The wrestling world has come together to pay tribute to the legendary Afa Anoa’i after his passing earlier on Friday.

The 81-year-old had been battling health issues for a while. He was hospitalized due to pneumonia earlier this year and suffered a mild heart attack while he was in the hospital.

He also underwent a couple of surgeries to replace his Aortic Valve and treat fractures in his back after an unfortunate fall in May.

Afa had once again been hospitalized earlier this month and the wrestling veteran’s son confirmed the news of his passing on social media. A number of Anoa’i family members including Roman Reigns have since taken social media to pay tribute to the late star:

The Legendary Run of The Wild Samoans

Afa Anoa’i was part of the legendary tag team The Wild Samoans with his brother Sika. The team was best known for their run in the World Wrestling Federation which they joined in 1979.

Managed by Lou Albano, the duo won the WWF Tag Team Championships three times during their multiple runs with the company. Though they had plenty of accomplishments outside of the promotion as well.

The tag team won over a dozen different tag titles while travelling across America and competing for various NWA territories such as NWA Mid-America, NWA Detroit and NWA All-Star Wrestling.

After their wrestling career, the brothers opened the Wild Samoan Training Facility. They were also inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007. Afa’s brother Sika passed away back in June this year.

Since the news of his passing became public companies such as AEW, TNA and MLP, alongside individuals like Triple H, Natayla, Matt Hardy and more have come together to pay tribute to the legend. You can check out some of their posts below:

This week’s episode of SmackDown came live from Kia Center in Orlando, Florida and featured the Original Tribal Chief Roman Reigns in the main event.

The main event of the Blue Branded Show saw Solo Sikoa calling out the Head of The Table and Reigns came out to confront his former enforcer.

Roman got the upper hand early on and he even retrieved the Ula Fala from Sikoa. A returning Jacob Fatu however, turned things around.

The Bloodline then assaulted Roman Reigns and delivered a triple powerbomb to him on the announce desk. The show went off air with the faction standing tall.

WWE released a video on their YouTube channel in which Roman can be seen leaving the ring after the beatdown once the broadcast had ended:

• The Rock vs Roman Reigns Prediction: When Will the Match Happen?

SmackDown Dark Matches

This wasn’t all that happened after the show as there were two dark matches that also took place. In the first match, Sami Zayn defeated Santos Escobar.

The second match saw Gunther defending his World Heavyweight Championship against Jey Uso. The match ended in a DQ when Ludwig Kaiser interfered and Damian Priest came out to make the save.

The two teams then had a fun tag team match with a lot of crowd interaction. Priest paid tribute to The Undertaker during the bout by performing the Old School maneuver.

Damian won the match for his team after pinning Kaiser with a South of Heaven. Priest and Uso cut a promo after the bout ended to finally send the crowd home.

The anticipation for a potential showdown between The Rock and Roman Reigns has been building for years, but when could it happen?

With rumors and speculations consistently swirling as to when we will finally see the “Biggest Match in WWE History,” we look at the landscape of the company and when WWE may pull the trigger on his monumental clash.

The Rock vs Roman Reigns: WrestleMania 41?

Background on The Rock and Roman Reigns Feud

Roman Reigns, the self-proclaimed Tribal Chief and leader of the Samoan Dynasty, has dominated the main event scene for years.

His reign as the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion saw him overcome numerous challengers until his loss to Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania XL.

The return of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson to WWE earlier this year ignited new tensions for The Bloodline, and The Rock’s unexpected appearance and challenge to Reigns’ claim as the Head of the Table, before the company decided to pivot, means that there is still a story to tell down the line.

Predictions for WrestleMania 41

Will The Rock vs Roman Reigns Happen?

The likelihood of The Rock and Roman Reigns headlining WrestleMania 41 is pretty high, especially as it will be the first-ever WrestleMania on Netflix.

As noted, the match was initially planned for WrestleMania 40, but WWE pivoted due to fan support for Cody Rhodes.

However, the storyline between The Rock and Reigns is far from over, and WrestleMania 41 offers the perfect stage for this blockbuster bout, considering that The Great One has a fantastic working relationship with Netflix and they will be keen to make the first ‘Showcase of the Immortals’ on the streaming platform as massive as possible.

Hopefully we’ll get more of a sense of when this match could take place in the coming months, but ‘Mania 41 would make the perfect battleground for the final Bloodline encounter.

Fans will get to see plenty of Roman Reigns on SmackDown following the Original Tribal Chief’s return at WWE SummerSlam in Cleveland. Reigns is already set to appear at this Friday’s show and PW Insider now adds that he is being locally advertised for the September 16, edition of SmackDown in Orlando, Florida.

Reigns is also being promoted for the first episode of SmackDown on the USA Network. That show will take place on September 13, from the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington, and will serve as the launch of SmackDown on USA following five years with FOX.

Reigns returned to WWE programming at SummerSlam in his first appearance since WrestleMania 40. At the Biggest Party of the Summer, Reigns attacked Solo Sikoa, who had made a series of disparaging remarks about Reigns in the weeks leading up to the show.

Reigns’ Spear and Superman Punch combo ended up benefitting Cody Rhodes, the man who dethroned Reigns as Undisputed WWE Champion at WrestleMania 40. After attacking Sikoa, Reigns stared down the American Nightmare who is ready for a rematch with the Original Tribal Chief.

