Being a Paul Heyman Guy has long been synonymous with superstardom in professional wrestling, and the WWE Hall of Famer is keeping a watchful eye on WWE’s current roster. In a conversation with SHAK Wrestling, Heyman shared his thoughts on the next potential ‘Paul Heyman Guy’ from today’s crop of talent.
“GUNTHER, Damian Priest, Bron Breakker, Liv Morgan, Rhea Ripley, and others are remarkable talents. This roster is the deepest and most talented in the history of the industry.”
Few wrestlers have embraced the Paul Heyman Guy label as openly as CM Punk, who popularized the term during his iconic June 2011 Pipebomb promo. While Punk’s affiliation with Heyman became a defining trait, it was also a challenge during his early WWE career.
“CM Punk battled against the perception that all he was was a ‘Paul Heyman Guy.’ He proved himself through his connection with the audience, his hard work, and overcoming being misrepresented as a performer who needed ‘smoke and mirrors.'”
According to Heyman, Punk has grown into a more compelling character over the years. The legendary manager, who worked with Punk from 2012 to 2013, believes the Chicago-born star now shares a deeper, more meaningful connection with the WWE Universe than ever before.
Outside of Punk and Roman Reigns, Brock Lesnar is arguably the superstar most associated with Heyman. From Lesnar’s WWE debut in March 2002 to his explosive return a decade later, Heyman has been by the Beast Incarnate’s side for many of his most pivotal moments.
“Brock was unlike any human being you’ve ever seen. He was a once-in-a-lifetime commodity that needed to be marketed as the undisputed number one.”
Roman Reigns is far more than just a WrestleMania headliner, says Paul Heyman, crediting the Bloodline saga as the catalyst for Reigns’ meteoric rise. Since aligning with Heyman in 2020, Reigns has transformed from an often-criticized face into WWE’s most dominant figure, compelling even his harshest detractors to “acknowledge him.”
In an interview with SHAK Wrestling, Heyman reflected on Reigns’ evolution. The 2024 WWE Hall of Famer highlighted how Reigns’ career, while already significant before The Bloodline storyline, has reached unprecedented heights over the last four years.
“Before the Bloodline, Roman was a WrestleMania main eventer. Now, he’s the guy, the top star in the industry, and the centerpiece of WWE’s resurgence into its Platinum era.”
Reigns’ rise is not the only success of the Bloodline saga. Heyman also discussed how the storyline has elevated others, most notably Sami Zayn. He explained how Zayn’s career trajectory changed dramatically once he became part of the narrative.
“Six weeks after being the foil for Johnny Knoxville at WrestleMania, Sami Zayn was in the locker room with the Bloodline, and less than a year later, people debated whether he or Cody Rhodes should main event WrestleMania against Roman Reigns.”
This Saturday, Reigns and Zayn will team up with The Usos and CM Punk to face Solo Sikoa’s faction in WarGames at Survivor Series. For Zayn and The Usos, this marks another milestone in their main event careers—an achievement that seemed unimaginable before their integration into WWE’s most compelling and dominant faction. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest updates on the Bloodline and Survivor Series: WarGames, including breaking news and live results.
Roman Reigns plans to have a similar approach to his Hollywood career as his recent WWE run.
After spending a decade being a full-time wrestler, Reigns has successfully transitioned to a part-time schedule in the past couple of years. Though unlike other part-time workers, Roman continues being the center of the company’s top storyline despite having wrestled only 16 matches since 2023.
The Original Tribal Chief was asked if he has any plans for a Hollywood transition during an interview with SI Media podcast. Reigns explained that not doing some acting work would be a waste of the talents he has developed as part of his wrestling career:
“I’ve said this before there’s so many tools and skills that I’ve built and learned along my way in WWE that it would probably be a waste if I didn’t somewhat transition and use some of these skills.
I don’t know if I would want to go to the full extent of Dwayne [Johnson] or even John [Cena]. Dave [Bautista] is very busy as well, he seems to have a little more balance in the way he conducts his schedule maybe. But you can tell he wants that; he wants to be that guy too.”
Though Roman Reigns is not looking to make a full-time transition where he’ll be working on multiple projects at the same time. According to him, he wants to make really good movies without oversaturating the market:
“If I’m going to make movies, I want to make really good movies and I want to be a part of really good stories. I want to work with a really good crew. People ,you know, directors and production teams who know what they’re doing. People I can learn from.
I want to work with other experienced actors. I don’t have an ego…so one of my things is, I want to be able to work with people who know what they’re doing and bring something great to the table as well that I can you know take with me. Steal a couple pages from their playbook and we can all make some great money together. But I don’t feel the need to oversaturate that or do too much in that space.”
