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Roman Reigns' Universal Championship run has been a massive hit so far. As The Tribal Chief of WWE, Reigns has terrorized every individual on SmackDown. He has established himself as a sadistic heel who strikes fear into the hearts of his opponents.
With his new heel persona, Roman Reigns has showcased his unseen aggressive side to the WWE Universe. The company has portrayed him as a dominant champion who would do anything to keep his title.
Throughout his title reign, the champion has committed many heinous acts to establish his dominance. From Daniel Bryan to Jey Uso, every superstar who challenged Roman Reigns had to face serious consequences.
In this article, let's look at five such instances when Roman Reigns proved that he is the best heel in WWE.
#5 Roman Reigns' shrewd tactic to win the Universal Championship at WWE Payback 2020
Roman Reigns made his shocking WWE return at last year's SummerSlam pay-per-view.
Roman Reigns' sudden arrival heated things up on SmackDown. A Triple Threat Universal Championship match between Bray Wyatt, Braun Strowman, and Reigns was announced a week later for Payback.
The company advertised a major contract signing between the three superstars for the go-home show of SmackDown before Payback. Considering the animosity between the three superstars, it was decided that the signings would take place separately.
Both Strowman and Wyatt agreed to sign the contract. However, Roman Reigns had some other plans in his mind. During the final segment of the show, Reigns refused to sign the contract right away and revealed Paul Heyman as his new special counsel. The decision had a major impact on the title match at Payback.
The Universal Championship match main-evented the Payback pay-per-view. Due to Roman Reigns' absence, the Triple Threat started as a singles match. The Fiend and Braun Strowman fought all around the arena and even imploded the ring with a top rope Superplex spot.
As the two superstars laid exhausted in the ring, Roman made his entrance with a steel chair. He finally signed the contract on the ramp and inserted himself into the ongoing title match.
He brutalized both of the superstars with steel chairs. Although Roman faced some resistance from The Fiend, he managed to put him down with a low blow. In the end, Reigns hit Strowman with a lethal spear and captured the WWE Universal Championship.
The Tribal Chief played it very smart by entering the bout at the last minute. Moreover, he took The Fiend's title without even pinning him. The cunning tactics used by Reigns in this match instantly made him the new top heel in WWE.
#4 Roman Reigns throws Kevin Owens off the Thunderdome on WWE SmackDown
Roman Reigns' despotic rule over WWE SmackDown led to Kevin Owens stepping up as his next challenger. The two superstars had a three-month-long rivalry, which produced several entertaining moments. Unfortunately, things got too bad for Owens during an episode of SmackDown.
On the first SmackDown episode of 2021, Kevin Owens faced off against Jey Uso and even beat him. He continued to assault Uso even after the match and took him near the entrance area before placing him on a table.
But before KO could do anything, Reigns ambushed him from behind and battered him with steel chair shots. Jey Uso joined his cousin too and helped him in taking Owens to the top of the Thunderdome.
Roman Reigns did not show any mercy on his rival and pushed him off the Thunderdome platform. It was a proper display of the cruel nature of Reigns' new character. The Tribal Chief's message was loud and clear – he would annihilate anybody who comes in his path.
#3 Roman Reigns dismantles a weakened Daniel Bryan at WWE Elimination Chamber 2021
Earlier this year, Roman Reigns was supposed to defend his Universal Championship inside the Elimination Chamber. However, The Tribal Chief was not very pleased by this idea and refused to keep his title on the line inside the deadly structure.
WWE official Adam Pearce had to accept Roman's decision, as he could not fire the top world champion this close to WrestleMania. So, he came up with an alternative where Roman Reigns would defend his WWE Universal Championship against the winner of the Elimination Chamber match.
The six WWE Superstars who participated in that match were Jey Uso, Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, Daniel Bryan, King Corbin, and Cesaro.
After 30+ minutes of sheer brutality, Jey Uso and Daniel Bryan were left as the last two competitors. Jey was comparatively less worn out than Bryan, as the latter had entered the match at #1. Still, The Leader of the Yes Movement outlasted Jey to win his third Elimination Chamber match.
Unfortunately for Daniel Bryan, he did not have enough gas left in the tank to face Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship.
The Tribal Chief tried to finish the match quickly with a spear but the challenger reversed it into a Yes Lock. It looked for a second that Bryan could do the impossible but unfortunately, he was too exhausted and failed to keep the champion in the hold.
After a flurry of strikes, Reigns locked Bryan in a Guillotine Choke to win the match. With his brilliant strategy, The Head of The Table successfully demolished his vulnerable opponent to retain his title yet again
#2 Roman Reigns pins both Edge and Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania 37
The main event of WrestleMania 37 saw Roman Reigns defend his WWE Universal Championship against Edge and Daniel Bryan.
Bryan's last-minute inclusion in this match made this rivalry even more intense. Edge was infuriated about not getting a singles match despite winning the Royal Rumble. Meanwhile, Roman Reigns was frustrated about defending his championship in a triple threat encounter.
The bout was an all-out war. All three superstars brutalized each other with several weapons. It seemed like they were more focused on destroying each other rather than winning the championship.
Roman Reigns was also pretty dominant in this match. He dismantled both Edge and Bryan with his incredible strength. After sending Daniel Bryan through the announce table, Reigns mocked the WWE Universe. It was his first live performance as a heel, and it is safe to say that he did an exceptional job.
The biggest moment came in the closing stages of the match when Edge hit Bryan with a Conchairto. The Rated-R Superstar then had his sights set on Reigns but was distracted by Jey Uso, which allowed the champ to hit Edge with a spear.\
Reigns then hit Edge with a sick Conchairto before stacking both his opponents over each other for the three count. It was a dominant display by the Head of The Table, as he completely destroyed two of the most legendary WWE Superstars of all time on the same night.
#1. Roman Reigns mauls Jimmy Uso at WWE Hell in a Cell 2020
After becoming the new WWE Universal Champion, Roman Reigns had his first feud against his cousin, Jey Uso. It was a really personal rivalry that became more and more violent over time. The two men faced each other for the first time at WWE Clash of Champions.
The Universal Champion assaulted his younger cousin throughout the match. He constantly asked Jey to acknowledge him as The Head of the Table but the latter refused to give up.
The Tribal Chief's brutality forced Jey's brother, Jimmy Uso, to throw in the towel. However, the rivalry didn't end there, as the two superstars faced again in an 'I Quit' match inside the Hell in a Cell.
Roman Reigns did not care that he was facing his own blood and absolutely manhandled Jey Uso. From Leather Strap to Steel Steps, Reigns used every weapon possible to inflict damage on his cousin. However, he still could not succeed in making him quit. So, he used a different way to win the match.
The Tribal Chief attacked Jimmy Uso, who had come to save Jey from Roman's onslaught. Initially, he expressed displeasure about the entire situation and got emotional. But as Jimmy went to console Roman, the latter trapped him in a guillotine choke. It was some excellent heel work from The Head of the Table.
Jimmy Uso was already dealing with an injury at the time, which could have worsened after the attack. So, Jey had to quit to save his brother from The Universal Champion.
The match was a masterpiece of storytelling, as it solidified Reigns as a ruthless heel. Reigns' treatment of his own family established him as a sadistic and emotionless being who'd go to any length to remain The Head of the Table.
Do you like Roman Reigns' heel run? Write your views in the comment section below.
