3 Fresh Roman Reigns Ideas For WWE Return
When Roman Reigns returns from his latest hiatus from WWE, he will likely target those who put him on the shelf at Clash in Paris: Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed.
But what if there was something fresh and more interesting awaiting The OTC upon his return, something unconnected to Paul Heyman, Seth Rollins or The Bloodline?
What might that look like? Let's take a look.
Reigns Has to Earn It
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Reigns has spent the last decade of his career at the top of the WWE card, regularly fighting for championships.
When he transformed from The Big Dog to The Tribal Chief, it was expected that he would be in the main event, either competing for or defending the top prize in the industry.
He has had some downfalls of late, including the loss of the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania 40, Paul Heyman turning on him, the disintegration of The Bloodline and his recent struggles with The Vision.
Even with that, Reigns has remained in the thick of the world title hunt, despite doing little to actually earn a place there over the last year.
Imagine a scenario in which The OTC returns, facing resistance from Raw General Manager Adam Pearce, who reminds him that he has not had the successful run of four years prior and will have to work his way back into title contention.
He could compete against Rusev, Dominik Mysterio and The Judgment Day, Reed and Breakker, and then eventually challenge for the world title.
It would not only give him fresh opponents to combat, but it would also allow fans to emotionally invest in him beyond the idea that he's the top dog in WWE.
It would also erase the perception that Reigns has everything handed to him, although returning to the main event spotlight could earn him the criticisms he faced early in his career.
Haunted By The Wyatt Sicks
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The theme of "family" has been omnipresent in all things Bray Wyatt in WWE. That has been continued with The Wyatt Sicks, a band of haunting outsiders that has taken to terrorizing their fellow competitors, especially those who have betrayed their families, friends and partners.
Considering the splintered nature of The Bloodline and how Reigns' personality directly contributed to the downfall of the faction, who better to feel their wrath than The Tribal Chief?
Erick Rowan is the only member of the group Reigns has previously worked with, making for fresh matchups and a meaty story that can keep him busy for the foreseeable future.
WWE can even introduce Jey Uso to the fray if it is intent on telling the next chapter of The Bloodline, especially as the former heavyweight world champion continues his descent into the same self-centered, untrusting persona he once escaped from in Reigns.
The storytelling opportunities are plentiful, and the association with Reigns would elevate the significance of The Wyatt Sicks on TV after some questionable booking decisions of the last year.
That the OTC had a considerable history with Wyatt only strengthens the creative possibilities.
One-on-One Feud with CM Punk
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Fans caught a glimpse of Punk vs. Reigns during the WrestleMania 41 Night 1 main event, which also featured Seth Rollins. But they have yet to meet in a true one-on-one rivalry.
Still, despite their history on and off screen, including the well-documented comments about The OTC's early days in WWE, the two have yet to cross paths in an actual one-on-one rivalry.
Reigns might taunt Punk by pointing out he's become a bigger star. Meanwhile, The Best in the World could remind Reigns that "The Big Dog" wouldn't have survived in WWE without the lessons he taught him.
Neither has to be a heel, and the fans can choose who they want to support. It makes for an electric program, with the real-life beef between them ensuring an even more engaging feud.
The matches would be good, too, as long as they are allowed to work without the introduction of overbooking.
WWE could even transition from the program back into whatever it wants to do with The Vision, as Rollins sits back and watches his two rivals hurt each other.
It's a contest fans have not seen since a throwaway match on the January 6, 2014, episode of Raw.