The former Undisputed Champion discussed how he would also want to have enough time to spend with his kids. Even when he makes the transition and can’t take bumps anymore, however, he’ll continue his association with WWE:
“I plan on taking care of myself so I’ll probably be able to come back and kick someone’s ass no matter what. At least play that role anyways. Look it, and then have somebody fall down for me. But yeah good projects I definitely would love to be a part of.”
Roman Reigns says that the match with The Rock could still happen if the fans want it but they can also pivot things to a different direction if needed.
The Original Tribal Chief spoke to SI Media podcast recently to discuss a wide variety of topics including his status for the Raw Netflix premiere, his SummerSlam return, Paul Heyman’s recent behaviour, and a lot more.
When asked if the match with The Great One could still happen, the former Undisputed Champion explained that WWE is a company that always listens to fans. While they don’t let individuals dictate their programming, they work hard to satisfy the paying consumer in a way that enables the company to grow further:
“I think our fan base and the company’s proven that if our fans are loud enough and passionate enough about something [it’ll happen]. We’re a company who, we’re not being dictated to, and of course we have a vision for where we’re trying to go.
But we know who the consumers are, we know who’s paying their hard-earned money. We want to satisfy those people. But we have to do it in a regard that’s going to attract more eyes and bring more people in. Dwayne’s always going to be in that role. He’s always going to be a guy that just magnetizes and makes the broadcast even bigger. So if that’s the case and that the people want it.”
The Final Boss showed up at Bad Blood last month to confirm that his story with Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes is not over just yet. Though there have been conflicting reports on what the next chapter of this feud with look like. One source suggests that the appearance was not building toward the obvious Roman Reigns vs. The Rock match for WrestleMania 41.
The Tribal Chief seemingly referenced the uncertainty of plans concerning The Hollywood star discussing how WWE has developed many talents who can take the center stage if needed. Roman Reigns is not backing away from the fight however, if the People’s Champion is down for it:
“But that’s what’s cool is, man, we’ve had such a strong set of talent in our roster. Who would have thought that Cody could have had so much admiration that it could have broke up the plans of Tribal Chief vs. The People’s Champion.
That in its own right is pretty outstanding. It’s amazing. So I think that just kind of goes back to – Yeah there’s a lot of meat on the bone and if Dwayne can’t come in and just boom – this is how it is brother.
Then that’s when you know you’re cooking up with some really good ingredients. I think that’s what makes…that’s why he is tied in the way he is. That’s why he’s a part of the board and a part of everything the way he is. Because we’re at an unprecedented time right now. Business is great and we just want to continue to push things up. So if that’s what the people want, and the people’s champ is down – I’m sure we can make something happen.”
Cody Rhodes may have finished the story at WrestleMania 40, but Roman Reigns wasn’t concerned about seeing Rhodes replace The Rock in Philadelphia.
Shortly after his second Royal Rumble win, Rhodes suggested that, despite his mission since returning to WWE, he wouldn’t challenge Reigns at WrestleMania. Not only that, but Rhodes stepped aside to allow The Rock the chance, infuriating fans who felt like the popular babyface was being cast aside for the part-timer. The hostile reaction from fans would see WWE correct course and Cody choose to challenge Reigns in Philadelphia.
Reigns Vs. Rock is an unquestionable dream match but this was not the right time for such a contest. Speaking to SI Media, Roman admitted to not being concerned about whether it was his cousin or the American Nightmare who he faced.
“It doesn’t matter to me. I was the main event… I am the hot chick, everyone wanted to take me out.”
Instead of The Rock Vs. Roman Reigns, the two were allies on WrestleMania 40: Saturday where the pair defeated Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins. The match saw Rock abuse his power as a member of TKO’s Board of Directors, ensuring that the official did exactly what was ordered by the ‘Final Boss.’
With WrestleMania 41 set to take place in April 2025, speculation continues to grow as to what role The Rock will play at the PLE. The Final Boss has already dismissed “bull***” reports that he won’t be at the event, with speculation growing of a potential triple threat with Rhodes and Reigns. Whatever comes in Las Vegas, fans can expect Roman Reigns in the main event, a spot that the OTC feels is rightfully his.
Roman Reigns has confirmed that he’ll be making an appearance at Raw’s Netflix premiere on January 6.
The Monday night show’s debut on the streaming platform is shaping up to be a PPV-level event with names such as Cody Rhodes, John Cena, CM Punk, and more being announced already.
The Tribal Chief was also asked about his status for the specific episode and beyond during a recent appearance on the SI Media podcast. Reigns confirmed that he is booked for the premiere:
“I’m not exactly sure. I’m just trying to get to the premiere. I’m on the premiere. I don’t think I can share too much more than that at this point.
