Since the February 2nd episode of Friday Night SmackDown, The Rock has made a return to WWE programming, suggesting his regular involvement leading up to WrestleMania 40. His ongoing feud with Cody Rhodes will culminate at WrestleMania 40 alongside Roman Reigns. While Roman Reigns remains Rhodes’ primary target, all indications seem to suggest that Cody Rhodes will finish the story at WrestleMania 40.
Fans are definitely excited about a potential showdown between The Rock and Roman Reigns, but they were more concerned about Cody Rhodes’ storyline not getting overshadowed. Initially, there were concerns about this potential overshadowing, but a more balanced approach has been adopted. This shift in focus has altered the trajectory of WrestleMania 40’s storyline, resulting in a more enjoyable experience for fans following the initial backlash.
There Are Major Signs That Coy Rhodes Will Finish The Story at WrestleMania 40
There are countless people in the world right now who all want Cody Rhodes to defeat Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania 40 Night Two, as this story has been going on for well over a year now.
However, Reigns’ priorities outside the ring differ from those of most wrestlers his age. Reigns disclosed that he continues to undergo medication for leukemia, a condition he was initially diagnosed with back in 2007 and experienced a recurrence in 2018. As per Bleacher Report, Roman Reigns said in a new documentary that,
“For leukemia, if you catch it in an early stage like I did, you’re able to take a medication, a very crucial medication, that I am still on to this day.”
It’s more likely that Reigns will opt for an extended hiatus following WrestleMania if Rhodes concludes his storyline, possibly using the time to enhance his heel character similar to what The Rock is doing right now.
It would be pretty bizarre for three WrestleMania events revolving around the same storyline of Roman Reigns coming out on top. Additionally, the timing of an interview just days before WrestleMania does raise some suspicions, making it more evident that The Tribal Chief will be putting over The American Nightmare.
Roman Reigns Also Considered Himself Retired During The COVID-19 Pandemic
During the pandemic and leading up to WrestleMania 36, Roman Reigns opted to step away from WWE to prioritize his health and the safety of his family. While WWE programming continued, Reigns remained at home.
It wasn’t until SummerSlam 2020, with WWE transitioning to the ThunderDome, that Reigns made his dramatic return. His alliance with Paul Heyman was revealed on the following episode of WWE SmackDown, marking the beginning of his reign as the Tribal Chief.
In an interview with Raj Prashad of Uproxx, Paul Heyman disclosed that Roman Reigns considered himself retired during his absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“He considered himself retired. He wasn’t coming back,” Heyman stated. “I was executive director of Monday Night Raw, and Roman was assigned to SmackDown. But every week I heard all the SmackDown writers and producers and personnel saying, ‘God, I just wish Roman would come back.’ And I would ask, has anybody talked to him? Yeah, he says he’s retired. He’s not coming back. No way. Thanks a lot. Done. Finished. Goodbye. So the fact that he came back for this run, for what we have accomplished, is nothing short of a miracle because as far as he was concerned, he was out.”
Roman Reigns is set to headline both nights of WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia. On night one, he will team up with The Rock to take on Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins. Then, on night two, Reigns will defend his WWE Universal Championship against Rhodes in the main event. Only time will tell if Roman Reigns will walk out of WrestleMania 40 as the champion in the end, as that might not end up happening.
