion in WWE, while Roman Reigns has surpassed him and continues to add to that total.