WWE SmackDown – August 9

Reigns isn’t the only massive name being promoted for tonight’s SmackDown from the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. LA Knight and Nia Jax, who won the United States title and WWE Women’s title at SummerSlam respectively, are also being promoted for the show, as is Cody Rhodes. AJ Styles is also reportedly set to make his return in what will be his first appearance on WWE TV since Clash at the Castle: Scotland.

WWE fans won’t have to wait long to hear Roman Reigns explain his actions in the closing moments of Saturday’s WWE SummerSlam premium live event.

Roman Reigns is now advertised for Friday’s August 9, 2024 edition of WWE SmackDown from Tulsa, Oklahoma at the BOK Center. This marks his first SmackDown appearance since Friday, April 5 at the start of WrestleMania weekend.

Reigns returned to WWE at the conclusion of SummerSlam to deliver a Superman Punch to Solo Sikoa and declare himself as the OTC (Original Tribal Chief). You can be sure he’s got a lot on his mind about everything that’s transpired with The Bloodline since WrestleMania. There’s a Bloodline Civil War brewing, but we know Reigns has even more waiting for him.

Roman Reigns Returns to WWE as a Babyface

It’s also worth noting that Reigns, along with Rhea Ripley and Damien Priest, are all listed as babyfaces on WWE’s internal roster, according to PWInsider. The Bloodline are the most hated heels in WWE, but Reigns’ opposition of the group he founded is guarantee that he’ll portraying a ‘good guy’ on television. WWE’s decision to position Reigns as a hero for this next run presents a host of new storytelling possibilities.

The OTC has unfinished business with Cody Rhodes, the biggest babyface in the company, along with The Bloodline. Friday can’t get here soon enough.

Watch Roman Reigns return at WWE SummerSlam (and 9 more big moments from the show) right here:

WWE SummerSlam 2024 is in the books with a lot of interesting storyline developments coming out of the latest Premium Live Event.

Fightful Select has provided some backstage updates on topics such as the top merch sellers coming out of the PPV and more.

According to the reports, the Intercontinental Championship match between Sami Zayn and Bron Breakker was allotted 10 minutes.

The bout in which Breakker defeated the wrestling veteran to win his first title on the main roster ended after only 5 minutes and 42 seconds.

Cody Rhodes was the top merch seller for the company at the WWE Superstore in Cleveland and the merch stand at the Cleveland Browns Stadium.

Roman Reigns reportedly didn’t crack the top three but that’s expected to change with his return. The $600 custom WWE Championship belt for Reigns on the company’s online store did end up selling out within 24 hours.

A very interesting new addition to WWE programming was the ref cam. It was first tested at the performance center and they tried to fine-tune it before Saturday.

Though everything did not go as planned for the company as the battery pack of the camera fell out during the CM Punk vs Drew McIntyre match. Seth Rollins ended up making the decision to remove the camera afterward. The concept is expected to continue.

There were multiple spots at the event which made fans worried about the health of the participating wrestlers. The most notable was Jacob Fatu’s leg injury during the main event which was said to be preplanned.

The spot with Rhea Ripley’s shoulder during her match with Liv Morgan was also planned in advance. The nasty landing of Logan Paul during the superplex spot with LA Knight was the one thing that wasn’t expected, but the YouTube star was said to be okay afterward.

• WWE SummerSlam 2024 Complete Results: Roman Reigns Returns, Multiple Title Changes

Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes is ready to put his title on the line against Roman Reigns following the latter’s return at SummerSlam 2024. Speaking on the post-show press conference, Rhodes was asked about the man he vanquished at WrestleMania 40.

“Roman Reigns, certainly, he’s entitled to a rematch, because he held the title for so long. That match, it has to happen.

“I’ve been in there twice with him, brother hits hard. So the idea of that, it’s there, to do, I don’t know if anyone saw, I was tapping the title like this, because I know there is a third one somewhere down the line.”

Reigns returned during the main event of WWE SummerSlam that saw Rhodes face Solo Sikoa under Bloodline Rules. After appearances by Jacob Fatu, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, Randy Orton, and Kevin Owens, Reigns appeared to the delight of the Cleveland crowd.

After weeks of Solo Sikoa insulting Reigns, including calling him “weak” on the go-home SmackDown, Roman fired back with a Superman punch and spear to the self-appointed Bloodline leader. Reigns and Rhodes shared a look before Cody hit Cross Rhodes to retain his title.

A rematch between Rhodes & Reigns would be the third chapter in the epic saga between the two men that has dominated WWE for close to two years. At WrestleMania 39, Reigns defeated Rhodes to retain the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, but Cody would finish the story at WrestleMania 40 this past April. Stay tuned to SE Scoops for all the latest from WWE SummerSlam and a possible Cody Rhodes Vs. Roman Reigns rematch.

Roman Reigns has made his return to WWE programming as part of the Bloodline Rules main event that took place at SummerSlam 2024.

The return of the Original Tribal Chief had been expected by the WWE Universe for weeks in the run-up towards SummerSlam. Reigns hadn’t been seen in WWE since his loss to Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 40: Sunday.

