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Since last year's SummerSlam, Roman Reigns has arguably been the best thing about WWE. "The Big Dog" quickly aligned with the cunning Paul Heyman and won the Universal Championship for the second time.
After he defeated Jey Uso, he started calling himself "The Head of the Table" and "The Tribal Chief." Reigns was later acknowledged as such by the Wild Samoans. His cousin was defiant, but eventually, Uso fell in line.
Kevin Owens, Daniel Bryan, Edge, Cesaro, and Edge all tried to silence the dominant champion, but Reigns defeated each and every one of them. Along the way, "The Tribal Chief" has become one of the most protected and powerful World Champions in recent memory. He has held the championship for more than 250 days, and he probably won't drop it before SummerSlam.
But as recent rumors indicate, his days as Universal Champion might be numbered. WWE is reportedly planning a blockbuster match between Roman Reigns and John Cena for the summer's biggest event.
The idea of a rematch between Reigns and Cena is brilliant on many different levels. This slideshow explores five reasons why the Universal Champion should face Cena at SummerSlam.
#5 Roman Reigns versus John Cena would be a huge draw
Even though Reigns and Cena are two of the most polarizing stars in the history sports entertainment, their star power is undeniable. The WWE Universe may love them or hate them, but fans cannot ignore them.
For the first time in two years, a live crowd would be in attendance for the second biggest event of the year. Vince McMahon will likely hope to book a headliner worthy of this wonderful occasion; it will need to be an encounter that would sell out an arena or a stadium.
John Cena is a name every casual wrestling fan is aware of. In fact, Cena's fan base has grown even larger with his successful career in the film industry. Roman Reigns has also demonstrated his power as an attraction. For this reason, Reigns versus Cena is a huge draw that would deserve to close out one of the most monumental pay-per-views in recent memory.
#4 John Cena brings the best out of Roman Reigns
As most fans may recall, Roman Reigns and John Cena locked horns in September 2017 at No Mercy. It was a "B- Level" show that was a surprising occasion for a dream match of this magnitude. Nevertheless, Reigns and Cena delivered in their program, which started soon after SummerSlam 2017.
The two titans were at each other's throats throughout their rivalry. They had a fourteen-minute verbal exchange where they famously criticized each other for their weaknesses and failures. "The Big Dog" taunted the franchise player for leaving WWE to pursue a career in Hollywood. In contrast, Cena taunted Reigns for failing to hold the US Championship with honor and respect.
Reigns and Cena also fought the upstart Jason Jordan at the time. Each argued with the other after their respective encounter with Kurt Angle's on-screen son. Jordon put up strong showings against both top stars, but they both defeated him.
"The Champ" was always a better talker than Roman Reigns, but the current Universal Champion held his ground against one of WWE's best trash-talkers. Their arguments were original, fiery, and highly personal for television. Cena truly brought out a different side of Reigns that fans had never seen before.
"The Big Dog" showed that he could cut a great promo and handle the spotlight against John Cena. Reigns impressed fans with his work in the program, and a renewed rivalry would bring out an even better version of the powerhouse.
#3 Roman Reigns would get enormous heat by defeating John Cena
Roman Reigns has been on another level as the Universal Champion. "The Tribal Chief", with the help of Paul Heyman and Jey Uso, has run roughshod over the entire SmackDown roster. The odds were stacked against Reigns at WrestleMania 37, but he double-pinned Edge and Daniel Bryan after a brutal encounter to retain the gold.
Still, defeating John Cena is a massive achievement, and Reigns might look to prove that he can still do it. Because he has beaten Cena in the past, he knows what it takes to win a match against the sixteen-time world champion.
If "The Tribal Chief" does defeat WWE's franchise player once again, his position as "The Head of the Table" would be indisputable. Moreover, the heat he would garner cannot be described in words. To draw a comparison, it would be reminiscent of the reaction he gained when he beat The Undertaker at WrestleMania 33.
When Reigns defeated Cena in a thrilling encounter at No Mercy 2017, he gained momentum. But Reigns had a different kind of heat at the time - the "Go Away" heat where the WWE Universe didn't want him in the spotlight. This time around, Reigns will aim to build heat as the biggest villain on SmackDown.
This reaction is good heat because his brutal, despicable attitude warrants such a strong emotion. Roman Reigns' potential win over Cena may not sit well with fans, which would make the champion even more deplorable.
#2 This may be John Cena's last opportunity to break Ric Flair's record
Roman Reigns is the current Universal Champion, and John Cena has never won the red championship.After the brand split in July 2016, it was introduced when Cena had already taken up a part-time role in the world's top wrestling promotion.
If John Cena wins the Universal Championship, he breaks Ric Flair's record of the most World Championships held by a single competitor. The Leader of the Cenation has already tied the record by defeating AJ Styles back in January 2017 at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view.
It makes sense for him to win the Universal Championship from Roman Reigns as that is one of the few prizes that has eluded him. Moreover, he can bring more prestige to the coveted title, which is still less prestigious than its counterpart- the WWE Championship.
The catch is that Cena's Hollywood career has taken off while his wrestling career is winding down. At the same time, Roman Reigns has become one of the biggest names in WWE. The future Hall of Famer has reiterated that he cannot fulfill his acting and wrestling requirements concurrently. This limits the opportunities available to Cena to win that historic seventeenth World Championship. He last competed at WrestleMania 36, which is a testament to his busy schedule. The fact that he hasn't won a championship in over four years is surprising to fans who grew up watching him in the spotlight.
WWE would want huge Superstars like John Cena back when live audiences return. This would prompt the Champ to re-emerge and try his shot at the Universal Champion Roman Reigns.
#1 WWE has been building toward Roman Reigns versus John Cena for a while
Upon paying close attention to the current situation, it feels as if Vince McMahon has been gearing up for John Cena versus Roman Reigns. When "The Tribal Chief" double-pinned Edge and Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania 37, fans were amazed.
After all, the champion could have lost the championship without being pinned. Yet WWE had Reigns convincingly defeat two top babyfaces on its first event that had a live crowd in over a year.
Later, reports revealed that WWE was protecting the Universal Champion for bigger money-making matches down the road. Plans also called for a blockbuster rematch with John Cena, a marquee match McMahon might want to see.
Throughout his entire wrestling career, Cena has been booked as the ultimate hero. He battles against tyrannical villains in a quest to restore order. This drive was the story behind his rivalries with Edge, Randy Orton, Big Show, Triple H, JBL, Rusev, and Brock Lesnar.
Few stars have been as unstoppable as Reigns, so it would make sense for the hero to return in to knock him down a peg. Cena will most likely lose, but he could still teach the champion a lesson in respect.
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