Five Superstars Who Could Defeat Roman Reigns for the WWE Universal Championship
The Tribal Chief Hasn't Been Pinned Since December 2019
WWE is in a world of hurting right now.
Literally.
With Randy Orton, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Cody Rhodes on the shelf, Vince McMahon and company have lost three top Superstars to challenge Roman Reigns. However, Reigns is scheduled to miss Money in the Bank on July 3, leaving an opportunity for someone to step up to the main event scene. With that said, a bigger question remains: who could topple the Head of the Table? Reigns has been Universal Champion since his WWE return in September, 2020, and recently, his run at the top has become a tad stale. Rhodes, one of the favorites to topple the former Shield member, is now out for nine months with a torn pectoral muscle. I have come up with five names that could be options as the next WWE Universal Champion with Roman Reigns having a reduced schedule.
Drew McIntyre
I might as well start with the top contender for the strap. McIntyre will get his chance against Reigns at the Clash at the Castle show on September 3rd in Cardiff, Wales. The Scottish Warrior is the United Kingdom’s first (and so far, only) World Champion in WWE. What better time to win the belt than in his homeland?
The booking here would be fairly straightforward. McIntyre vs. Reigns for the WWE Universal Championship would be the main event of Clash at the Castle, in which Drew overcomes the odds with a Claymore to the Head of the Table’s head. The pop would be extraordinary. When the British Bulldog won the Intercontinental Title at Summerslam 1992, it was one of the loudest ovations in WWE history. Imagine the roar if Drew topples the unbeatable Reigns to become a three-time World Champion in WWE?
Brock Lesnar
I mean, look, I don’t want another Reigns-Lesnar match. I’m fairly certain that a majority of the WWE Universe would not want another program between two of WWE’s most protected talent. Nonetheless, Lesnar is always going to be a realistic option as someone who could walk away with a World Championship. When desperate times call for desperate measures, WWE has not hesitated to put the belt on the Beast Incarnate. With three of WWE’s top draws out with injury, this may qualify as desperate measures.
Much like a potential McIntyre win, booking a Lesnar WWE Universal Championship win is fairly simple. A possible premium live event for a Brock victory? Why not Crown Jewel? At this point, Lesnar has become the face of the Saudi shows, and he’s seen positive receptions over there. The Beast could hit the Tribal Chief with multiple F-5’s to walk out of Riyadh the new champion, regaining his title as The Conquerer.
Cody Rhodes
Patience may be WWE’s strongest ally at this point, and no Superstar has won the hearts of the WWE Universe over the past number of months than Cody Rhodes. The American Nightmare returned to WWE at Wrestlemania 38, and after a trilogy of fantastic matches with Seth Rollins, Rhodes is certainly ready for the WWE Universal Championship. All WWE would have to do is wait just a bit longer to pull the trigger until Rhodes heals from his pectoral injury.
Following his performance at Hell in a Cell, Rhodes has taken himself to the top of WWE’s list of beloved Superstars. Honestly, he could win the title at any point after his return, but an early return for a Day One clash with Roman Reigns makes sense. Not only would that push Day One as a major premium live event, but it would give it a WWE moment we remember for years to come. The feud would be centered around family, and what better way to set up a Rock-Roman Wrestlemania program than to even the odds against the Bloodline? Yes, the moment would be based around Reigns and The Rock quickly after, but the Cody win would be the special moment of the night.
Bobby Lashley
For the next handful of months, Bobby Lashley will take over the role as the most over face in WWE. After three and a half years as a heel, Lashley turned face in early 2022, embracing the crowd reactions, and celebrating with them after his second WWE Championship triumph. While his first World Championship victory came without fans in attendance, could a win over Roman Reigns give him the biggest ovation of his WWE career?
If Lashley was the one to topple the Roman Empire, it would have to be pretty soon. I’m talking Summerslam soon. In this scenario, the All Mighty wins a #1 Contender’s Match after Money in the Bank. This would set him up for a clash with Reigns at the Biggest Party of the Summer. A Hurt Lock could prove to be mightier than the Guillotine, giving Lashley his third run at the top of WWE. However, with McIntyre set to get a shot at Clash at the Castle, it might be beneficial to wait until after that match for Lashley’s moment in the sun.
Sami Zayn
I was tempted to put Kevin Owens in this spot, but I ultimately decided to give it to his best friend instead. Out of the five, Zayn is definitely the outlier of the bunch. Recently, Zayn has been a companion to the Bloodline, acting as a henchman of sorts. One way to solidify a departure from the group would be to take the top prize away from the grips of Roman Reigns.
Money in the Bank would signify the start of a long-term storyline. Sami Zayn is my pick to win the match, and if he were the chosen one, he’d have to win. A Zayn victory in Money in the Bank should make Reigns very happy, as he could promise not to cash in on the Tribal Chief. Let this simmer for a few months while Reigns continues to dominate. Then, when the moment is right, Zayn cashes in and wins the championship for himself. Depending on how the story plays out, this could either mark a huge babyface turn for Zayn or for Roman. I’d give it to Zayn, though. Smackdown is lacking top babyfaces, and Zayn would instantly become one of the most beloved names on the blue brand.
Of course, the list of contenders is not limited to these five. Names like Gunther, Kevin Owens, and even The Rock could all defeat the Tribal Chief. Alas, Roman could remain champion for months, even years, and the man that takes the title could be off our radar. One thing is known: when Reigns drops the championship, we will look back on it as one of the greatest championship runs of all time.