10 Best WWE Roman Reigns matches

It was with a heavy heart that on the October 22 edition of WWE RAW in 2018 that the then WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns announced that his returning Leukemia has forced him to relinquish the Universal title and take time away from WWE to be with his family while he once again returns to fight the horrible disease.

After an emotional speech that very quickly turned boo's into loud echoing chants of ''Thank You Roman'', his Shield brothers Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins joined him on stage for a heart wrenching embrace. As Roman prepares for the biggest fight in his life, I think we should honor him by taking a look over the most memorable matches of his solo career.

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While Roman, Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose have had many excellent tag team matches, I have decided not to include those here as that is another list for another time, and Roman is a highly underrated solo performer who has wrestled some damn fine matches without the help of his Shield brothers, and here are the top 10.

#10 Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar - SummerSlam 2018

There wasn't a whole lot to this match. It was what has become a typical Brock Lesnar one-on-one match, which is a very short pay-per-view main event. That said, for the 6 minutes they fought, it was actually pretty entertaining.

A very fast start as Reigns unloaded on Lesnar with three Superman Punches and the three Spears in a row before Brock reversed a fourth with a headlock and spinebuster. As Mr. Money in The Bank Braun Strowman wandered ringside, Reigns went for a running attack on Lesnar, but Lesnar moved and Reigns ended up hitting a suicide dive on Strowman.

Lesnar then focused his attention on Strowman, beating him up outside the ring. When Brock climbed back in the ring, he was finally met with that fourth Spear from Roman and the three count, ending Brock's year and a half Universal Championship reign.

It wasn't a wrestling masterpiece, but it was a fun 6 minutes.

#9 Roman Reigns vs. Rusev - Hell in A Cell 2016

Roman Reigns and Rusev had been feuding for the WWE United States Championship for just about three months up to this point and this would be the last in their series. And what a way to go out.

It was a very good effort from two guys that have wrestled several times during their feud. Rusev took an early control with a lot of stiff kicks. We got some use of the cell walls quite a lot throughout the match and much weapon use, including a chair, kendo sticks, a steel chain and the steel steps.

Rusev put the chain over the mouth of Reigns, which did look pretty painful, but Reigns powered out of it and gave Rusev a Samoan Drop onto the steel steps, which looked ever bit as painful. Rusev stood on the steps and was met with a Spear elevating him off and down for the three count and a victory for Roman to retain his Championship.

#8 Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar - WrestleMania 31

I think this was far better than anyone thought it would be.

Going into it, pretty much no one wanted it. Roman Reigns was being heavily booed (that hasn't changed much) but unlike today, back in 2015, he didn't deserve this headliner status. Today, after working his way up, he does, but three years ago it was just handed to him when he wasn't ready and every move he made was heavily booed.

While this was happening with Roman, much like in 2018, leading to WrestleMania 31, everyone thought Brock Lesnar would be leaving WWE, so he was in no one's favor either. Brock's re-signing announcement that same weekend brought some fans interest back in but everyone still assumed there would be a Reigns victory.

Brock started off strong, even getting in an F-5 in the opening moments, but doesn't make the cover. Lesnar hit several suplexes and coined his “Suplex city, bitch” phrase. Lesnar dominated for a while, hit another F-5 but Roman kicks out to loud boos. Reigns kicks out of a third F-5 shortly thereafter, and shoved Lesnar into the ring post, causing him to bleed. Reigns hit two Spears and go for a third, which Brock counters into an F-5.

As both men try to recover, this match gets its WrestleMania moment as Seth Rollins cashed in his Money in The Bank contract to become WWE Champion.

#7 Roman Reigns vs. Bray Wyatt - Hell in A Cell 2015

Roman Reigns and Bray Wyatt had been feuding for several months before this match, ever since the Money in The Bank event that July and meeting on pay-per-view on two other occasions, but this was the last of their series and it was a great way to end it.

It was a very physical match. They went back and forth all match long with neither really taking a big lead on the other in terms on dominating, they broke tables, they used chairs, they used kendo sticks and they had some fun nearfalls to. Fans were chanting for tables for quite some time, and got just that when Roman powerbombed Bray through one, but for a two count.

The end came when Bray attempted to throw Roman into some kendo sticks he had set up on the ropes but Roman reversed him, throwing him into them and following that up with a Spear for the three count.

#6 Roman Reigns vs. AJ Styles - Extreme Rules 2016

WWE Champion Roman Reigns was struggling to be cheered by fans every bit in 2016 as he is today, which is why it was such a perplexing decision to have WWE's newest most popular star, AJ Styles, feud with him.

AJ feuding with him certainly didn't help Reigns get any more popular, but it did bring out the best of Reigns ability in his one-on-one matches. Roman hadn't had many good one-on-one matches since going solo, but this one made it seem like he had been. Just goes to show how phenomenal AJ Styles really is.

Like every other night, the live audience was almost completely against Roman here. They brawled it out early on until Reigns took control with help from the barricade and steel chair. AJ battled back and the two brawled into the crowd. Reigns tossed Styles onto the glass table at the Kick-Off panel, but Styles fought back. They fought their way back to the ring and Reigns sent Styles through the announcers' table.

We had some more brawling and big moves before Roman powerbombed AJ through the second announce table. Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, and The Usos all interfered to help out their allies and fought each other off. A frustrated AJ would hit Roman with about 10 steel chair shots before going for a Phenomenal Forearm that was reversed into a mid-air spear in an awesome sequence as Roman got the three count

#5 Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins vs. Bray Wyatt vs. Finn Bálor vs Samoa Joe - Extreme Rules 2017

Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Bray Wyatt, Finn Bálor and Samoa Joe were here to battle it out for the number one contendership for the Universal Championship, and they left it all in the ring.