Roman Reigns Returns

In the Undisputed WWE Title match between Cody Rhodes and Solo Sikoa, The Bloodline (Jacob Fatu, Tama Tonga, and Tonga Loa) came to the aid of Sikoa. As promised by Arn Anderson, Rhodes had backup of his own in the form of Randy Orton and Kevin Owens.

In the ring, Rhodes leveled Solo Sikoa with a spear and a Superman punch. Donned in an OTC shirt (Original Tribal Chief), Reigns shared a look with Rhodes, but opted not to attack the man who beat him at WrestleMania 40. Rhodes would then hit a Cross Rhodes to get the win and retain his title.

WWE SummerSlam Matches

Here are all of the matches taking place at SummerSlam tonight from Cleveland, which you can watch back on demand on WWE Network and Peacock.

• WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match: Damian Priest vs. Gunther
• WWE Women’s Championship Match: Bayley vs. Nia Jax
• Women’s World Championship Match: Liv Morgan vs. Rhea Ripley
• United States Championship Match: Logan Paul vs. LA Knight
• Intercontinental Championship Match: Sami Zayn vs. Bron Breakker
• Singles Match: CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre with Seth Rollins as special guest referee
• Bloodline Rules Undisputed WWE Championship Match: Cody Rhodes vs. Solo Sikoa

Whether you’re at home or on the go, here’s how you can stream SummerSlam 2024 on different devices:

Streaming on Mobile Devices

• Peacock App (U.S. viewers): Available for both iOS and Android devices. Simply download the app, sign in with your subscription details, and start streaming.
• WWE Network App (International viewers): Also available for iOS and Android. Ensure you have a stable internet connection for a smooth viewing experience.

At WrestleMania 40: Sunday, Roman Reigns’ 1,316-day run as Undisputed WWE Universal Champion ended, marking the finish to one of the greatest stories in modern WWE history. Not long after this monumental moment, it became apparent that Reigns would not be appearing anytime soon, leaving fans all the more eager to see him again.

Though absent from WWE programming, Reigns has not been taking things easy. The former World Champion was spotted the week after his Philadelphia defeat filming a comedy heist film with Keke Palmer. Reigns has also been training hard in the gym ahead of his inevitable return to the squared circle.

But when will this return come? Well many believe that the Tribal Chief’s comeback will be at SummerSlam this Saturday in Cleveland.

It’s worth remembering that Reigns has a history of huge moments at the Biggest Party of the Summer. It was in 2018 that Reigns ended the 504-day reign of Brock Lesnar as Universal Champion, a reign that now pails in comparison to the Head of the Table. Just two years later, Reigns would return from a hiatus brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, and it’d be just one week later that he’d capture the Universal Title.

But what would a Roman Reigns return look like at SummerSlam 2024? If he does make an appearance, it’ll almost certainly be in the Undisputed WWE title match between Cody Rhodes and Solo Sikoa. In Reigns’ absence, Sikoa has laid claim to being the Tribal Chief and has made a series of remarks about Reigns himself. From claiming Roman Reigns will never return to essentially daring Reigns to show-up, stating in a promo that if Reigns has a problem with Solo Sikoa and his Bloodline, he knows where to find him.

The Bloodline Civil War of the summer of 2023 proved popular with fans, and the Cleveland Browns Stadium could be the epicenter of a second conflict. With the recent arrivals of Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, and Jacob Fatu, there are more family members than ever before, ensuring a much wider conflict than what fans saw last year.

Of course, the question then is who would Reigns recruit to his side, especially given his past treatment of his own kin. While Jimmy Uso (a victim of Sikoa’s Bloodline) may fall back in line with Roman, it’s hard to see Jey Uso returning to SmackDown and aligning with the brother and cousin who did him wrong. Interestingly enough, Zilla Fatu, the son of Umaga, is reportedly in Cleveland, with some speculating his debut could come with Reigns’ return.

But there’s also another option that few have considered; that Reigns isn’t returning to confront Sikoa and his allies, but to align with them. After all, Sikoa will be facing Cody Rhodes, the man who ended Reigns’ run on top, a fact that the former champion will not have forgotten.

Will Roman Reigns return at WWE SummerSlam this weekend, and if so what role will he play in the fate of the Undisputed WWE Championship?

Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on the Tribal Chief.

One wrestling fan’s efforts to propose to his beloved proved to be in vain after the potential bride decided to turn the proposal into an impromptu wrestling match.

On Twitter, user Lord A Drean, who describes himself as the “HOTTEST INDI WRESTLER RAPPER RIGHT NOW” shared his planned proposal. After popping the question in a mall, Drean’s partner Malicious China popped him with a Canadian Destroyer and an RKO. The pair were joined by a referee. A big boot would seal Drean’s fate and the referee would count the pinfall, leaving it uncertain if the couple actually got engaged.

Engagement or not, this attempted proposal has gone viral online. At the time of writing, the video has been viewed over 5.6 million times on Twitter and has reached 90,000 likes, in addition to 8,600 retweets and 13,000 bookmarks.

When Wrestling Goes Viral

This couple’s wrestling moves may have gone viral, but it’s hardly the first time something like this has happened. In April of this year, a gender-reveal match went viral that included Tables, Ladders, Chairs, and a nod to WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker. That same month, a video went viral showing playground wrestling in New York City which received the seal of approval from AEW talent.