With Netflix spending an average of $500 million per year for the 10-year deal, it’s not hard to imagine that the company would want to see WWE’s top names being featured on Raw including The Head of The Table. It won’t come easy however, as USA officials would like the current lineup for SmackDown to remain as it is.
Roman Reigns knows that he’ll be the subject of a tug-of-war between the two platforms. Though he is not giving anything away when it comes to his future appearances beyond the January 6 show. The former Undisputed champion claimed that they have not scheduled his dates beyond the show just yet:
“We haven’t scheduled my exact dates for going into WrestleMania from Rumble forward, but that is definitely a topic that has to be addressed. It’s an understandable one for the impact, the amount of money that is part of this deal.
I completely understand. These are all great problems to have. Nobody loves being in the tug of war more than me. It usually works out pretty good.”
The OG Tribal Chief will be leading the team of Sami Zayn, the Usos and CM Punk against Solo Sikoa’s Bloodline and Bronson Reed at the Survivor Series: WarGames event on November 30. There are a lot of moving parts in this story.
Fans believe Paul Heyman, who brought Punk into the fold might double-cross Roman for abandoning him after WrestleMania 40. There is also the possibility of The Final Boss making a surprise appearance like he did at Bad Blood.
Cody Rhodes may be the WWE Champion and Roman Reigns may be the OTC, but neither star can compare to the social media presence of ‘The Rizzler.’ The alter ego of child social media personality Christian Joseph, The Rizzler has been a viral sensation in 2024, and as seen in the Google Trends chart below, is dominating WWE’s two top Superstars.
Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns fighting over #2 while the 7 year old Rizzler is the Google search champion
The Rizzler’s viral influence is being felt in the world of professional wrestling, as are the similarly popular Costco Guys. At this weekend’s AEW Full Gear pay-per-view, The Rizzler will serve as the special guest timekeeper when A.J. Befumo takes on QT Marshall.
Who Is The Rizzler?
The Rizzler is a seven-year-old social media sensation who has exploded onto the scene in 2024. Currently, The Rizzler has amassed over 750,000 followers on Instagram and has surpassed 1.3 million followers on TikTok.
The popularity of The Rizzler, the Costco Guys, and others goes to show how celebrity culture has changed, and how one doesn’t need to be on TV each week like Rhodes and Reigns to become a globally-recognizable name. WWE is well aware of this, as Logan Paul was a huge name with his online videos before he stepped foot in the ring.
Whether The Rizzler has a greater role to play at AEW Full Gear beyond his timekeeping duties, that remains to be seen. But no matter what happens at this weekend’s pay-per-view, expect The Rizzler’s involvement to generate a ton of buzz on social media.
Solo Sikoa’s Bloodline has recruited their fifth member for the upcoming WarGames match and it might be a matter of huge concern for Roman Reigns and his teammates.
This week’s episode of SmackDown from Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin featured Sikoa and his cousins in a segment. Sikoa took the mic and asked Milwaukee to acknowledge him.
Roman Reigns then came out with Sami Zayn and The Usos and the two sides got into a brawl. Reigns took out Solo with a spear and then he came face to face with Jacob Fatu in the ring as others fought outside.
Before the Tribal Chief could get his hands on the Samoan Werewolf however, Bronson Reed attacked him from behind, revealing himself as the fifth member of the team consisting of Solo, Fatu, Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa.
The two teams then continued the brawl for a while. The segment finally ended with Reed and others standing tall after the former delivered a Tsunami to Roman Reigns:
This wasn’t the only major development in the Bloodline story tonight. After getting beaten up during the brawl segment, the Usos urged Roman Reigns to ‘make the call.’
SmackDown then ended with a backstage segment where Roman finally decided to call his ‘Wiseman’ Paul Heyman. The call couldn’t connect, however, and Roman got an automated message saying that the number was out of service.
This segment makes things very interesting as Roman’s group is still one member short for WarGames. The big question now is if Paul Heyman will return before Survivor Series on November 30 and help them find a suitable name to finally complete the team.
WWE has teased Paul Heyman’s return to TV, though there might still be some road bumps in the way of his reunion with Roman Reigns.
The Tribal Chief has successfully reassembled the original Bloodline ahead of his WarGames match with Solo Sikoa’s Bloodline at Survivor Series. They are still one member short of the requirement for the upcoming match, however.
The group of Reigns, Sami Zayn and the Usos will need a real powerhouse to counter Bronson Reed who was revealed as the fifth member of the opposite team during the November 15 SmackDown.
