'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Disclaimer: These are the views of the author alone and do not reflect Sportskeeda's stance.
It's inevitable, but Roman Reigns is going to be getting a Universal Championship shot at any point in the future. It might be against Brock Lesnar, should he somehow retain at WrestleMania or it could likely be against his brother, Seth Rollins.
But whenever it does happen, it should happen no sooner than the latter part of 2019. Superstars like Drew McIntyre and others should all get shots before Reigns does because he will get his.
Even if he moves to SmackDown or the WWE Champion moves to Raw, he needs to be put towards the back of the line of challengers so others get a chance and so that the fans don't immediately get turned off by his push again.
He has had numerous shots at the main titles over the years and will be Universal Champion again. And again. And likely again.
The main point here is that he literally challenged Lesnar for most of his title defences last year. Reigns lost at WrestleMania 34 and at the Greatest Royal Rumble.
Since he was always earmarked as the man to eventually dethrone Lesnar for the title, WWE dragged it out until SummerSlam 2018 where they finally had Reigns defeat the Beast.
He defended it against Braun Strowman and even against the guy who had to wait two years himself for a title match for the belt he also never lost in Finn Balor.
Even though it could be a feel-good story if WWE waits long enough, how long will it take for fans to boo Reigns like they did before he announced he was sick?
His WrestleMania main events often ran in excess of 25 minutes to end shows that lasted almost for seven hours. While those decisions weren't his fault, it only turned fans hatred of him up even further.
WWE had to severely switch up their plans for the rest of 2018 and up until WrestleMania 35 due to his unfortunate news.
While it would be nice for him to 'pick things up where he left off', the fact is Seth Rollins ultimately became the top babyface that management has always wanted Reigns to be.
He wasn't shoved down our throats through 'Super-Cena' treatment as he would lose a match here and there and his performances throughout most of 2018 were among the best of any WWE superstar.
Rollins earned the opportunity to be the top babyface for carrying Raw while it didn't have a top champion.
That's not to say that Reigns isn't a good performer in his own right. His booking has just been so one-sided in his favour that it was hard to believe he wouldn't beat anyone not named Lesnar or lose a match with a title shot attached to the winner.
Part of the reason why the WWE became stale, although Mr McMahon won't like to admit it, was the constant insistence to push Reigns to the moon at the expense of every other superstar.
Since he's been out of the picture, no matter the reason, it would be a huge mistake to shove him back into it if Rollins does what everyone wants and wins the Universal Championship at WrestleMania 35.
Guys like Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley and heck, even Braun Strowman deserve shots as well. Strowman has always been booked as a big goober who breaks big things. Never as a champion.
McIntyre needs a run, no matter how long or short, with the title to validate anything he has said since he has returned to the WWE. Simply beating up the likes of Kurt Angle, Dolph ZIggler and Finn Balor just makes him look like an insecure bully.
WWE needs to freshen up the product in order to stop wrestlers from constantly asking for their releases. One of the main reasons why superstars get disillusioned is if they never get a chance to move up or have a shot at major titles.
When the same guys and gals are always in the title picture, it alienates some of the other superstars and it alienates fans who want something new.
Even SummerSlam would be too soon because he won the title there last year. And don't forget the new superstars who may join Raw in the Superstar Shake Up after 'Mania.
For the fans sake, the Universal Championship's sake and for Reigns' sake, WWE must stave off a Universal Championship match and likely win for Reigns until the end of the year at the earliest.
If they don't, they'll likely find themselves in the same holding pattern that the company has had to dig itself out of over the last two years on Raw.