In March, a WWE fan arrived at his own wedding with a Bloodline-inspired entrance, in which they served as the Roman Reigns of the group. Reigns would even react on Twitter to say that the union had been “acknowledged.” During a wedding a few years ago, the bride arrived to Becky Lynch’s music and set the tone for the ceremony with some kendo stick shots.

You can never be certain what will go viral in wrestling, but Drean and Malicious China certainly did that this week. It remains to be seen if the couple ever tie the knot, but if so, Drean should keep an eye out for an RKO (outta nowhere of course!) on their wedding day.

Solo Sikoa has laid out the challenge for Roman Reigns to try and take back the position as the Tribal Chief of The Bloodline.

Reigns hasn’t been seen since his WrestleMania 40 loss to Cody Rhodes which saw the latter become Undisputed WWE Champion. In his absence, Sikoa has been acting as the leader of The Bloodline and has made several changes to the group. It was under Sikoa’s leadership that Jimmy Uso was ousted from the group, while Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, and Jacob Fatu have been brought in.

• Jacob Fatu Debuts In WWE, Lays Out Champion Cody Rhodes

Sikoa Dares Roman Reigns

Sikoa’s latest change to The Bloodline saw Paul Heyman ejected from the group last week after the WWE Hall of Famer refused to acknowledge Sikoa as the Head of the Table. This attack came mere weeks after Sikoa told Heyman that Roman Reigns will never return to the group he founded four years ago.

On the July 5, edition of WWE SmackDown, a video package aired of Sikoa and his Bloodline. Solo, clutching the Ula Fala, made clear he never sought to be the Tribal Chief, but this is what his family needs. Sikoa added that Reigns was no longer ‘man enough’ to be the Tribal Chief after his loss in Philadelphia, and added that “If Roman Reigns wants that back, he can try and take it from me.”

What’s to Come?

In the video, Sikoa also set his sights on the Undisputed WWE Championship and vowed that The Bloodline will take it back under his leadership. Three members of the group will face Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton, and Kevin Owens in six-man-tag action at WWE Money in the Bank on July 6.

As for Roman Reigns, there’s no confirmation on when fans can expect him back on TV, though some have predicted in time for SummerSlam 2024. Reigns remains involved with The Bloodline’s creative direction amid his hiatus but for the time being, the former Undisputed WWE Universal Champion is flexing his acting muscles.

• Why Solo Sikoa’s New Bloodline Is The Key To Getting Cody Rhodes Back On Track

Sika Anoa’, WWE Hall of Famer, has passed away today at the age of 79. Sika’s passing was announced by his nephew, Jahrus Anoa’i. Jahrus took to Instagram to write the following about his beloved uncle.

“It is with profound sadness that I share the news of the passing of Former Hall of Famer, Polaivao Leati Sika Anoa’i. He passed away peacefully on June 25th. Sika was a celebrated figure whose contributions and legacy have left an indelible mark. His memory will live on through his achievements and the many lives he touched.”

“He was many things: a hard working father, a caring brother, a supportive uncle, and a proud grandfather. He was a cherished friend to many, a loving family member whose warmth and kindness knew no bounds, and an inspiration to countless individuals. His legacy will continue to inspire and uplift future generations, reminding us of the impact one person’s life can have on so many. Rest in love Uncle Sika.”

Sika leaves a historic legacy in pro wrestling, not just through his own accomplishments, but his whole family. The nature of his passing is currently undisclosed.

We at SEScoops would like to send our deepest condolences and prayers to the entire Anoa’i family during this time.

The Legacy Of The Wild Samoans

Sika and his brother Afa were notoriously known as The Wild Samoans, as they were a force in the territories. The brothers also became three-time WWE Tag Team Champions under the management services of Captain Lou Albano.

The Wild Samoans were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame back in 2007. Sika’s “bloodline” would continue to carry on through his sons, the late Rosey and Roman Reigns, who the latter is one of pro wrestling biggest stars of the 21st century. Sika and Afa appeared on WWE programming to appoint Reigns as “The Tribal Chief” in 2020.

Roman Reigns is currently on hiatus in the WWE, but he was seen training in a video shared recently on social media. The video was shared by bodybuilder and actor Kai Greene, in which he could be seen in a training session with Reigns.

“RISE UP ,” Greene wrote in the caption of the post. “Keep pushing, keep dreaming, and never let self doubt or fear stop get in the way. This is your journey, the pursuit of greatness is within grasp…all you have to do is go out there and earn it. HUGE shoutout to @romanreigns for tagging me in on this training session!”

https://www.instagram.com/p/reel:C7Jrs9AOipS

At Night Two of WrestleMania 40, Reigns lost the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship to Cody Rhodes. After which, he took some time off from the ring, and working on a film. Last month, SEScoops reported that the former champion is involved in “Good Fortune,” a heist comedy film that is set to come out in late 2024. The cast of the film includes names such as Keanu Reeves, Keke Palmer, Sandra Oh, Seth Rogen, and comedian Aziz Ansari making his directorial debut.

