WWE's Roman Reigns Formula Still Works But Now Is the Time to Change It Up

Roman Reigns' return to a full-time schedule has been among the few positives for WWE since WrestleMania 42, but he could use a new direction. 

Clash in Italy is officially in the books for WWE. The company's foray into the international market continues to be a big success, adding another electric atmosphere to its annual premium live event schedule. 

The Inalpi Arena in Turin provided an excellent backdrop for the second chapter in Fatu and Reigns' familial clash over the World Heavyweight Championship. The latest iteration of Tribal Combat was a fitting way to advance their storyline and position The Bloodline as a threat to the Raw roster again. 

Still, WWE must tread carefully with The Tribal Chief post-Mania because the prospect of another encounter with Solo Sikoa and his MFT stablemates isn't an intriguing development. 

Return of The King

It's hard to avoid the lull period after WrestleMania. The company's biggest show of the year serves as a finale to all the prominent storylines, and it takes time to settle into new ones in the following weeks. 

To that end, Raw and SmackDown have both struggled to find their footing lately because most of the noteworthy matches are rematches. 

Nevertheless, Reigns has been a tremendous addition to the flagship show as its main champion. His segments are regularly the most entertaining aspect of Raw and he successfully elevated his first opponent. 

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Fatu rose to the occasion every time they shared the screen and proved he belongs in the main event scene. Fortunately, Reigns gives WWE a massive name who can raise the bar for other Superstars. 

Similarly, the company attempted to use him to build up The Vision as a credible threat last year. However, it has worked much better since he won the men's Royal Rumble match and returned to a regular schedule. 

Now, Fatu is poised to eventually win a world title, and the match stipulation ensures he will remain a part of the main storyline. If Reigns can do the same for LA Knight or Royce Keys, that will open up more possibilities for them and the rest of the red brand. 

However, too much Bloodline lore and retread to what worked during his original run as The Tribal Chief would be a mistake. 

More Bloodline Drama Isn't Appealing

Reigns' feud with Fatu initially worked so well because the challenger didn't want the ula fala or his ceremonial title. Instead, he wanted the championship and the ability to change his family's situation. 

That small detail grounded the storyline and made the 34-year-old more relatable. Fatu only challenged Reigns to Tribal Combat as a last resort because he knew he could refuse his chance for a rematch. 

That was a compelling way to revisit concepts that The Bloodline established and add a new twist to it. However, WWE shouldn't be overreliant on it because it's getting dangerously close to a rehash. 

Reigns' new version of the faction vs. The MFT sounds derivative and boring. Obviously, The Bloodline was a home run, and the threat of its return to power is an excellent way to build anticipation for an inevitable showdown with Seth Rollins. 

Nevertheless, Reigns' first world heavyweight title feud was a welcome change of pace because Fatu was a fresh opponent and it allowed him to raise his profile. The callbacks to his run on SmackDown enhanced it, but they shouldn't be the focus moving forward.