WWE Must Change Long-Term Creative Plans For Roman Reigns

WWE is likely building toward Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes II at WrestleMania 40, but the company’s creative team must alter those plans.

According to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t WrestleTalk), “The current plan is to have Reigns face off against Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 40,” which echoes his previous report that a rematch between WWE’s top two stars is the “long-term direction” for the Undisputed Universal Champion.

But in pro wrestling, nothing is set in stone, and Rhodes vs. Reigns—though it sounds like a no-brainer on paper—shouldn’t happen simply because it’s the current plan.

Of course, if Rhodes has his way, he will be the one who ultimately dethrone Reigns. Despite teasing a World Heavyweight Championship feud with longtime rival Seth Rollins just this week on Raw, Rhodes said at the post-Money in the Bank press conference (h/t USA Today) that he wants to win the WWE title, which has been unified with Reigns’ Universal title: “Finishing the story was always, always about the title my dad didn’t get. It ate me up that he never got it. So, that’s finishing the story.”

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WWE had its chance to “finish the story” at WrestleMania 39, and depending upon your perspective, either simply delayed it or blew it altogether. While it’s certainly not impossible that Rhodes, a big draw for WWE and one of its most popular stars, recaptures the momentum he had en route to WrestleMania 39, “finishing the story” is no longer the best story WWE can tell.

Whoever ultimately dethrones Reigns, it has to be someone from The Bloodline, doesn’t it?

The Bloodline family saga has been a massive success for WWE. Stretching out over the course of three years, the Reigns-led faction has resulted in boosted TV viewership, a merchandising powerhouse and the most compelling storyline WWE has created in 20 years, if not more.

Following Reigns’ shocking loss to Jey Uso in tag team action at Money in the Bank—his first pinfall loss since December 2019—WWE is reportedly moving to the next chapter of The Bloodline drama at SummerSlam: Jey vs. Reigns for the Undisputed Universal Championship. Because Jey just pinned Reigns, it’s highly unlikely that he will do so again at SummerSlam, as there almost assuredly will be a significant length of time between that loss and The Tribal Chief’s next defeat.

Most indications are that Reigns’ next loss won’t be until he falls to Rhodes at WrestleMania 40, but The Bloodline’s narrative does not need Rhodes. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Interjecting Rhodes into this epic again, whether it be later this year or early in 2024 closer to WrestleMania 40, would be like forcing a peg into a round hole. Sure, maybe it’ll work, but only if you bend over backward to make it happen. On the other hand, there is no more natural story to tell than the final nail in the coffin of The Bloodline being hammered by someone in the faction itself.

Jey, the heart and soul of this storyline, would be the perfect choice. But unless WWE goes all in on a massive singles push for Jey in the next few weeks, that may be a pipe dream. What’s more logical is that Jey dethrones Rhodes later on. Or maybe there’s a curveball, and Jimmy Uso does it instead. Perhaps Solo Sikoa, Reigns’ henchman and the brother of the Usos, does it once he gets fed up with Reigns. Any of those outcomes would create a new main event singles star.

WWE clearly has choices, as it did at Money in the Bank when two significantly different finishes for The Bloodline’s “Civil War” match were under consideration and there was some backstage concern about how having Reigns lose would affect this storyline. WWE took a chance, and it paid off with an epic show-closing moment as Jey handed Reigns his first pinfall loss in three and a half years.

It’s time for WWE to take another chance: Avoiding Reigns vs. Rhodes II in favor of the hottest WWE storyline in at least two decades getting a proper ending. It already worked out at Money in the Bank.

WWE officials should be confident that, regardless of the exact details, it will work out once again—more so than a telegraphed Rhodes vs. Reigns rematch that might “finish the story” but doesn’t fit the best one.