This will be Reigns’ fourth film role, as he has starred in “Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw” with his cousin Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in the past. He was also seen in Netflix’s “The Wrong Missy” and lent his voice acted Paramount+’s animated film “Rumble.” He’s also listed as a lead cast member in “Action Force,” which also features Tom Budgen aka Malakai Black in the cast.

The 39-year-old held the Undisputed WWE Championship for a historic 1,316 days. It is not known when Reigns will make a return to the ring, but a grueling training session vid does instill some hope in seeing him back in action soon.

Cody Rhodes made history by winning the Royal Rumble for a second consecutive year back in January. However, what should have been a monumental day had a dark cloud looming over it that we’re just now learning about.

During a Monday appearance on Busted Open Radio, Rhodes reveals that he learned about The Rock interjecting himself into the road to WrestleMania just hours before punching his ticket to Philadelphia.

“I found out the possibility of the Rock versus Roman Reigns the day of the Royal Rumble, and I had to leave that room, head up and make sure no one knew what could possibly happen and probably on one of the more difficult days I’ve ever had in the wrestling business. But also, how can you complain when you’re winning the Royal Rumble, when you’re pointing at the sign, when over 20,000 people in Tampa? It was such a high, such a low.”

Rhodes’ victory in the 30-man match made him the fourth Superstar in history to win back-to-back Rumbles. After the match, he wasted no time in making clear that he planned on challenging Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. However, WWE and The Rock and other plans. 

Despite literally pointing at Reigns as his desired WrestleMania opponent, things were much different on the post-Royal Rumble edition of WWE SmackDown. Rhodes handed over his WrestleMania main event to The Rock in a now-infamous segment that ignited the ‘We Want Cody’ movement. Had it not been for that movement, Cody may not have finished his story at WrestleMania. As it turns out, that movement was totally organic and WWE really did want to go with Rock vs. Reigns at WrestleMania.

In the end, the Great One aligned with the Tribal Chief, joined The Bloodline, evolved into the Final Boss and took the fans on a ride that will be talked about for a long time. Rhodes dethroned Reigns at WrestleMania, is the reigning Undisputed WWE Champion and an eventual match with The Rock is expected.

Here’s Cody Rhodes’ full appearance on Busted Open Radio:

Sneaker fans worldwide will be able to acknowledge Roman Reigns and The Bloodline with a new set of shoes set to launch next year. 

The new shoes are black with blood-red stylings, according to mock-up photos shared by Sneaker News. The shows will be available at select Jordan Brand retailers in-store, online, and at Nike.com. The snazzy new footwear will retail for $200 USD. 

Roman Reigns & Sneakers

The Tribal Chief’s love of sneakers is no secret. In matches, Reigns often wears sneakers instead of traditional wrestling footwear. Speaking to Complex in 2021, Reigns recalled wearing Jordans when he announced that his leukemia was in remission in 2019. 

“I felt so much confidence… That was one of those situations where I was able to come out of the Roman character and just be Joe. And that’s why you saw me the way I was. That’s why I was wearing the Jordans. Just kind of a casual look. For the most part for the Roman character, especially earlier on I stayed in the fatigues and the boots and stuff like that. But from that moment, I took that character armor off and exposed the real me.”

Roman Reigns Out of the Ring

The former Universal Champion hasn’t been seen on WWE programming since his loss to Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 40 but he’s not been taking it easy. The Tribal Chief has been shooting a heist movie that’ll include Keanu Reeves, Seth Rogen, Keke Palmer and others. 

• Roman Reigns Filming Keke Palmer Project Amid Ongoing WWE Hiatus

While Reigns is off WWE TV, his presence continues to be felt. In his absence, Solo Sikoa has become the new leader of a new Bloodline that includes Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa. Paul Heyman has been noticeably concerned about the change that Sikoa has claimed that the order to take leadership of the faction came from Reigns himself. 

WWE Backlash had a wild crowd courtesy of Lyon, France, but it also marked the end of an unbelievable streak with the WWE Undisputed Universal Championship.

Cody Rhodes put that very championship on the line against AJ Styles on Saturday and the battle became memorable in more ways than one. Not only did ‘The American Nightmare’ get a tremendous pop from the French crowd, but Rhodes actually retained his title by defeating ‘The Phenomenal One.’

However, Punk from the Burial Squad was able to dig up an insane statistic about Rhodes’ successful title defense. Backlash happened to mark the first time that specific championship was successfully defended on television without any outside interference in almost two years. The last time the title was defended without any interference had Roman Reigns beating Matt Riddle on the June 17, 2022 episode of WWE SmackDown.

Reigns’ reign became notorious for having constant interference in his title fights. While the tactic was certainly frustrating for fans (and his opponents), it did create for some memorable moments. Solo Sikoa made his main roster debut by interfering in his cousin Roman’s defense against Drew McIntyre at Clash At The Castle. Jimmy Uso also happened to stab his brother Jey in the back at WWE SummerSlam, allowing Roman to retain his gold.

Rhodes vs. Styles at Backlash also marked a new moment in WWE history. Their main event fight also happened to be the first WWE Undisputed Title match on PLE that was officiated by a female. Jessika Carr donned the zebra stripes for the battle between Cody and AJ.

There were once discussions for The Rock to end the historic championship reign of Roman Reigns, only for the Final Boss to give up the gold. 

