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Roman Reigns is technically not supposed to be a part of the 'Clash of Champions' considering the fact that he's not a Champion at this moment, at least. However, he is involved in the most interesting storyline right now, and it is all too likely that he'll be a featured attraction at the next pay-per-view.
Someone has been targeting the Big Dog, and he has been the victim of more than one attempt on his life. It was Buddy Murphy who first pointed fingers towards Rowan and Bryan, and it is all too likely that one of the two men is responsible for the heinous attacks.
Now, that does not necessarily mean that Roman Reigns will face one of the two men at the pay-per-view, if you consider the fact that this storyline could stretch out for some time. So what are the possible matches he could have at the show?
These are the possibilities...
#5 Sheamus
All we saw from the footage is that it was a man in a cloak with a beard, which does not conclusively prove that it was Rowan in the video. Mind you, Rowan did try to protest but Daniel Bryan would slap him relentlessly to the point where his protestations would remain unheard. Now we know that Sheamus is sitting on the sidelines, biding his time for a big return.
This could be the right platform to bring Sheamus back, right into a feud with someone like Reigns. We know that Sheamus shares many physical similarities with Rowan, and because of the hood that was involved it is not even clear if the man who perpetrated the attack was even bald.
Sheamus vs. Reigns would be a big match and a great way to shake up SmackDown Live before the move to FOX.
#4 Shane McMahon
Shane McMahon and Roman Reigns have been at odds ever since the latter delivered a Superman Punch to his beloved father, Vince McMahon. If you notice the segment where Rowan was unmasked as the man behind the attacks, when Daniel Bryan confronted him, it seemed like Rowan said that someone made him do it. Now, who could have that kind of sway over a man like Rowan, is something everyone's been wondering.
The clear answer and the simple answer is Shane McMahon and I can imagine him taking on Roman Reigns down the line in what could potentially be a big match. Bryan and Rowan could certainly enter the fray later, but for now, I can absolutely imagine Shane McMahon and Reigns taking each other on at Clash of Champions. In fact, let me build an interesting scenario for you which could essentially lead to the next chapter.
Roman Reigns is able to take Shane McMahon out and stands tall after the match is over, celebrating his big win, and it is then that yet another attack is made on his life, leading to an eventual program with someone like Daniel Bryan presumably at Survivor Series 2019.
#3 Buddy Murphy
Buddy Murphy is slowly but surely being groomed to become the star that he was always meant to be when he left his home country to come to foreign shores and earn a name for himself, against all odds. There have been others like Daniel Bryan along the way who've put him over big time and made him a force to be reckoned with on SmackDown.
He had quite the clash with Roman Reigns on SmackDown Live, and it was touted by many as one of the best matches this year, across any wrestling promotion. I wonder if there's a second match between the two men in the works for Clash of Champions, which could be the reason why Murphy was eliminated in the King of the Ring tournament.
This could potentially be the clash where the two men discover that they have a great deal of respect for one another and actually decide to team up to face a common foe down the line. They could be a great alliance against the heel tandem of Daniel Bryan and Rowan, at least, in my opinion.
Murphy needs the Roman Reigns rub to become a big star. The future is truly unbound!
#2 Rowan
Rowan has had a very interesting run in WWE thus far, in many avatars over the years. He was always called the guy who had no singles potential in the Wyatt Family, eclipsed by the skills of the far more agile Luke Harper. Even when he was in the Bludgeon Brothers, WWE was criticized by fans for pairing Rowan up with someone as talented as him.
Unfortunately, Harper is nowhere to be seen and one can only hope that there's a role for him in NXT, where he can potentially live up to his fullest potential like the star he was meant to be. But this is an article not about him, but about Rowan, who's finally grown out of Harper's shadow and developed quite the persona of his own now. Clad in a new heavy metal shirt every week, he also shows his support for the underground music fraternity and he has my fullest respect for bringing metal to the mainstream.
If Roman goes up against Roman Reigns on pay-per-view, this will potentially be the biggest match of his entire career and none can say that he doesn't deserve it. Maybe it will lead to a well-deserved push for him!
#1 Daniel Bryan
Not long ago, Daniel Bryan was in the most interesting program at WrestleMania, the instrument that made Kofi Kingston the biggest star in the company. He would then segue into the SmackDown Tag Team Division for a short-lived run that actually went a long way in building Heavy Machinery.
Rumors began to surface that Eric Bischoff was really high on him and this was obviously reported by none other than our very own Tom Colohue. Daniel Bryan would go on to become a central figure in the Roman Reigns storyline, and fans across the world gasped as their favorite babyface went from being the WWE Universe's favorite to become the most heinous heel in the roster.
SmackDown Live ended with Roman Reigns delivering a Spear to Daniel Bryan in the very last segment. Bryan had this to say about the whole incident:
“Roman Reigns speared me last week and I understand his frustration. I know how it looks. I know a lot of people don’t like me and I know I seem guilty by association, but that doesn’t make me a liar. Erick Rowan is the one to blame and I have had nothing to do with this. Therefore, I still deserve an apology from Roman Reigns.”
Reigns vs. Bryan is a definite possibility for the upcoming pay-per-view, this month.
