Since Survivor Series: WarGames 2025, Roman Reigns has not appeared on WWE television, yet he remains featured for the Royal Rumble 2026 Premium Live Event. Recent reports suggest that Roman Reigns is expected to regain the Undisputed WWE Championship before WrestleMania 42, positioning him as the likely champion entering the event.
Sudden Title Change for Cody Rhodes Suggests Shift in Plans
One key sign pointing toward Roman Reigns as the WrestleMania champion is the unexpected loss of the Undisputed WWE Championship by Cody Rhodes on a recent SmackDown episode. Rhodes, known as the American Nightmare, had defended the title successfully at major premium live events, so this abrupt defeat signals a major creative shift. Under Triple H’s leadership, WWE appears to be setting up a possible rematch between Reigns and Rhodes at WrestleMania 42. This could follow a scenario where Roman wrestles Drew McIntyre for the title first before facing Rhodes at the biggest show of the year.
Planned Roman vs. Cody Match Shapes WrestleMania Main Event
Reports have confirmed ongoing plans for a WrestleMania 42 showdown between Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes. Drew McIntyre is reportedly poised to play a crucial role as the intermediary in this storyline. The anticipated path suggests Roman will defeat McIntyre to capture the Undisputed WWE Championship, setting up a high-profile title defense against Rhodes at WrestleMania. This arrangement strengthens the expectation that Reigns will hold the championship as he enters ‘Mania.
Earlier Teasers Pointed Toward Roman’s Pursuit of the Title
Last year, during the buildup to Survivor Series: WarGames 2025, Roman Reigns publicly hinted at targeting the Undisputed WWE Championship. After the WarGames match, he confronted Cody Rhodes directly, signaling his intent to chase the title. This moment foreshadowed the promotion’s direction of involving Reigns soon in a major championship feud. Roman’s anticipated return rivalry with Drew McIntyre is expected to lead to him becoming the Undisputed WWE Champion, making him the leading figure at the Showcase of the Immortals.
The significance of these developments points to Roman Reigns reclaiming the championship and maintaining his dominant presence in WWE’s top storylines. Fans can expect the Royal Rumble to feature crucial moments leading to their eventual WrestleMania confrontation, where Roman is set to defend or retain the Undisputed WWE Title.
Roman Reigns ✘ Drew McIntyre
– WrestleMania 35
– Stomping Grounds 2019
– Survivor Series 2020
– Clash At The Castle 2022 pic.twitter.com/N9ouFN1Kod— Adarsh ☝︎ (@chiefs_un1verse) September 18, 2024
