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When it comes to WWE, there's no doubting who The Big Dog is. Roman Reigns has stood tall in the promotion as the number one personality.
After becoming the current Undisputed WWE Universal Champion since unifying both titles at WrestleMania 38, there isn't much left for Reigns to prove. He's beaten all the top contenders and has come out as the victor in his longtime rivalry with Brock Lesnar. At least for now.
Roman has become so dominant in his current role that it will be an astounding moment when he is finally defeated for the title. This is very much an 'old school booking' style, as championship runs in the modern era have been known to last anywhere from a few minutes to a few days.
Reigns' current time as the titleholder and its eventual ending must be handled with care, lest WWE waste the entire buildup of nearly two years.
Whoever is chosen for that spot has to be built to be red hot at the time and poised to be the top guy for a solid run. That doesn't mean Reigns still shouldn't be in the title mix, but him stepping away from the number one position for a while could be the ultimate boost for another performer.
With Roman Reigns looking as dominant as ever, what legitimate contender could defeat him for the WWE Universal Championship?
WWE has plenty of contenders to throw at Reigns, but is any of them something to write home about? Names like Kevin Owens and Seth Rollins - as great as they are - seem to be light years behind The Tribal Chief right now.
Drew McIntyre appears to be the first man post-WrestleMania to take a shot at Reigns. With The Head of the Table a little banged up, the two will participate in a six-man tag match at WrestleMania Backlash. So what was once a tag team title unification match will now feature The Bloodline taking on RK-Bro and the Scottish Warrior.
McIntyre already had his shot at the top of the card, and (mostly due to COVID concerns) it fell flat.
Does he deserve another reign at some point? Absolutely. But he shouldn't be the guy to end Roman's streak as champion. Theory isn't anywhere near the world title picture yet, and Bobby Lashley seems to be being pushed away from the main event scene.
It has to be someone that Reigns has never defended the belt against, and it has to be someone with a ton of momentum.
That leaves Cody Rhodes as the man to take possibly the title from Roman Reigns. If he can continue to ride the lightning, he has right now.
Or we could be in for a long ride, with The Tribal Chief holding the Universal Championship to WrestleMania 39, eventually facing The Rock. It's entirely possible.
But as far as someone on the current roster, it appears that The American Nightmare is the logical choice to continue a winning streak that leads all the way to Reigns' doorstep and a shot at immortality.
Who do you think will eventually defeat Roman Reigns for the WWE Undisputed Universal Championship? Will it be someone on the current roster or a newcomer? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.