Reigns apparently felt the need to bring Heyman back into the fold after Reed took him out during the show. He was seen calling The Wise Man after the main event. Unfortunately for the former World Champion, the call failed to connect and it was revealed that the number was not in service anymore:
The fact that the call got such a huge pop and then the air was taken out of everyone's lungs when it didn't connect….the story going this strong 3 years in is just unbelievable. #WWESmackDown#RomanReignspic.twitter.com/Nkx74pk57x
— Anutosh Bajpai || SEScoops || Wrestling News (@AuthorAnutosh) November 16, 2024
Paul Heyman was last seen on WWE TV during the June 28th episode of SmackDown. Heyman refused to acknowledge Solo as the Tribal Chief and was subsequently taken out by Sikoa and his cousins.
Elsewhere in the show, we saw Sami Zayn trying to recruit US Champion LA Knight as the fifth member of their WarGames team. Knight, however, refused the offer before being attacked by a returning star.
With only 2 more episodes of SmackDown to go before Survivor Series on November 30, the big question is who will finally join Roman and his allies in the upcoming battle and if Heyman will play a role in finding the final member.
The reunion of Roman Reigns and The Usos proved to be in vain at WWE Crown Jewel as the trio fell victim to The Bloodline in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
At WWE’s latest event in Saudi Arabia, Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, and Jacob Fatu defeated Reigns, Jimmy, and Jey Uso with Sikoa getting the pinfall over the OTC. Reigns and The Usos formally reunited on this week’s SmackDown, albeit with Jey Uso making clear he hasn’t forgotten at the past.
After the match, Solo’s Bloodline continued their assault on Reigns and The Usos. This was interrupted by Sami Zayn, who teased aligning with Solo before attacking the new Tribal Chief. Reigns and The Usos recovered to fight back against the new Bloodline. When Sami went for a kick though, he accidentally clocked Reigns while Solo was able to escape.
WWE Crown Jewel is taking place from the Mohammad Abdo Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The card for the show is as follows:
Roman Reigns and The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) vs. The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, and Tama Tonga) (with Tonga Loa)
Cody Rhodes Vs. GUNTHER (WWE Crown Jewel Championship)
Nia Jax Vs. Liv Morgan (WWE Women’s Crown Jewel Championship)
Seth “Freakin” Rollins vs. Bronson Reed
Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens
LA Knight (c) vs. Andrade vs. Carmelo Hayes (WWE U.S. Championship)
Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair (c) vs. Damage CTRL (Kairi Sane and Iyo Sky) vs. Meta-Four (Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson) vs. Chelsea Green and Piper Niven (WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship)
Roman Reigns will be in action at WWE Crown Jewel, in what will be just the fifth match of this year for the Original Tribal Chief.
After this week’s SmackDown, WWE taped next week’s episode of the blue brand, as WWE will be in Riyadh next Friday preparing for the Premium Live Event. During the tapings, an in-ring promo showed Reigns and The Usos united in the ring, and a match will see the Original Bloodline take on the new Bloodline. At this time, there’s no word on which three members will represent Solo Sikoa’s group.
The match will be Reigns’ first time competing since WWE Bad Blood where he and Cody Rhodes defeated Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu. Reigns currently boasts a 3-1 win/loss record in 2024, with his only loss coming to Rhodes at WrestleMania.
The match at Crown Jewel has raised questions about Survivor Series, as fans have predicted that the two sides will do battle on November 30, inside WarGames. With these matches typically being at least four-on-four affairs, Reigns and The Usos will need an extra man to take on Sikoa, Fatu, Tama Tonga, and Tonga Loa.
WWE Crown Jewel will take place on November 2, and mark WWE’s latest event in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest from Crown Jewel, including live results and breaking news.
For years, The Usos established themselves as one of the greatest tag teams in WWE history, with multiple title reigns and records to their name. The pair split in 2023, but now, Jimmy and Jey are finally back together in a huge move that also saw the tag team championships change hands.
In the main event of the October 25, episode of WWE SmackDown, the Motor City Machine Guns faced Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa with the Bloodline’s gold on the line. Roman Reigns and Jimmy Uso brawled with The Bloodline during the match, before a hooded figure showed up and attacked Loa and Tonga. This mystery person revealed himself to be Jey Uso. The Motor City Machine Guns then scored the win.
Jimmy turned on Jey at WWE SummerSlam 2023, prompting Jey to split from his family and depart for Monday Night Raw. The pair later feuded, resulting in Jey besting his brother at WrestleMania 40 in April of this year. This loss would result in Jimmy being ousted from The Bloodline in April, and he’d be out of action until Bad Blood.
Now, The Usos are back on the same page and SmackDown has brand new Tag Team Champions in Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin. Stay tuned to SEScoops for all the developments on this angle now that Jimmy and Jey are back on the same page.
Since his 2020 transformation into the Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns has called on fans and Superstars alike to acknowledge him with many doing exactly that. On this week’s SmackDown, it was Reigns’ turn to acknowledge somebody else, though things didn’t go well for the Original Tribal Chief.
