WWE Royal Rumble 2022 - 5 Potential finishes for Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins: Major return takes place, Possible face turn?  

Aside from the 30-person Royal Rumble matches, one of the most anticipated bouts on January 29 will be Universal Champion Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins' singles clash.

Both men have a storied history with each other as friends and foes. They initially made a significant impact on the main roster alongside Jon Moxley (f.k.a. Dean Ambrose) in The Shield. The trio's original run ended back in 2014, after which Reigns and Rollins faced off in several one-on-one matches.

Although the faction had subsequent reunions after its initial split, things have changed considerably with the current Universal Champion's heel turn and his upcoming opponent's wacky "Drip God" persona.

Let's take a look at five potential finishes for Reigns vs. Rollins. Who do you think will win this match? Sound off in the comments section below.

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#5. Roman Reigns retains his title in a clean outcome at Royal Rumble 2022

The Tribal Chief comes across as the favorite to win on most occasions nowadays. WWE Royal Rumble could continue that tradition, with Reigns triumphing over his former stablemate.

While Seth Rollins has jumped in and out of the top title picture over the last few years, he is no longer the pure babyface who wins often. On the other hand, his current rival claims to be in "god mode" right now, which is not a false moniker given his record since August 2020.

So when it comes to how dominant both men have been on television lately, Reigns easily wins the comparison. Thus, a clean victory for him at Royal Rumble would not be a far-fetched scenario.

WWE higher-ups may want to maintain stability by keeping the title on Reigns. And Rollins would not look weak in losing to The Tribal Chief at this point in the latter's championship run. Still, the history between these rivals indicates that the match will likely be competitive.

#4. Seth Rollins leaves Royal Rumble as the new Universal Champion

While Roman Reigns has unquestionably had a dominant run, some factors indicate that his opponent will defeat him at Royal Rumble 2022.

The Tribal Chief does not have Paul Heyman by his side anymore, and as per the match stipulation, The Usos are barred from ringside. Can Reigns overcome Seth Rollins without any help from his cousins?

Moreover, he has already accomplished the longest run as Universal Champion in the history of WWE. The very reason Rollins — a Monday Night RAW star — is facing him is because he might not have a lot of credible opponents left on the blue brand.

Perhaps now is the right time for Reigns to drop his title. And moving forward, The Visionary could have many new challengers in line for a championship shot. As for his opponent, a renewed rivalry with WWE Champion Brock Lesnar should make sense.

Whether Rollins wins clean or cheats to accomplish the same goal, his potential victory would add more believability to the saying that anything can happen on the road to WrestleMania.

#3. The Universal Championship match ends without pinfall or submission at Royal Rumble

Although there are compelling reasons for either man to win clean at Royal Rumble, a disqualification or no-contest is also possible.

Despite The Usos getting banned from ringside, WWE could still find a way for them to interfere if their cousin comes close to losing his gold. It may not be the most exciting finish, but certainly, one that would fit Roman Reigns' current character.

Also, without any outside interruptions, Reigns could get himself disqualified in a bout of anger. Again, not a thrilling outcome, but indeed a possible development. After all, The Tribal Chief almost lost his cool on the go-home episode of SmackDown when Rollins highlighted how he ended The Shield.

The Visionary might also contribute to a disqualification, even though this scenario is relatively unlikely as it would not lead to a Universal Championship win for him. And when in doubt regarding who should win, higher-ups could book a no-contest finish instead.

While these are all possible outcomes, it does not mean WWE should necessarily book them, as there is always a chance that the company could disappoint its fans.

#2. Could Roman Reigns turn babyface at Royal Rumble?

One aspect of their Royal Rumble feud that recently became apparent is that Reigns has still not gotten over Seth Rollins' betrayal of The Shield.

The Universal Champion, who usually projects a confident persona, showed vulnerability when Rollins mentioned The Shield's original split during this week's SmackDown. As a result, even though The Visionary has come across slightly as the babyface of their feud, the dynamic could change at the upcoming premium live event.

Roman Reigns would be justified in his pursuit to win if he wishes to make the 35-year-old pay for his past betrayal. Therefore, viewers might get to witness a babyface turn from the current champion as part of the bout's finish.

While Reigns has earned the most critical acclaim through his heel run, now could be the perfect time to bring about the next evolution of his on-screen act. He received polarizing reactions before as a face, but with the added character development since becoming a top villain, things may be different for him this time around.

#1. Jon Moxley makes a surprising Royal Rumble return

Admittedly, a WWE Royal Rumble appearance from Jon Moxley seems unlikely, but a few factors add to this speculation.

Not only has he been mentioned by his AEW name as part of Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns' feud, but Vince McMahon's company recently opened its 'forbidden door' for the Rumble event.

IMPACT Knockouts Champion Mickie James will be part of the 30-woman contest. Reports indicate that WWE had also contacted other IMPACT Wrestling talents for potential appearances.

While Jon Moxley has had less than favorable things to say about McMahon's promotion since leaving, one has to throw his name in the hat for an event that will feature a showdown between his former Shield brothers.

Depending on who leans more towards being the babyface, the former Dean Ambrose may influence the bout in either Rollins or Reigns' favor. And if we're mentioning any alternate possibilities in fantasy land, Moxley could even show up after the contest instead to set up a cross-promotional match for WrestleMania.

Realistically, McMahon might have opened those forbidden doors to some extent, but an AEW-WWE crossover is still hard to imagine. Then again, Mox's potential return to the company is not a scenario that is discussed often, except in rare cases like this one.