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Roman Reigns is set to put his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship on the line against LA Knight at Crown Jewel. Recent reports have claimed this would be The Tribal Chief's final title defense of the year.
Reigns is reportedly not scheduled to wrestle at Survivor Series and will seemingly next defend his gold at Royal Rumble 2024. If the reported plans are true, it would undoubtedly be a bold move by the WWE creative team, but Triple H may have solid reasons.
Here, we look at five reasons Roman Reigns may not wrestle at WWE Survivor Series 2023. So, without further ado, let's begin!
#5 CM Punk to return at WWE Survivor Series in Roman Reigns' absence
Survivor Series will be held in Chicago, and fans are holding their breath to see if CM Punk will make his WWE return at the show. The reports surrounding his return to the Stamford-based promotion have run wild since his unceremonious exit from AEW.
Punk was fired from Tony Khan's company following multiple altercations in a short period. Backstage reports have since presented contradictory claims concerning Punk's potential WWE return. While some believe it is best for business, others think it's too much of a risk.
However, if CM Punk is to make his much-awaited return to WWE at Survivor Series, he will likely take the main event spot. Keeping Reigns on the same show will force the creative team to make the two cross paths.
#4 No champion vs champion match at WWE Survivor Series 2023
Last year's Survivor Series saw an epic WarGames match main event the show. Triple H could bring WarGames back into the mix for this year's Survivor Series, which will likely feature The Judgment Day against the top babyfaces on RAW.
The creative team likely wouldn't book a champion vs champion match for Survivor Series. This would allow Seth Rollins to join the WarGames match while preserving their rivalry for the future. Fans would have liked to see Reigns vs Rollins at Survivor Series, but WWE is likely keeping the world champions apart for a reason.
#3 Drawing heat while The Bloodline kickstarts individual storylines
Roman Reigns' sporadic appearances have added a lot more to his big bad villain persona, much to the dismay of several fans. Many often criticize The Tribal Chief for not defending his title regularly. WWE could use his prolonged absence to draw more heat towards the biggest heel in the company.
This would also allow Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa to work on individual storylines on SmackDown alongside Paul Heyman. It would also let both superstars shine as they can focus on personal aspirations instead of playing second fiddle in Reigns' history.
#2 Protect Roman Reigns' historic title reign until Royal Rumble
Speaking of history and Roman Reigns, the Tribal Chief's unparalleled dominance in the current run is reflected in his matches, where he gets the win by any means. Unfortunately, that has started to lose its charm as interferences and tricks have become tedious for many fans.
It is also difficult to deny top superstars their ample opportunities against Roman Reigns and risk butchering their momentum. Thus, WWE could benefit heavily by keeping Roman Reigns off television. It will prevent him from unexpected championship feuds before he ultimately crosses paths with Cody Rhodes on the road to the next WrestleMania.
#1 LA Knight beats Roman Reigns to win the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at Crown Jewel
While Cody Rhodes going after Roman Reigns to finish his story is a tempting premise, WWE could pull off a huge surprise at Crown Jewel. Knight hasn't lied about being the fastest-rising star in SmackDown history and made the blue brand his own in Reigns' absence.
It is doubtful for someone to end a historic championship reign after a month-old feud, considering the Tribal Chief's past championship rivalries. However, having LA Knight dethrone Reigns would allow WWE to send shock waves across the wrestling business.
How do you think WWE will justify Roman's decision to skip Survivor Series? Sound off in the comments section below.