Bálor, Wyatt, Rollins, and Joe would brawl it out as Roman awaited them in the ring, and where he would take them all down one by one until it was just he and Shield brother Seth Rollins. They briefly go at it before being attacked by Wyatt and Joe. We got some hot exchanges from all men, which is pretty non-stop throughout the entire match.

A lot of team-ups near falls and more fast-paced action. We got a cool sequence of Finn almost putting Bray through the announcers' table before Joe grabbed him a with the clutch before Reigns speared them both through the barricade.

Back in the ring, Finn hits Reigns with the shotgun dropkick and then hits the double stomp, but is stopped by Joe before making the cover, who locked him in the clutch for the win.

#4 Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman vs. Samoa Joe vs. Brock Lesnar - SummerSlam 2017

An excellent Fatal Four Way, and Triple Thre

This was one of the better matches of 2017 and the most entertaining match of Brock Lesnar's year and a half Universal Championship reign.

It was all action from start to finish. As Brock dominated Samoa Joe and Roman Reigns in the early going with some suplexes, Braun Strowman entered for a thunderous showdown with Lesnar. trowman hit a clothesline on Lesnar that sent Lesnar over the top to the floor and was then met back in the ring by Roman.

As they battle it out, Joe chokes Brock on the outside, while Roman emerges to Spear Brock through the barricade. Strowman then then powerslammed Lesnar through to announce tables before Brock is stretchered away.

Roman takes Braun out with the steps and battled it out with Joe. Strowman climbed back in the ring and laid Joe and Roman out with a double chokeslam. Brock re-emerged and all four men fought it out with more submissions, suplexes, Spears and mayhem. The end came when Roman hit three superman punches on Brock and set up for another Spear before being reversed into an F-5 for the three count.

#3 Roman Reigns vs. John Cena - No Mercy 2017

This was a first time one-on-one meeting that lived up to the hype. The match itself had been pretty much announced out of nowhere, and only had just under a month for a build up. Leading up to the match, Roman and John had a series of worked shoot segments that were extremely entertaining, and made it an anticipated match, for such a short notice.

The match started off on a slow pace but eventually worked its way up to deliver on some big spots. Despite the chants of “you both suck”, they both went out to show how much of a great match they could have together, and they did just that. Reigns hit a patent John Cena spinning slam to Cena to bring him to the floor and followed him and whipped him into two different steel steps. They had a slugfest back in he ring, broken by Reigns charging at Cena, only to be caught in an Attitude Adjustment for a two count.

Cena went to the middle ropes and hit a Super Attitude Adjustment for a two count, and the crowd thought that was it, so they reacted to it in shock and boos/cheers when Reigns kicked out. Reigns hit a Spear that drove both of them through the announce table to which Roman seemed to have a harder landing.

Cena hit another Attitude Adjustment, then rolled through, hit another AA and covered for a two count as Reigns got his shoulder up again. Crowd went insane for the way it happened. Roman recovered and hot Cena with a superman punch and Spear for the victory.

#2 Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins vs Dean Ambrose - Battleground 2016

All three former Shield members were battling it out for Dean Ambrose newly won WWE Championship. It was a match that many thought should have been saved for a WrestleMania, but it was so good that you would have thought it was a WrestleMania main event.

Ambrose and Roman Reigns kick things off by sending Seth Rollins flying a couple times before Dean tries to sneak a roll up on Roman. Rollins re-enters to be sent flying again and this time Roman gets the two count on a roll up over the Champion. With Roman and Dean now battling it out, Seth joins in to make it a proper Triple Threat. As the action spilled outside, Ambrose ran across the announce tables to take out both guys with a dive against the barricade.

Reigns nailed a Superman Punch on both men back in the ring but was then taken out by them. Going back out to the floor, Rollins cleared off the Spanish announce table. Ambrose picked up Reigns and Rollins drove Reigns through Spanish table with a double team Powerbomb.

After some steel chair use, we have a few close nearfalls in the ring. Rollins gave Roman a Buckle Bomb, only for Roman to recover quickly for a Spear. Ambrose then pounced on Roman for a Dirty Deeds DDT to retain his Championship.

#1 Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins - Money in The Bank 2016

This WWE Championship match was set up following Seth Rollins returning at Extreme Rules one month earlier and laying out Roman Reigns following his successful WWE Championship match over AJ Styles.

The pacing of the match started a little slow, which was done intentionally by Rollins for some good heel work of avoiding the angry and aggressive Champion. A slugfest ensued before Reigns sent Rollins out to the floor and over the announcers table. Rollins went back into the ring for a suicide dive, followed by re-entering the ring for an awesome somersault dive over the top to take out Reigns.

They battled it out back int he ring, hitting some signature moves. Going back outside, Roman charged at Seth, only to meet the barricade instead. Bring Roman back in the ring, he recovered and hot Rollins with a mighty Spear. Reigns ran in for another Spear, but Rollins gave an excellent counter into a Pedigree for a two count. A frustrated Rollins quickly picked Reigns back up and hot a second Pedigree right away, this time for the three count and to become the new WWE Champion.

This was an excellent match and the best one-on-one match for Roman Reigns in his WWE career, so far.

Seth Rollins celebration was short lived as new Mr. Money in The Bank Dean Ambrose arrived and cashed in to become WWE Champion, giving us a night where all three members of The Shield held the WWE Championship.

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