Roman Reigns secured his second victory in the Royal Rumble match held in Riyadh and is scheduled to face CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas. Despite these successes, a former WWE employee suggests that Reigns may be experiencing dissatisfaction with the WWE due to the company’s failure to build new credible stars during his reduced presence.
Earlier this year, during a public comment about WWE’s handling of talent, Reigns expressed frustration over the lack of new stars emerging in his absence from weekly programming. Many assumed his remarks were part of his on-screen persona, but Tommy Carlucci, speaking on Behind The Turnbuckle Studios’ The Coach and Bro Show, believes the dissatisfaction is genuine. Carlucci highlighted that since Reigns and Cody Rhodes faced off, the company has struggled to establish any new main-event level talent outside of Drew McIntyre.
“I think Roman Reigns speaks from the heart, and we’ve all seen it. How many big-time stars have they built in the past two years from the Cody [Rhodes] and Roman days of going at it? I mean, after Drew McIntyre, who have you built?” Tommy Carlucci, Former WWE Employee
Details on Roman Reigns’ Upcoming WWE Appearances
Roman Reigns operates on a part-time schedule within WWE, differing from most full-time performers. Before his appearance at the Royal Rumble event in Riyadh, he did not participate in any WWE programming, opting instead to announce his entry into the match through social media channels. After claiming the Royal Rumble victory, Reigns chose CM Punk as his WrestleMania 42 opponent for the World Heavyweight Championship in Nevada.
The Men’s Grand Slam Champion will take another break following the Royal Rumble, as WWE’s released schedule indicates that Reigns will miss most of February 2026. He is expected to return in March to intensify his rivalry with CM Punk, building momentum toward WrestleMania 42, often referred to as The Grandest Stage of Them All, in Las Vegas.
This limited schedule and the apparent frustration from Reigns highlight ongoing concerns within WWE about talent development and company direction, especially after the high-profile Bloodline storyline concluded.
