Win or Lose, Roman Reigns' WWE and Universal Titles Must Remain Unified After 'Mania

For the last year, the WWE and universal titles have been in the hands of Roman Reigns, presenting the company with a singular champion for its Superstars to target.

At WrestleMania 39, he will defend his championships against Cody Rhodes and, whether he wins or loses, they should remain unified.

That may be counterintuitive for some who grew up during the days of world champions on each brand, but the last year has taught us that a single titleholder has its benefits, not the least of which is the solidification of him as the guy in the pro wrestling landscape.

There are other benefits to keeping the belts with one wrestler, though, which have been apparent to anyone who has paid the slightest bit of attention to the WWE product over the past 12 months.

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Elevation of Secondary Titles and Opportunities for All

A single world title covering both Raw and SmackDown has allowed the United States and intercontinental belts to take on their greatest meaning in years.

After the abysmal utilization of the men's Money in the Bank briefcase, Austin Theory rebounded in November 2022 by winning the U.S. title for a second time. And he has thrived since then thanks to a run that has seen him work with Seth Rollins and Bobby Lashley in televised and house show main events, elevating his own stock and enhancing the value of the belt.

See also Gunther and the Intercontinental Championship.

The Ring General did not have to overcome the questionable creative that accompanied Theory, but the strength of his booking allowed him to rise up the ranks on SmackDown and bring the often-underutilized title with him.

As a result, the IC gold is in a position to headline Night 1 of WrestleMania 39 in a Triple Threat match that also includes Drew McIntyre and Sheamus, and it can be believable and accepted in that spot.

Having a solitary champion who is not always around to defend their title on every show has allowed others to take center stage and elevate themselves as a result.

Look no further than The Usos, Solo Sikoa, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn as Superstars who have all benefited from surrounding Reigns, even when he isn't available for every broadcast.

Going back to Extreme Rules in October, the show was built on the culmination of Seth Rollins and Matt Riddle's feud, as well as the latest between Liv Morgan and Ronda Rousey and the return of Bray Wyatt.

All of those Superstars were presented in a marquee position that they would not have enjoyed had Reigns been at the forefront of the PPV, and the result was the legitimization of them in the eyes of the audience.

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The Final Boss

A singular champion makes that particular title that much more coveted and meaningful.

There is no watering-down of the prestige of one title versus the other because of a lack of quality challengers. Instead, WWE can pull from its talent base on either show to test the champion.

Over the last year, we have seen Rollins, Riddle, Brock Lesnar, McIntyre, Logan Paul, Owens and Zayn challenge Reigns for his titles. That group makes up talent from both brands and has provided The Tribal Chief with a stronger base of threats than he might have had with a single title exclusive to either Raw or SmackDown.

In that scenario, the United States and intercontinental titles would be diminished due to a lack of quality contenders. Instead of Gunther defending against Sheamus, McIntyre, Ricochet and Strowman in television main events, he would have to pull from further down the roster while WWE Creative utilized those names to oppose Reigns.

The same would go for Theory on Raw.

One champion for every Superstar to chase lends credibility to that title, makes championship matches that much more significant and provides a boost for secondary titles that otherwise might not have had the same attention.

Best of all, it gives WWE that video-game "final boss" for everyone to overcome. To beat the level and win the game, you have to take down the top guy. Reigns is indisputably that man, and Rhodes figures to be next following Night 2 of WrestleMania on April 2.

Distinguishing the face of WWE from everyone else, instead of calling into question whether they really are the top star because there is another world champ on the other show, is the right call and strengthens the desirability of that title.

All the more reason to keep a unified champion in place, regardless of personal preferences or whether Triple H likes the Universal Championship.