Ranking Roman Reigns Among WWE's All-Time Greats Amid Legendary Bloodline Run

Roman Reigns has become the top star in professional wrestling and the centerpiece of WWE.

He is The Tribal Chief, the Head of the Table, and the Undisputed WWE Universal champion. He is in the midst of a historical reign, is the most over star in professional wrestling and almost always shows out when he sets foot inside the squared circle.

His attention to detail and the little nuances of his performance have helped make him one of the most intriguing and engaging Superstars the company has ever produced.

But where does he rank among the icons that preceded him?

At what spot does he occupy on a list of iconic, era-defining stars like Hulk Hogan, Bruno Sammartino, Steve Austin, John Cena and The Rock?

The answer may be surprising.

Where Does Roman Reigns Currently Rank?

There are a handful of WWE Superstars who have defined the company's long and illustrious history. These are where they, including Reigns, currently rank:

1. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin
2. Hulk Hogan
3. John Cena
4. Roman Reigns
5. The Rock
6. Bruno Sammartino
   

Assessing His Current Place

Reigns leapfrogged Sammartino and The Rock for the No. 4 spot on the list, a decision that is likely to be controversial to fans of those two Superstars, but not without merit.

The Tribal Chief has excelled on a global stage, something Sammartino never had the opportunity to do. While the Hall of Famer held the title a staggering 2803 days at the height of his popularity, that was during a different era in which long title reigns were accepted because fans could not turn on the television every week and see the champion.

They had to flock to arenas to catch a glimpse of Sammartino, who would sell out Madison Square Garden routinely for his title defenses.

Reigns hold the title for nearly three years in this era is unprecedented.

We live in a time of short attention spans and constant demands for shinier new toys. The fact that he has managed to stay relevant and over, maintaining the attention of the audience and positioning himself through matches and storylines to sustain his run for as long as he has is a testament to him and those he has worked with.

Speaking of longevity, it is that field in which Reigns has the strongest advantage over The Rock.

Reigns has been a genuine headliner in WWE since The Shield split in 2014 and while it has not always been smooth sailing, he has steadily and consistently been the guy that the company has built around. Even if one argues that he did not actually become the guy until the return in 2020 and subsequent heel turn, he has still stood atop the company for three years.

That comparable to Rock, who rose to superstardom in 1999 and was effectively done as a full-time WWE Superstar by the time Hollywood came calling in 2002.

No, that is not to say The Great One should have his success away from wrestling held against him.

Based on his work and how long he it will live on in the annals of WWE, he undeniably left his mark on the company at a time when it was as successful as it had ever been.

Reigns, though, is championing the company at a time when it is experiencing unprecedented success.

He was at the center of an angle that carried a July 7 episode of SmackDown that made history as the first wrestling show to be the No. 1 most-watched English-language show on television.

The Bloodline storyline and its many, unforgettable moments will carry on just as Rock's hilarious one-liners and iconic showdowns with Austin, Mick Foley, The Undertaker and Triple H.

The longevity, his ability to carry the company as its central figure and champion for years interrupted, and the historic success WWE is enjoying with Reigns at the top of the company are more than enough to justify The Tribal Chief jumping ahead of The Great One.

Even if one's fondness for nostalgia and personal preference cannot grasp the idea of such a thing.

Can The Tribal Chief Take the No. 1 Spot?

It will be far more difficult for Reigns to take the top spot.

He could realistically unseat John Cena for the third spot, though the idea of heel jumping a beloved babyface and overall swell guy may be difficult to imagine.

As great as he has been as a heel, as much success as he has had, and as engaging and captivating as The Bloodline saga has been, Reigns would probably need that one great run as a fan-favorite to solidify himself alongside Austin and Hogan in the top three.

Then again, that is what makes what Reigns is doing right now so extraordinary.

WWE has, with the exception of the early days of the Ruthless Aggression Era, always been a company that lives and breathes on the central babyface. The times that a heel has been at the center of the company, at least post-expansion, were the leaner years of the early 1990s and the post-boom early 2000s.

Reigns has bucked that trend. He has proven to be a villain the company can build its entire broadcast television show around and not only will people watch, but they will make wrestling the most viewed show of the night.

They will flock to arenas and gigantic football stadiums to see him perform. They will buy merchandise and relive his most important moments on YouTube and other social media platforms.

What he has accomplished as a detestable, manipulative villain is right out of 1980s soap opera. He is the JR Ewing of WWE, a guy who is detested even by his own family but at the same time, so charismatic and engaging that you cannot help but want to see what comes next.

Still, despite being the exception to a well-established rule, it will be difficult for him to jump the top two.

That aforementioned expansion? Hogan made that possible. Despite a deservedly sullied reputation, there is no denying the extent to which Hulkamania swept the wrestling world and made it possible for Vince McMahon to take pro wrestling out of New York and turn it into a global phenomenon.

Hogan was a powerhouse during the Federation years and became a pop culture phenomenon at that.

Austin, on the other hand, brought the company back from the brink of annihilation during the Monday Night Wars. He embodied the attitude that would define an era and was the rebel without a cause that WWE and McMahon needed to stave off Eric Bischoff and WCW.

Like Hogan, he became a pop culture star. Austin 3:16 shirts were in every store and even those who did not watch wrestling, considered it phony or had no idea what it even was were aware of ol' "Stone Cold."

It is the historical significance of those two men that make it difficult to imagine Reigns managing to take the top spot, even if the quality of his best work is arguably better than that of his peers.