During the October 18, edition of SmackDown, Reigns and Jimmy Uso shared a backstage segment. Jimmy mentioned that Paul Heyman would likely suggest talking to Jey Uso. Roman, however, promised he would “fix things tonight.” When Jimmy asked how he planned to do that, Roman replied, “I’m going to acknowledge Solo.”
In the show’s closing segment, Reigns came out alone, declaring that the fans would acknowledge him “for the last time.” Solo Sikoa then arrived with The Bloodline and Sikoa demanded that Reigns acknowledge him. Roman, in a rare moment, complied: “I acknowledge you, does that make you feel better?” But Solo wasn’t satisfied. He wanted Roman to acknowledge him as the Tribal Chief.
Solo pressed Reigns to acknowledge him as Tribal Chief, telling him to do it “or else.” As the fans changed “no,” Reigns fired back, stating “or else, what?” Solo laughed, saying neither man has truly changed, before the Bloodline brought out a beaten, limping Jimmy Uso, clearly the victim of a backstage attack.
A brawl broke out and while Reigns tried to fight the Bloodline by himself, the numbers proved to be too much. As SmackDown went off the air, fans chanted “Solo sucks” while Solo Sikoa stood tall, declaring that the ring now belonged to him.
Atlanta got an initial surprise with a returning Jimmy Uso who helped Reigns and Rhodes win, but it was The Rock who closed out the show by stepping on the stage and staring down the good guys before walking off.
Dwayne Johnson had some more thoughts to share immediately after, going live on his Instagram, but he put his words to print Thursday afternoon as WWE SmackDown is set to air Friday night. Cody Rhodes may have finished his “story” at WrestleMania XL, but Rocky wants to make it clear his “story” was just getting started.
The show ain’t over, until the Final Boss says it’s over.
There’s no business like show business, and there’s no connection stronger and more electrifying than that of the people and the people’s champ.
The Rock hadn’t been seen on WWE programming since the Raw after WrestleMania where he had a tense exchange with Cody Rhodes, but his cameo at Bad Blood started paving the road to WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas.
During the Bad Blood press conference, Triple H remarked as to how much he appreciated The Rock still showing his love for WWE and taking the time out of his wild schedule to make the appearance.
Roman Reigns has posted a cryptic message ahead of his match tonight at the WWE Bad Blood 2024 Premium Live Event.
Taking to X ahead of the show, Reigns wrote “Tonight we show them. No words needed. #WWEBadBlood #OTC.”
Whilst the “we” he refers to is likely he and Cody Rhodes, there is a chance that he is teasing something else tonight, considering the rumors of The Rock making a return.
Here are all of the matches taking place at WWE Bad Blood tonight from State Farm Arena, which you can watch live or back on demand on WWE Network and Peacock.
Undisputed WWE Championship: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Kevin Owens
World Heavyweight Championship: GUNTHER (c) vs. Randy Orton
Strap Match: CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre
Mixed Tag Team Match: Rhea Ripley & Damian Priest vs. Dominik Mysterio & Liv Morgan
Women’s Tag Team Championships: Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn (c) vs. Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill
Whether you’re at home or on the go, here’s how you can stream Bad Blood 2024 on different devices:
Streaming on Mobile Devices
WWE Network App (International viewers): Also available for iOS and Android. Ensure you have a stable internet connection for a smooth viewing experience.
Peacock App (U.S. viewers): Available for both iOS and Android devices. Simply download the app, sign in with your subscription details, and start streamin
Fans can expect to see more of Roman Reigns on WWE television as the company looks to close out 2024 in a strong way.
Reigns had an unbelievable run as the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion that ended at the hands of Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 40. He went on a multi-month hiatus from WWE television as the company built up Solo Sikoa as the new Tribal Chief, signed the Tongas, and brought in Jacob Fatu to form a new Bloodline faction.
Reigns returned to WWE programming at SummerSlam by costing Sikoa his title shot against Rhodes in the main event. Since then, Reigns has gotten the upper hand on The Bloodline and vice versa.
In recent weeks, Reigns has aligned himself with Rhodes as a unit. They will team together to take on Fatu and Sikoa at WWE Bad Blood on October 5. On Wednesday, Reigns was announced for six WWE SmackDown episodes.
You can check out the schedule here:
October 11, 2024: Bon Secours Wellness Arena – Greenville, South Carolina
October 18, 2024: Colonial Life Arena – Columbia, South Carolina
October 25, 2024: Barclays Center – Brooklyn, New York
November 8, 2024: KeyBank Center – Buffalo, New York
November 15, 2024: The Fiserv Forum – Milwaukee, Wisconsin
November 22, 2024: Delta Center – Salt Lake City, Utah
It should be noted that WWE is advertising Reigns for Survivor Series on November 30 and Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 14.
