WWE: What Is Roman Reigns' Next Move?

The current Undisputed WWE champion, Roman Reigns, is riding high as the top-ranking superstar in the company. He unified the titles at Wrestlemania 38, cementing himself as the most dominant contender, and he's beaten every challenger since. Usually, wins are thanks to the intervention by the Bloodline, and sometimes, Roman uses heel tactics to gain the upper hand. The low blow has been an essential weapon in his arsenal, which Roman uses when backed against a wall. Reigns also utilizes the surprise guillotine choke. But dirty schemes will only take him so far.

At some point, another wrestler will get the better of Reigns, taking the titles from him in the process. Nobody expects that to happen in the near future, especially with the Bloodline working well as this generation's most popular heel stable. However, Roman seems to have hinted at his imminent departure.

In an untelevised house show, Roman Reigns spoke to the crowd to announce his partial schedule reduction. The champ chose not to elaborate further, although this speech confirms what we already know.

The other evidence pointing towards a leave are the multiple interviews Reigns has done since then, discussing the details of his part-time role. Each had its own focus, delving into possible storylines for the Tribal Chief, although the central takeaway is Reigns wants to spend time with his family, which is understandable.

What this means is Reigns will probably drop the titles shortly. Don't count on that loss being to newcomer Logan Paul at Crown Jewel or in a rematch if an aspect of the title bout becomes contested. Paul doesn't have the audience’s approval or vote of confidence yet to lead in any capacity. Something WWE creative is well aware of when it comes to selecting lead players. They may take a chance on Paul since he does possess a substantial social media following. Of course, that may not be enough to convince company heads that Paul will work as an interim champion until a babyface assumes the spot as head of the table.

Retirement Match

As for Reigns, a retirement fight feels like one is fast approaching. WWE lays out plotlines months ahead of time in preparation for significant changes. Sometimes, plans get waylaid due to talent injuries, hiccups in gimmick response, or a lack of direction. Though, for Reigns, WWE executives likely have a monthly meeting to discuss the next talent in line to claim the titles, going over the ins and outs. Roman has experienced the biggest pop as Undisputed Champion, even with a heel dynamic that initially felt out of character for him. Thus, Reigns' popularity makes his farewell match a topic that top officials likely discuss regularly.

In any case, it'll be interesting to see who is next in line. Bray Wyatt could be up for the part, or perhaps Cody Rhodes when he returns from recovery, or maybe Braun Strowman will throw his hat in the ring. The Monster Among Men hasn't received a title run deserving of his talent, and it's about time he does. Plus, the audience loves him. Fans went wild when Strowman’s music played during his Monday Night Raw return, speaking to his pop with them. Braun also possesses the correct build for the type of wrestler we picture taking Roman Reigns out during in-ring competition. Everyone else has come up short, but Strowman looks like he'll steamroll Roman. There's no way WWE would make Reigns’ farewell match a one-sided affair, except a physically dominating performance sounds fitting. Braun can do that without issue.

The million-dollar question, though, is when. Every event from next year's Day 1 to Money In The Bank sound like an ideal venue. The latter, more so since a cash-in would return some of the surprise factor to the highly coveted contract. Not including recent winner Liv Morgan, past MITB holders have kept the case for prolonged periods. Austin Theory is a perfect example of someone who can't commit to the cash-in.

Money In The Bank 2023

As such, the following MITB winner should take the opposite route. Because not only would the move shock fans, but if the challenger beats Reigns, that would be too big selling spots on one pay-per-view card. For all we know, WWE can take things a step further and make the MITB cash-in happen at the tail end of a regular championship match.

In doing so, Reigns would be involved in a triple threat that he can't get himself disqualified from or cheat to win. Reigns will presumably have the Bloodline by his side. Though, depending on who the challenger is, he might be at a disadvantage regardless. A superstar like Finn Balor is an ideal example of a hurdle since he has the Judgment Day to back him up, and there are various factions like them. The potential for a random wrestler to interrupt is also up in the air. Spontaneous interruptions tend to precede upcoming feuds, making anything possible.

When the tribal chief does drop the belts, it may be for the last time. Reigns still has life in him, but that doesn't necessarily mean he has to wrestle into his 40s or 50s. He deserves a break, especially after such a long and strenuous tenure with the company, after all.

Even if Reigns makes a comeback in the future, the current champ also has little left to do. Besides unifying the heavyweight titles, Reigns has also won the Royal Rumble, become a Grand-Slam Champion, and defeated every other high-ranking superstar on the roster. He can fight them all again, as well as the newcomers making names for themselves. Although, it's worth mentioning that WWE can only recycle matches so many times. Reigns, for instance, fought Brock Lesnar for the titles on multiple occasions. And the fans notice. Throwing some new names into the championship picture won't hurt, either. No one expected the Big Dog to be as monumental of a sell as he's become, but Roman Reigns proved critics wrong. The same is true of any other wrestler trying to make a name for themselves.

Source (Comicbook, YouTube)