Backstage WWE Rumors: Latest on Roman Reigns, World Title and More

Roman Reigns has dominated WWE for nearly 1,000 days as the company's top champion and star, but what does the future hold for The Tribal Chief and his historic run as Undisputed WWE Universal Champion?

More importantly, how did that unified title come to be, and were there ever any real plans for it in the first place?

It is all about the gold in this collection of wrestling rumors, which also features updates on former world champion Bobby Roode and a reported new rule behind the scenes in WWE.

Update on Roman Reigns' Title Run

Andrew Zarian of F4WOnline.com and Mat Men Podcast reported that WWE wants to update its history books and "needs longer title reigns" to do so. "Pun intended."

Roman Reigns is closing in on 1,000 days as the top champion in the company, an accomplishment that once appeared impossible in the current landscape of professional wrestling, where attention spans are short and there is a constant desire for new.

That he has remained relevant in a company in which booking has oftentimes been best described as "whimsical" is stunning.

That he has done all that he has to change his on-screen persona into that of a compelling and engaging character is a testament to the performer and the recognition that something had to change in the summer of 2020, when his babyface character felt beyond stale.

More interesting than the potential for Reigns to continue his run beyond 1,000 days is the company's desire to update its history books.

Why the rush to do so, especially when nostalgia is such a major part of fandom? It is not at all rare to see fans rocking Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels tees to live events.

Perhaps, therein is where the desire to update things lies. WWE likely wants to emphasize the stars of today and believes the best way to do so is by having them join the all-timers on the distinguished lists by booking lengthy title reigns.

Whatever the reason behind it, the decision has done more to bring legitimacy to championships that were long utilized as props to be passed back and forth in creatively bankrupt stories, and that is a major positive for the overall quality of the product.

Latest on the World Title Situation in WWE

Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select reported several major updates to the world title situation in WWE, including that the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship was never planned but, instead, was the result of Roman Reigns contracting COVID-19 prior to the Day 1 premium live event in January 2022.

The sudden illness led to the company putting the WWE Championship on Brock Lesnar and setting in motion the events, including two questionable title changes from there, that culminated with the unification match in the main event of WrestleMania 38.

The report continued, revealing that there were plans in place at one point to split the titles and for Drew McIntyre and Seth Rollins to battle for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania, while Reigns would square off with a Superstar "TBD."

"Originally the King of the Ring tournament was supposed to take place in May, but after WrestleMania, that was altered to accommodate the booking of the new WWE World Heavyweight Title," Sapp concluded.

There is a considerable amount to unpack here, not the least of which was the incredible lack of forethought that went into the booking whim that was the Lesnar decision at Day 1. Sure, the company likely felt the need to deliver something significant for the first-time event, especially with Reigns unable to appear as advertised, but that decision affected more than just the booking of the title.

Sure, it led to a unification that the company has been trying to book itself out of for a year, but it also diminished Big E's star after he dropped the title to The Beast in just eight minutes.

The entire ordeal demonstrated the chaotic creative process, or lack thereof, in the company leading up to last year's WrestleMania. One look at the product at that time, with the back-and-forth switching of the WWE title, and it is apparent.

One has to wonder, had Triple H been in place as the chief content officer at the time, if the decision to haphazardly put the title on Lesnar would have been made.

Regardless of the answer to that question, The King of Kings has introduced a new title. Whether that accomplishes the goal of cleaning up the championship situation or further muddies the waters bears watching over the next 12 months.

New Backstage Rule in WWE

WWE Superstars are no longer allowed to post pictures of injuries and, according to a report by Bryan Alvarez on Wrestling Observer Live, absolutely no blood.

This comes almost a year after Cody Rhodes famously removed his ring jacket to reveal massive bruising resulting from a torn pectoral muscle suffered while training for his Hell in Cell Match against Seth Rollins.

Social media posts documenting injuries have become commonplace in the industry as wrestlers look to be more transparent about their absences from television and ongoing storylines.

That is not to say WWE will cease posting videos in which injuries are present. In a situation in which Rhodes is advertised for a main event match and opts to work through it, it is nearly impossible for the company and performer himself not to acknowledge said injury.

This will likely only affect individual acknowledgements of injury by the stars themselves.

Maybe, leaving the images off of social media will help create an air of mystery and greater intrigue for a Superstar's return. Perhaps it will damage the organic connection that occurs between wrestler and fan via that transparency.

Whatever the case, it does not appear as though WWE's performers will be in any hurry to show the physical effects of their in-ring work anytime soon.

Injury Update on Robert Roode

Former NXT Champion Robert Roode has not competed in a televised match since March 2022, when he was one of 20 men in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal prior to WrestleMania 38.

Roode underwent neck surgery in the months following that match and, according to Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com Elite, he recently returned to Birmingham, Alabama, for a checkup. The report did not provide a timetable for his return.

If there is a star who would likely benefit from Triple H's rise to power creatively in WWE, it is Roode. He thrived under The Game during his time in NXT, holding the brand's world title for 202 days and enjoying a run as heel champion that was clearly inspired by The Cerebral Assassin and "Nature Boy" Ric Flair.

Like many who made the jump to the main roster during Vince McMahon's regime, he struggled to gain traction and slipped into the midcard, where he and Dolph Ziggler formed an effective team but were hardly treated as consistent contenders.

Hopefully, a return to the squared circle is in the cards and Roode can enjoy at least one solid run with the company on Raw or SmackDown because he is an ultra-talented individual who has achieved considerable success in multiple companies.