Roman Reigns' World Title Run Kicks Off With the Perfect Feud in WWE
After Roman Reigns closed one chapter at WWE WrestleMania 42, his first challenger emerged to put his new lease on life to the test.
It's still surreal that Reigns and CM Punk, who have been linked for 12 years, headlined The Showcase of the Immortals together and delivered an instant classic. In the process, the second-generation star earned a signature win at the event over the man who validated many of his vocal critics.
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Reigns has finally attained the acceptance he sought for so long as a top babyface, and their matchup exceeded expectations. Even more, he alleviated any lingering doubt that he couldn't win on his own following his time as The Head of the Table.
After his loss to Cody Rhodes, he needed this moment without The Usos or Paul Heyman to prove he could stand on his own again. His career-defining run with The Bloodline elevated him to new heights, but he's more popular than he has ever been as a protagonist.
That's what makes this an interesting time for Jacob Fatu to enter the title picture. The highly regarded Samoan wrestler is the perfect opponent to determine whether Reigns has truly changed.
A Test of Character
Viewers have been anticipating this match since Fatu debuted as Solo Sikoa's enforcer during Reigns' absence in 2024. It didn't take long for The Samoan Werewolf to stand out as the next big star in the Anoa'i family.
So much so that many fans couldn't wait to see him turn on Sikoa and take over The Bloodline. Instead, Fatu struck out on his own and enjoyed a brief reign as the United States champion.
Even though Drew McIntyre did everything in his power to keep the 34-year-old out of the main event scene this year, his ascension was inevitable. Anyone familiar with Fatu's work in Major League Wrestling could tell he was destined to compete for a world title.
It shouldn't have surprised anyone that he would be the first man up to challenge Reigns on Monday night. Interestingly, Fatu said he doesn't want to be The Tribal Chief but he needs the World Heavyweight Championship.
Reigns also didn't display any of the insecurities or selfishness that defined his original feud with Jey Uso and started The Bloodline. No, the new champ actually warned his cousin about the person he would need to become to gain everything he coveted.
It's a stark difference to his last reign, where maintaining power and unquestioned loyalty were his immediate priorities. Reigns and Fatu's exchange was also less a familial conflict and more a traditional world title angle.
The Next Chapter
Reigns' triumph at WrestleMania 42 wasn't just about proving Punk and his detractors wrong once and for all. It was the reset his character needed since he lost everything two years ago.
He returned at SummerSlam in 2024, and the fans just accepted him as a babyface again because absence makes the heart grow fonder. Sikoa also played his role perfectly as the de facto leader of The Bloodline, giving crowds someone to chant "We Want Roman" at.
Still, Reigns never really evolved as a character or redeemed himself. In fact, that was the premise of the lead-in to Survivor Series that year, and what ultimately led Seth Rollins to turn heel.
The weekly segments leading up to his showdown with Punk weren't perfect, but their rivalry forced him to face the man he became when he aligned with Heyman. His hatred for The Second City Saint reignited a drive to be the best that has been missing since he lost to Rhodes.
This is the perfect time to offer Fatu a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship. It would prove he isn't an absentee titleholder who hoards opportunities anymore.
More importantly, it would illustrate that Reigns isn't the same tyrant who punished his cousin for trying to surpass him and used The Bloodline to keep him in line. This is the way to start the next chapter of his career as a fighting champion.