Reigns’ 1,316-day run as champion was actually ended by Cody Rhodes at WWE WrestleMania 40: Sunday. The emotional main event saw Rhodes finally ‘finish the story’ two years after making an emphatic return to WWE as part of WrestleMania 38. 

WWE had plans at one point for Rock, not Rhodes, to end the title reign of the Tribal Chief at WrestleMania 40, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports. This idea was hardly kept a secret, with The Rock teasing challenging the Head of the Table during his return on the Day 1 WWE Raw. On the post-Royal Rumble SmackDown, The Rock came face-to-face with his cousin and teased the match. 

Had it not been for the immense ‘We Want Cody’ movement, the Rock-Reigns match would have gone ahead. The Observer adds that the plan was for The Rock to win the title, only to surrender the gold in order to return to Hollywood. With a new WWE Champion, The Rock would have introduced his own People’s Championship that he’d use for public appearances. Instead, the title was presented to the Final Boss at this year’s WWE Hall of Fame ceremony. 

Ending Reigns’ historic run only for the title to be vacated would likely not have gone down well with fans. Instead, the WWE Universe witnessed Cody Rhodes finish his story and defeat Reigns at WrestleMania 40. Reigns hasn’t been seen since WrestleMania while Rock has vowed to return and come for the new Undisputed WWE Champion. 

Cody Rhodes’ story may have finished last year at WrestleMania 39, had Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman been unable to influence those in charge at the time. 

Reigns retained the Undisputed WWE Championship against Rhodes in the controversial main event inside Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium. The decision was panned by fans at the time as the wrong choice with many blaming McMahon (who’d forced his way back into WWE in January) for the call. 

At one time, Rhodes was penciled into dethrone Reigns in SoFi, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports. That was until Reigns and Heyman convinced both McMahon and WWE CCO Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque to change the finish and give Reigns the victory. 

This change of plans wasn’t (entirely) done to benefit Reigns and extend his title run for another year. The belief at the time was that keeping the gold on Reigns would be beneficial in getting other talent over, including Jey Uso and Solo Sikoa. Jey certainly benefitted from his championship program with Reigns over the Summer which helped elevate the former Tag Team Champion to his ‘Main Event Jey’ role fans see today. 

Holding off on the title change was also proposed to be in Rhodes’ best interest. The idea was that keeping Cody’s hunt for the gold going for another year would make his title win more special. Sure enough, Rhodes’ emotional victory at WrestleMania 40 has been praised by fans and critics. The new Undisputed WWE Champion’s next title defense will be at WWE Backlash: France against AJ Styles. 

• Roman Reigns Remaining Involved With The Bloodline’s Creative Direction During WWE Hiatus

Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes’s year is off to a great start after defeating Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. He finally earned a victory over ‘The Tribal Chief’ to win the title that eluded his family successfully. What made the win more remarkable was that he overcame many odds, including Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s interference in the match. 

‘The Rock’ became involved in the feud after Rhodes backtracked his offer for Johnson to face Reigns at WrestleMania 40. This led to the Hollywood megastar siding with his ‘The Tribal Chief’ and joining The Bloodline(Reigns, Solo Sikoa & Jimmy Uso). Rhodes’s issues with Johnson also took a violent turn before ‘The Grandest Stage Of Them All’ when ‘The Final Boss’ savagely assaulted Rhodes to make him bleed.

Despite being disadvantaged, ‘The American Nightmare’ landed his signature Cross Rhodes finisher to best reigns to win the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. 

Cody Rhodes On His Relationship With Dwayne Johnson 

Rhodes spoke about his victory in a recent interview on the Cheap Heat Podcast with Peter Rosenberg and Stat Guy Greg. When Rosenberg asked Rhodes about his relationship with ‘The Rock’ before WrestleMania 40, the champion revealed that he didn’t have much of a relationship with Johnson prior to their feud. 

 “…We did some dark match stuff back in the day, but Wrestlemania in Miami, I gone into his locker room to thank him for the house, and that was something that I think he remembered, whereas for me, it was just the right thing to do. We had that previous moment, but other than that, I don’t think Rock respectfully was very familiar with me, said Rhodes. 

The champion shared that he didn’t blame Johnson if he didn’t because the Hollywood megastar has too many important things to focus on. However, Rhodes shared that he enjoyed ‘The Final Boss’ getting to know him during the build toward WrestleMania 40. 

“…I enjoyed him figuring out who I was in real time as moments were happening. For example, coming down the steps with Seth Rollins, with him and Roman in the ring, I think it’s the first time he had ever heard the crowd do the whoa. I think he really took to what was going on,” said Rhodes. 

What’s Next For Cody Rhodes & Dwayne Johnson?

The night after WrestleMania 40, Rhodes and Johnson had an in-ring segment on Monday Night Raw to tease a future matchup. ‘The Final Boss’ warned the champion that he was coming for his title in the future. Rhodes accepted the challenge and claimed he would hold the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship when he returned. 

Rhodes is currently focused on defending his title against AJ Styles at WWE Backlash on May 4. The champion faces a tough matchup, and it will be the first time they will cross paths in the ring. WWE fans will unfortunately be forced to wait a little longer before they can get a dream match between Rhodes and ‘The Great One.’