At WWE Bad Blood on October 5, Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes will team up to take on The Bloodline, represented by Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu. With so much history between Reigns and Rhodes, including three WrestleMania main events as opponents, fans have naturally been skeptical as to whether the two will co-exist in Atlanta, Georgia.
On the latest episode of SmackDown, the two met in a cinematic video package filmed at Georgia Tech’s football field. Reigns opened by reflecting on his past as a football player at Georgia Tech, declaring Atlanta his territory. He then challenged Rhodes’ connection to the city, prompting Cody to cite his family’s deep roots in Atlanta, particularly their legacy at the State Farm Arena, the venue for Bad Blood.
Looking To The Future
Reigns then broached the topic of their tag match at Bad Blood and taunted his would-be tag-team partner by bringing up the Bloodline’s dominance. Reigns vowed that while they will be allies on October 5, once Bad Blood is finished, he will be coming after the Undisputed WWE Championship.
The segment ended with both men blocking each other’s attempts to leave. Reigns warned Rhodes, “You’re in my way in life,” before finally walking off ending his meeting with the American Nightmare on a tense note.
WWE Bad Blood 2024 will take place on October 5, from the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. Stay tuned to SEScoops for all the latest on Bad Blood including breaking news and live results.
Jey Uso has teased that The Bloodline story may be going in a different direction than fans are expecting after the return of Roman Reigns to WWE programming.
Solo Sikoa has taken over the role of The Tribal Chief after Reigns’ WrestleMania 40 loss to Cody Rhodes. He has since introduced a number of new members of the esteemed Anoa’i family to WWE programming.
Fans have been expecting to see Roman reuniting the old Bloodline with The Usos and Sami Zayn to take on this new threat after his return at SummerSlam.
Jey Uso was asked about the progression of the story and where he fits into it during an interview with Metro. He claimed that he doesn’t know what the plans are:
“I’m looking forward to the Bloodline storyline as much as you all are, because I’ll be honest, I don’t know what we’re going to do, I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Defying the expectations, Roman Reigns so far has made no attempts to reconcile with his old partners. He has instead found an unlikely ally in Cody Rhodes for the Bad Blood match against Solo and Jacob Fatu.
In the wake of the Survivor Series: WarGames event set for November 30; many are expecting to see him back on screen with his former allies soon.
The Yeet Man however is not sure if it will be natural for him to go back in light of the progression he has made as a singles star. He instead believes that the Original Tribal Chief could find the help he needs from other members of the family:
“I don’t know how we how they’re going to intertwine me back in there… Sami would be my first pick, right? It only makes sense. Hey, we might have other family members, more surprises, man!”
Roman Reigns leading a completely new group of Anoa’i family members is certainly a proposition that fits with the booking philosophy of focusing on new stars that WWE has adapted since Triple H took over as a booker.
There is no shortage of potential soldiers he can find in his family and names such as Zilla Fatu and Thamiko Fatu have already captured people’s eyes as potential future stars for the promotion.
Kurt Angle believes WWE made the mistake of pushing Roman Reigns too early but the Tribal Chief has followed through and proven why he is one of the best in the world.
The Head of The Table has been operating on a whole new level since his heel turn in 2020. With his character work, Reigns has led the company into a boom period like it hasn’t seen since the Attitude Era.
During a recent K & S WrestleFest virtual signing, Angle was asked if there is any current WWE star he would have loved to get in the ring with. The Olympic Gold Medallist unsurprisingly named the former world champion:
“Roman Reigns. I’m not gonna lie to you the kid’s been on fire. I will say this – he earned every bit that he’s gotten. I do believe the company pushed him a little too early and the fans didn’t wanna accept that but he’s followed through. He’s proven that he’s one of the best in the world right now.”
Kurt Angle was also asked about the work of Jacob Fatu. The wrestling veteran praised Fatu as well before mentioning how the whole Anoa’i family is filled with great wrestling talents:
“Yeah he’s doing really well too. All those guys [are] extremely talented. They all come from the same family, the same Samoan background but yeah, they’re all extremely good. They’ve always been. You look at Rikishi and the ones in the past. They have a great reputation of being great workers.”
Apart from Roman, Kurt Angle also praised a number of other current stars including Chad Gable, Seth Rollins and the current World Heavyweight Champion Gunther.
The WWE Hall of Famer said that the Ring General is a throwback to the past and he is as good in the ring as Eddie Guerrero or Chris Benoit.
Roman Reigns will be teaming up with an unlikely ally for his WWE return match against Bloodline at the upcoming Bad Blood PLE event.
The SmackDown season premiere on USA Network opened with Cody Rhodes defending the Undisputed WWE Championship against Solo Sikoa in a cage match.
The Bloodline didn’t like it when Cody managed to beat Solo once again with a Cross Rhodes to retain his title. The group attacked the American Nightmare once the bell rang. After Jacob Fatu landed a moonsault off the top rope, Sikoa ordered him to get to the top of the cage.
