The Real Reason Why Roman Reigns Won the WWE Royal Rumble

Roman Reigns is one of WWE's biggest attractions, and until he calls it quits, he'll remain in the running for world championship opportunities.

That's why his 2026 Royal Rumble win shouldn't have come as any surprise to fans—despite it being one of the least compelling outcomes the company could have gone with for the men's matchup.

Reigns' televised appearances gradually becoming more sporadic in recent years has limited what WWE can do with him creatively. It's also caused several of his storylines to be dragged out for far longer than what's necessary.

It's unknown what his schedule will look like heading into WrestleMania 42, but it likely won't be conducive to whatever he'll be involved in, regardless of which champion he chooses to face.

The WWE product has more of a corporate, sanitized vibe to it than ever before. They've made their money by going with what works and largely making safe choices, especially from a booking standpoint.

As a proven commodity, Roman Reigns is what works, and for better or for worse, that's not changing anytime soon.

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Roman Reigns Is the True Face of WWE's TKO Era

For all intents and purpose, Cody Rhodes dethroning Reigns as Undisputed WWE champ at WrestleMania XL made him "the guy" in WWE. The only issue is that the focus never completely shifted from The Tribal Chief.

He hasn't challenged for a championship since then, but all of his angles have taken precedence over almost everything else, including the top title scene on occasion. This latest chapter of his career should have seen his role minimized ever so slightly, instead of being relied upon to carry an entire 'Mania build.

WWE has taken their fair share of risks over the last year with a handful of new names getting spotlighted. While far from a fresh face, Jey Uso wasn't an established main-eventer prior to winning the 2025 Rumble. He wasn't the odds-on favorite, but him overcoming the odds and proving his naysayers wrong was a story worth pursuing.

Reigns' Rumble victory was the exact opposite of that: predictable, lackluster and devoid of any real creativity.

Even the fashion in which he won it was deflating. Gunther was a credible contender, so the final stretch was suspenseful with the two of them, but the more appealing options (Jacob Fatu, Oba Femi, LA Knight, etc.) were already eliminated.

Not only was Reigns winning expected, it doesn't yield a lot of interesting results. Reigns has headlined every WrestleMania since 2021—including twice in one weekend in 2024—and thus there's nothing exciting about him breaking his own record come WrestleMania 42.

Furthermore, he reigned as world champion for nearly four years. It's too soon for him to be going back for a belt, but because WWE's TKO regime wants the biggest blockbuster bouts for their premier premium live event, they're willing to sacrifice what makes sense.

It's why Reigns vs. The Rock was rejected by fans for coming together at such a terrible time in early 2024. Management had to be forced into pivoting to the Reigns vs. Rhodes rematch, and although it ultimately worked out, it was a rather bad look for the WWE brass.

Their agenda is painfully apparent. It begs the question of who's actually calling the shots between TKO and Paul "Triple H" Levesque, and it's safe to assume it's a combination of both.

Triple H isn't to blame for everything that's bad about the booking in WWE, nor should he be credited for everything that's well received.

While we may never know for sure who's responsible for what, it's clear that their bottom line is what matters most to them, and their big boom period can't continue until they give the next generation these spots the same handful of Superstars have a stranglehold on.

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How WWE Can Make the Most of a Less-Than-Ideal Situation

The Royal Rumble has never been about making new stars as much as it has been about telling the right story. On its own, Reigns winning his second Rumble isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it's all about how it's followed up on.

Reigns rekindling his rivalry with Drew McIntyre over the WWE title could have potential, provided McIntyre goes over in the end. Nothing is accomplished from Reigns beating McIntyre yet again.

It's too early to revisit Reigns vs. Rhodes, but Reigns vs. CM Punk as a program would be the best of the bunch, specifically from a promo standpoint. If Punk defends his World Heavyweight Championship inside the Elimination Chamber before then, he could drop it to Bron Breakker, who'd be the perfect opponent for Reigns at 'Mania given the latter's unfinished business with The Vision.

In every single scenario, Reigns must lose. As a part-time performer, he isn't around often enough to justify putting a world title on. The SmackDown or Raw rosters shouldn't be left without a top title to fight for. WWE has been down that road many times before and it's rarely worth it.

To his credit, Reigns has lost quite a few high-profile matches since April 2024. He was pinned by Bronson Reed in his last singles match back in October at Crown Jewel, and it's not as if WWE has done much to capitalize on what should have been a massive moment for Reed.

WWE has long been ready to move beyond the Roman Reigns era. That isn't to say he can't still be slotted at an elite level, but there has to be logic behind the moves that are made.

For a promotion that prides itself on storytelling and calling itself "cinema," WWE is content with being creatively bankrupt and settling for the status quo.

There will come a time when their cash cow Roman Reigns won't be there for them to fall back on, which is why they have to start embracing the future before it's too late.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.