Roman Reigns will return to reclaim control of WWE’s Bloodline and will likely begin his first run as a babyface in over four years.
The former WWE Universal Undefeated Champion made his long-awaited return to WWE television on Saturday night at SummerSlam at Cleveland Stadium.
Reigns, 39, has not been seen since April 7, when he was defeated by Cody Rhodes in the Bloodline Rules main event of WrestleMania 40, ending his 1,316-day world title reign.
After Rose was soundly defeated by challenger Solo Sicore and fellow Bloodline member Jacob Fatu in the main event, Reigns’ music played.
He walked to the ring alone and unleashed a Superman punch and a spear on Sicor.
This allowed Rose to hit Sicor with the Cross Rose and pin him to retain his status as the WWE’s undefeated champion.
The landscape of WWE and the Bloodline faction under Reigns’ leadership has changed dramatically in his absence.
Sicor, who Reigns had previously named as his future successor as Tribal Chief, took control of the faction after Reigns’ departure and took a shot at Rose and the undefeated WWE Championship against his wishes.
Sikoa brought in his brothers Toma Tonga and Tonga Loa, sons of Haku, and the vicious Fatu to corner Rose and his friends Randy Orton and Kevin Owens.
Tonga and Loa interfered in Saturday’s match, but were chased away by Orton and Owens.
“I know I’m not his friend,” Rose said at a post-show press conference. “He didn’t do this for me. He did it because of what happened with Bloodline and Solo.”
Reigns’ “Wiseman” Paul Heyman had a falling out with Sicor and the new group after he asked WWE Hall of Famer Sicor to recognize himself, rather than Reigns, as tribal chief and ceremonial Ula Falla (disciple of the chief).
Heyman refused in an epic moment before The Shield powerbombed him through the announce table on June 28 at Madison Square Garden.
Sicore directly criticized Reigns during a vignette on the July 5 SmackDown.
“Roman Reigns was not manly enough to defend our title at WrestleMania,” Sikore said. “He was not manly enough to defend our legacy against Cody Rhodes and his legacy, so he should no longer call himself Tribal Chief, because I am Tribal Chief. … If Roman Reigns wants the WWE Championship back, he’s going to try to take it from me.”
That moment, and the criticism Shikio’s Bloodline received before SummerSlam and its devastation of Orton and Owens, was exactly the foundation Reigns needed to return as a babyface after returning at SummerSlam 2020 and launching one of the greatest heel runs of all time.
But Reigns doesn’t believe his relationship with Rose is over storyline-wise, and continues to stare him down after helping him win.
The champion also feels he’s not done yet.
“Roman Reigns not only deserves a rematch. Roman Reigns has held this title for so long that this match had to happen,” Rose said. “It’s something that needs to be done. I don’t know if anybody saw it, but I know somewhere out there there’s a third title in the books, which is why I put the title on the tap like this.”