Roman Reigns is among a select class of talent to have transcended the world of wrestling, at least in WWE, according to his longtime rival Cody Rhodes. The American Nightmare dethroned Reigns at WrestleMania to win the Undisputed WWE Championship, ending the 1,316-day reign of the Tribal Chief in the process. Reigns has not been seen on WWE programming since then leaving fans to speculate on what kind of future Reigns has in store in the promotion’s new era. 

Despite their differences, he holds a lot of respect to the man he vanquished in Philadelphia, PA. Cody Rhodes appeared on the Cheap Heat podcast this week and spoke highly of Roman Reigns with hosts Peter Rosenberg and Stat Guy Greg.

“If we’re looking at a snapshot of how unbelievable he is, just look at how he showed up to Wrestlemania. Just the end of his run, he was at his absolute peak and absolute best. And I mean that physically. I mean that mentally.

“Just truly very few people get to transcend what we do. Very few people. You can be at the top of it. You can be near the top. But very few people transcend what we do. I think he transcends what we do.”

Rhodes also foresees big things for Reigns out of the ring. Reigns has been filming a new movie with Keke Palmer during his hiatus from WWE. 

“I think you’ll see him pop up in areas that aren’t sports entertainment and aren’t wrestling and with much success because of how hard he works.”

There’s no official word on when Reigns will be back, but the former Champion is being advertised for SummerSlam 2024 in Cleveland this August. Whatever’s next for Reigns, the Tribal Chief will continue to have the respect of Cody Rhodes. 

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The Undisputed WWE Championship reign of Cody Rhodes will differ greatly from that of his predecessor Roman Reigns, according to The Undertaker. 

Rhodes won the gold and finished his story at WrestleMania 40 and in doing so ended the 1,316-day reign of the Tribal Chief. While Cody has been a regular on WWE Raw and SmackDown since his monumental win in Philadelphia, Reigns has been absent from programming (but has been working on a non-WWE project.)

Cody Rhodes: The Workhorse Champion

Rhodes’ win at WrestleMania did not come without some help and The Undertaker was part of the group of stars who kept The Bloodline at bay. On his Six Feet Under podcast, the WWE Hall of Famer spoke of what Rhodes has to look forward to. 

“He’s going to work a lot because he wants to, too, if that makes sense. So he’s not going to be a champion that… No offense to Roman, but Roman didn’t have a lot of matches as champion.”

The Undertaker made clear that Reigns’ sporadic in-ring schedule was part of his “story” and helped give the Tribal Chief character an air of dominance. With that said, the Phenom is looking forward to seeing plenty of matches from the American Nightmare. 

“I think he’ll be a working champion. I think he’s going to be a workhorse, actually. I think he’s going to defend the title a lot… He’s going to be wanting to walk out there and show people why he’s the world champion.”

What’s to Come? 

When asked about potential opponents for Rhodes, The Undertaker named Seth Rollins and GUNTHER as dream adversaries for the Undisputed WWE Champion. Before that, however, Rhodes will defend against AJ Styles at WWE Backlash: France. The bout will be part of WWE’s first PLE in the country and will take place on May 4.

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Kenny Omega isn’t afraid to acknowledge Roman Reigns. 

‘The Cleaner’ is a man who happily gives his thoughts on pro wrestling during his livestreams on Twitch and this week one fan in the chat was hating on what Roman Reigns does in WWE. Omega pushed back at that notion, appreciating what ‘The Head Of The Table’ brings to the one true sport.

“I really think he’s incredible. I don’t think he’s boring either. I actually would say I’m pretty jealous because Roman Reigns is presented the exact same way that I would love to be presented. He’s presented as the man who’s the champion to have big matches on PPV where you’re really cheering for him or you’re cheering for someone else. That’s professional wrestling. He’s getting to do what I did in New Japan so I can’t be a hater on that. I’m a fan.”

WWE fans haven’t seen Roman Reigns since he dropped the WWE Championship to Cody Rhodes night two at WrestleMania 40 and Omega has been on his own extended hiatus due to a diverticulitis diagnosis. 

However, wrestling fans will at least get to see Kenny Omega return to television next Wednesday on AEW Dynamite as the show will hail from his hometown of Winnipeg, Manitoba.

It will be interesting to see how Omega is utilized as he was “fired” from his EVP position by The Young Bucks and a ripple was added into the storyline with them also attacked AEW President Tony Khan.

Roman Reign is off filming a movie while on ‘indefinite hiatus’ from WWE, but he’s remain a driving force behind The Bloodline both on television and behind the scenes.

Reigns’ world came crashing down at WrestleMania 40. Once thought to be invincible, his historic title reign is finished and The Bloodline has undergone a dramatic shakeup. Jimmy Uso is out, Tama Tonga is in and Solo Sikoa is the group’s new on-screen figurehead.

We later learned Tribal Chief made the call for Jimmy to be removed, a sign of how his character will be kept in the mix while he’s off TV. According to WWE insider Wrestlevotes, Reigns “will still have substantial creative input in the evolving Bloodline storyline over the course of the next few months.

• Jacob Fatu Privately Confirming WWE Deal

The Bloodline’s Creative Process

Roman Reigns’ creative direction has been closely guarded since his evolution into the Tribal Chief and the rise of The Bloodline. the Bloodline chapter of his career started. Only a select few people have been involved in the Bloodline’s storyline development and that number is even smaller with Vince McMahon’s departure.