Before Fatu could fly, however, Roman Reigns’ music hit, and the Original Tribal Chief came out to a huge pop. He brawled with the Bloodline for a bit and took out the group with help from Cody. The two stood in the ring unsure of each other to end the segment.
Later in the episode, Nick Aldis revealed that Solo Sikoa & Jacob Fatu have challenged Rhode & Reigns for a match at the upcoming PLE. At first Cody declined the offer saying that he was done with The Bloodline and they were Roman’s problem.
The final segment of the show saw Roman Reigns taking the contract from Aldis and declaring that he didn’t need a tag team partner to take care of family business. Reigns proclaimed that he remains the Tribal Chief and that the WWE ring still belongs to him.
Cody Rhodes took an exception to this claim. He came out to tell his WrestleMania 40 opponent that WWE is not his anymore since he got dethroned at the Show of Shows. Solo Sikoa then came out with Jacob Fatu while Tanga Loa and Tama Tonga tried to take out Rhodes and Reigns from behind.
Roman and Cody sent the two crashing before Reigns signed the contract. Cody stared at him for a second before extending his hand to ask for the papers. The WWE Champion signed it as well, making the Head of the Table’s return match official.
WWE Bad Blood will take place at the State Farm Arena in Cody’s hometown of Atlanta, Georgia on Saturday, October 5. You can check out the other matches announced for the show here.
The first night of WWE SmackDown’s return to USA Network was pretty eventful with Roman Reigns’ big return opening the show and a big Bad Blood match being made official at the end of the episode.
The Original Tribal Chief made his return to confront the Bloodline after Cody Rhodes scored another victory over Solo Sikoa in the cage match. He made the save for the Undisputed WWE Champion and the two worked together for a bit to take out the faction.
Nick Aldis then announced that Cody and Roman will be teaming to take on The Bloodline at the upcoming WWE PPV. The American Nightmare declined the offer at first, claiming that he was done with the group.
The main event of the show then saw a confrontation between the two top stars being cut short by an attempted sneak attack from Tonga Loa and Tama Tonga. Realizing that he had no other choice, Rhodes finally agreed to the tag bout, signing the contract to end the broadcast.
WWE released a video of Roman Reigns after the show went off air. The former champion was the first to exit the ring and his expressions say that he is still not sure about the team up:
Roman Reigns returned to WWE at SummerSlamto cost Solo Sikoa in his Undisputed WWE Title match against Cody Rhodes. Reigns has since been taken out by Sikoa and his new Bloodline but that didn’t stop the Original Tribal Chief’s presence being felt in the NFL this week.
Reigns was recognized as part of the festivities surrounding the San Francisco 49ers, who kicked off their NFL season last night by taking on the New York Jets. Ahead of the game, the 49ers took to the field to Reigns’ WWE theme song.
Acknowledging the OTC clearly paid off for the San Francisco 49ers, who defeated the Jets 32-19. The 49ers made it to the Super Bowl last year but lost in a nail-biting game to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Roman Reigns and Football
Roman Reigns is a known fan of the San Francisco 49ers and correctly predicted they would make it to the Super Bowl ahead of last year’s season. Before dominating in WWE, Reigns was part of the off-season teams of the Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars and in 2008 played for the Edmonton Eskimos in the Canadian Football League.
As for his future in WWE, Reigns is expected to continue his feud with Solo Sikoa and the Bloodline once he returns to programming. Sikoa will challenge Cody Rhodes again, this time in a steel cage match, on this Friday’s SmackDown. The show will mark SmackDown’s premiere on the USA Network after five years with FOX.
Former WWE Undisputed Champion Roman Reigns recently reunited with WWE Hall of Famer Paul Heyman for a non-WWE appearance. ‘The Tribal Chief’ joined Heyman on-stage for Bloomberg Power Players New York and discussed WWE’s flagship show, Monday Night Raw finding a new home on Netflix, starting January 6th, 2025. Roman Reigns said that Raw airing on Netflix is the biggest deal of all time.
“I think this is the biggest deal of all-time, to be honest.”
– Roman Reigns on WWE’s deal with Netflix
The former WWE Undisputed Champion feels that after leading the live television for decades, the show moving to the streaming network is a huge milestone and a great opportunity to showcase their product. He said:
“… But the thing that changes the whole landscape for us is that we’ve been on linear television for decades now, and we’ve been the leader of that episodically. So, to take our program and to put it on a streaming network like Netflix, it’s just unheard of.
To go all the way back through our history to see where we are now and the growth that we’ve had really since 2020, when the world was upside down has just really been amazing. So it’s a big opportunity for us to not only showcase our product, but just what we’ve mastered with live television.”
