The Rise, Fall and Future of Roman Reigns in WWE

The Rise of Roman Reigns in WWE

Roman Reigns has been a polarizing figure in the WWE for years. With his impressive physique, Samoan heritage, and relation to famous Anoa'i family members like The Rock, Reigns has always seemed destined for greatness in the WWE. However, a section of the WWE Universe has resisted Reigns' climb to the top of the ranks, much to the dismay of WWE management.

Early Days with The Shield

Reigns made his first main roster appearance alongside Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins as The Shield in 2012. This trio of young stars brought a renewed energy to WWE programming. Their black protective vests and tendency to arrive unexpectedly through the crowd to deliver a brutal triple powerbomb captivated audiences.

As a dominant three-person force, The Shield feuded with top stars like John Cena, The Undertaker, Kane, Daniel Bryan, and The Wyatt Family. Reigns started to stand out from the group with his quiet intensity and impactful spear finishing move.

First Singles Championship Run

After Seth Rollins' shocking betrayal of The Shield in 2014, Reigns and Ambrose went their separate ways as singles competitors. Reigns challenged Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at multiple pay-per-views but did not initially succeed in capturing the gold.

Finally, at 2016’s Survivor Series, Reigns defeated Dean Ambrose to become the WWE World Heavyweight Champion for the first time. He started 2017 strong by retaining his title in the Royal Rumble match but lost it to Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 31. This kickstarted a pattern of Reigns periodically winning and losing the WWE Championship that has persisted to this day.

WrestleMania Main Events

WWE management clearly saw great potential in Roman Reigns as the next face of the company early on. This led to him headlining WrestleMania events in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022. However, the crowd response for Reigns in these main events tended to be mostly negative.

At WrestleMania 31 in 2015 at the height of anti-Reigns sentiment, Seth Rollins cleverly cashed in his Money in the Bank contract during the Reigns-Brock Lesnar main event. This allowed Rollins to opportunistically pin Reigns and become the champion. This shows management was still trying to have Reigns viewed as the top star despite crowd objections.

Leukemia Diagnosis and Return

In October 2018, Reigns relinquished the Universal Championship and left WWE programming to focus on his battle with leukemia. He had been diagnosed with the disease over 10 years earlier, and it had returned. The WWE Universe rallied around Reigns during treatment and recovery.

In February 2019, a leukemia-free Reigns returned to WWE television, much to the delight of the WWE Universe. Fans who had previously booed Reigns gave him a hero's welcome. This outpouring of support seemed to mark a turning point in how Reigns' character was perceived by audiences.

Tribal Chief Persona

After some directionless months struggling to regain momentum, Reigns returned at SummerSlam 2020 with a shocking new attitude and persona. He viciously attacked Universal Champion Braun Strowman and winner Bray Wyatt, allying himself with Paul Heyman.

Dubbing himself the Tribal Chief, this heel version of Roman Reigns leads The Bloodline faction, demanding respect while relishing in antagonistic behavior. WWE audiences are fully invested in this compelling character progression for Reigns.

historic Title Reign

As Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns embarked upon the longest world championship reign in modern WWE history. He held the Universal Championship for over 800 days, stacking up high-profile wins against Brock Lesnar, Drew McIntyre, Kevin Owens and others.

At times, Reigns' world title run seemed unstoppable. Some fans wondered who could possibly defeat him. Stars like Lesnar and McIntyre failed in rematches to dethrone The Head of the Table. But Reigns' domination finally ended when he lost to Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 39.

What's Next for Reigns After WrestleMania?

The question now is...where does Roman Reigns go from here? He enjoyed an unprecedented run atop WWE but now finds himself without a championship for the first time in years. Could a potential feud with world champion Cody Rhodes be in the works? A WrestleMania rematch seems likely at some point.

There is also a possibility Reigns sets his sights back on former Bloodline members Jey Uso or Sami Zayn for revenge. Reigns blames them for contributing to his title loss. Time will tell what's next for WWE's former Head of the Table!

FAQs

Why have some WWE fans resisted Roman Reigns as a top star?

Some fans felt WWE management was forcing Reigns as their next John Cena too hard despite negative reactions. His early persona also lacked edge and came across overly scripted at times.

What made fans start cheering Roman Reigns?

After Reigns took time off due to his leukemia diagnosis, fans gained enormous sympathy for him. Their perspective shifted when he returned as an underdog overcoming personal adversity to get back in the ring.

How did Reigns transition to his Tribal Chief character?

When Reigns returned at SummerSlam in 2020, he attacked Braun Strowman and Bray Wyatt, establishing himself as a heel. He then formed The Bloodline, becoming an arrogant Tribal Chief who demanded respect rather than seeking crowd approval.

Who ended Reigns' historical Universal Championship reign?

At Wrestlemania 39, after over 800 days as champion, Roman Reigns finally lost the Universal Championship to Cody Rhodes. This ended the longest world title run in modern pro wrestling history.