The Rock brought in Brian Gewirtz during his road to WrestleMania 40 for the Final Boss storyline. Since the show of shows is in the rearview mirror, Dwayne Johnson and his writer went back to Hollywood. 

Paul Heyman recently spoke about The Bloodline with Jimmy Traina on the SI Media podcast. The ‘Wise Man’ says one of their keys to success is their ‘collaborative teamwork’ approach.

“You know the old expression, ‘it takes a team?’ It certainly has with us. There are a lot of people who have worked really hard to make this work. It kind of all filters through Roman Reigns’ field. There are several people that come to me to present things to Roman, and then Roman and I will talk about it and comeback with either something that fits into their narrative or something that we would hope, we could perhaps enhance it or put it in our own words, or come back with, ‘that doesn’t work for us, what about this?’ and start a different process and we’re bouncing ideas off of them.”

Heyman said creative rumblings for the Bloodline storyline began under Vince McMahon’s leadership and continued without disruption when Paul “Triple H” Levesque took over. 

He also praised Michael Hayes for his exceptional ability to weave a narrative into wrestling matches, a rare and valuable skill. The SmackDown writing team, led by the often overlooked Ryan Callahan, along with Michael Kirshenbaum, Chad Barbash, and Zach Hyatt, are also involved in these discussions

Roman Reigns has his hands full with an acting project during his time away from WWE and will soon sharing the silver screen with some prominent Hollywood stars. The former Undisputed WWE champ generated buzz earlier this week when actress Lauren ‘Keke’ Palmer posted a photo with working with Reigns on a new project.

SEScoops has learned Roman Reigns (Joe Anoa’i) will appear in ‘Good Fortune,’ a heist comedy film due out in late 2024. The cast includes Keanu Reeves, Keke Palmer, Sandra Oh, Seth Rogen, and comedian Aziz Ansari making his directorial debut.

‘Good Fortune’ tells the story of Gabriel (Keanu Reeves) a guardian angel, while Ansari’s character is burdened with taking on the odd jobs of Jeff (Seth Rogen).  

We’re looking into Reigns’ character, but in the photo that surfaced online, he looks right at home sitting on a throne, surrounded by money, gold bars, and beautiful women. 

Reigns’ Future in Hollywood

Reigns’ historic 1,316-day title reign ended at WrestleMania 40. It also marked the conclusion of the most transformative chapter of his career, when he commanded the Acknowledgement of everyone and cemented himself as an all-time great.

He’ll be back, but it’s newsworthy that he’s taking this time off to continue building his acting career. Now in the later stages of his days traveling the world and taking bumps, Reigns has a very clear path to follow for the next phase of his career.

‘Good Fortune’ would mark his fourth film role. In the past, he shared the screen with his cousin, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson in ‘Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw’. Roman Reigns also made an appearance in Netflix’s ‘The Wrong Missy’ and lent his voice to Paramount+’s ‘Rumble.’ 

IMDB has Reigns listed as the lead cast member in ‘Action Force.‘ Limited details are available, but we know it’s in pre-production and will co-star Tom Budgen, better known to our readers as AEW star Malakai Black.

The 38-year-old superstar has had a light WWE schedule and he can’t be grinding inside the ring forever. Thereby, as his wrestling career slows down, a transition to Hollywood seems suited. 

The call from Hollywood has been a long time coming for him, especially the way he has established himself over the past few years. Roman Reigns could soon shift to Hollywood and it wouldn’t come as a surprise given The Rock and John Cena’s influence on him.  

It remains to be seen when Roman Reigns will be in the ring again, but the Tribal Chief is keeping busy with a new major filming project.

The former Undisputed WWE Universal Champion hasn’t been seen on WWE programming since his loss to Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 40: Sunday. The loss marked the end of Reigns’ historic 1,316-day title reign and marked the dawning of a ‘new era’ in WWE which has been referenced several times since WrestleMania. 

It’s unclear when Reigns will appear on WWE TV again, but he is working on some kind of project with Lauren ‘Keke’ Palmer. Taking to Instagram, Palmer, an actress and singer who worked on several acclaimed projects including Jordan Peele’s Nope, shared an image of Reigns as part of an upcoming production. 

Roman Reigns has dabbled into the world of acting before so this new project isn’t entirely foreign territory for the former World Champion. In addition to several WWE Studios projects, Reigns appeared alongside his cousin The Rock in 2019’s Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw. He has also made multiple appearances on TV in animated roles. 

What’s to Come? 

When Roman Reigns eventually returns to WWE, he’ll find a promotion that’s much different from the one he’s left behind. With Reigns gone, Solo Sikoa has taken it upon himself to lead the Bloodline and was dubbed the Tribal Chief by the recently debuted Tama Tonga. 

Some fans believe that a feud within The Bloodline is coming that’ll see Reigns lead a team against Sikoa’s faction. It’s also been suggested that Reigns will be a face upon returning (though not like he was before.) Cody Rhodes and others have given Reigns his proverbial flowers since WrestleMania with a ‘Thank You Roman’ chant breaking out during the post-WrestleMania 40 episode of Raw.