– Roman Reigns
Roman Reigns enjoys challenges of PG content
Reigns also shared his thoughts on WWE potentially leaning into edgier content on Netflix. The 39-year-old wasn’t in favor of WWE going beyond PG limits with its move to Netflix. He noted that while WWE made a reputation of edgier content back in the day, he enjoys the challenges that comes with PG rating. He said:
“If we allow Paul to do Hall of Fame speeches non-stop, we’ll definitely push that envelope. But for me, I don’t know. I have always enjoyed the challenges of being PG and no offense to our predecessors and the people who came before us and the ratings that they revolved around, but to me, it’s a, it’s more challenging to be able to tell these stories. It also allows you a broader audience to connect to which I just really feel like. It’s always the goal.”
– Roman Reigns
He believes that there will be a room for experimenting but reckoned that WWE should stick to its core values and morals. He added:
“We want to reach as many people as possible. And I think there’s a fine limit to when you can cross that threshold where you push people off from the product. So I think there’s a nice, there’s going to be a nice little range there that we can play with. And, push the envelope in certain senses. But I think we need to stick to our values and the morals that we’ve set in place in the culture that we have now.”
– Roman Reigns
Raw will join Netflix in January next year and the agreement between the two parties spans ten years and exceeds $5 billion. The exclusive hosting of Raw on Netflix will begin in the U.S., Canada, U.K., and Latin America, with additional territories to be added eventually.
Netflix is set to become the home for all WWE shows and specials outside the U.S., including Raw, SmackDown, NXT, and Premium Live Events such as WrestleMania, SummerSlam, and Royal Rumble. WWE’s documentaries, original series, and the forthcoming projects will also be made available on Netflix internationally starting next year.
Baron Corbin got to hang out with Taylor Swift and saw some similarities between her and ‘The Tribal Chief’ in Roman Reigns. Speaking with SEScoops correspondent Scott Fishman for VInsider, Corbin recalled how great Taylor Swift was to interact with at a Kansas City Chiefs game who Corbin is a massive fan of.
“The magnitude that she brings to everything and anything. It was awesome, but the biggest takeaway for me is when you are around her, she doesn’t act like a star. She acts like a normal amazing person. She is very sweet. As soon as I was introduced to her, she gives you a big hug. Then you’re like, “This is crazy. She is the biggest star on the planet right now.” To see someone so humble and how they carry themselves. In that way, it’s nice to see. It really teaches you that when people have an ego they shouldn’t.”
Corbin said how great it was for someone as popular as Taylor to not have an ego and Baron noted that Reigns was like that for the WWE locker room.
my worlds colliding is crazy in what world is baron corbin chilling with taylor swift pic.twitter.com/96k1arGRFj
“It really teaches you that when people have an ego they shouldn’t. You look at how the biggest star in the world acts. You should be the same. It’s the same reason I say in our locker room that if Roman Reigns doesn’t have an ego, nobody on this roster should. He is the standard at the top.”
Corbin did say that he did thik there are similarities between wrestling fans and Swifties, noting that both fanbases are diehards. Both have a tendency to defend their cherished star with guns ablazing.
Swift shares added pro wrestling ties besides meeting up with Corbin.She notoriously babysat Jeff Jarrett’s kids with Jarrett noting how great Taylor was to his family during such a difficult time.
Former WWE Undisputed Champion Roman Reigns is set to reunite with WWE Hall of Famer Paul Heyman next month.
Bloomberg Live announced on social media that ‘The Original Tribal Chief’ and his ‘Special Counsel’ will be heading to New York and join Power Players. They will be sharing their future in the business.
It has been announced that the half-day experience will take place at Bloomberg World HQ in New York on Thursday, September 5, in conjunction with the US Open Tennis Championships. It has been advertised that the best in the business of sports will “engage in forward-thinking conversations, forge strategic partnerships, and gain insights that will empower you to stay ahead of the game.”
Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman joined forces back in 2020 and established dominance for the next four years. With Heyman by his side, Reigns elevated his career and had a historic World title reign for 1,300+ days. Reigns had also inducted Paul Heyman into the 2024 WWE Hall of Fame.
However, they haven’t been seen together ever since ‘The Head of The Table’ dropped his title to Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 40. Roman Reigns went on a hiatus but Heyman was featured on the shows with the newly formed Bloodline faction under Solo Sikoa, who now claims to be ‘The Tribal Chief’. Sikoa even attacked and dismissed Paul Heyman.
At this year’s SummerSlam, Roman Reigns finally returned to make it clear that he is ‘The Original Tribal Chief.’ He laid out Solo Sikoa alongside the other members of the Bloodline. However, weeks forward, the Bloodline turned the tables to take out Roman Reigns with a brutal attack.
