SummerSlam 2023 has come and gone, but I nonetheless cannot get a foul style out of my mouth. Triple H had loads of causes behind why sure expertise was left off the cardboard, however little to say about Roman Reigns’ newest title protection. I will be candid, it was a low level on this in any other case historic run in fashionable wrestling for him, and it is giving me pause about how for much longer I wish to see this story go.
It feels just like the WWE is scraping the underside of the barrel with what’s left of this Bloodline storyline. I as soon as had excessive hopes that this is able to be an thrilling chapter in his run, and now it is slowly turning into what may be the worst half we have seen. We’ll dive in under and discuss out why I am actually much less wanting to see Roman Reigns at upcoming WWE occasions.
Jimmy Uso’s Betrayal Did not Make Sense
I would as properly begin with the elephant within the room, which is what actually soured a variety of viewers on the match. Jey Uso had Roman Reigns on the ropes, however a hooded determine pulled him out of the ring earlier than he might seal a victory. The hood got here off and it was Jimmy Uso. Jimmy gave his brother a superkick, dumped him again within the ring and walked off. Even Roman was confused by this twist, and I do not blame him as a result of it made zero sense.
The bar for professional wrestling storytelling will be low. Traditional tropes the place a wrestler’s biggest ally inexplicably betrayed them aren’t new, however seeing the WWE go this route is shocking. Jimmy had no incentive to damage his brother’s possibilities of profitable, particularly after the accidents he sustained weeks prior by Reigns.
I might settle for this sort of swerve from a mid-carder feud and possibly even the tag-team titles, however that is the most important arc within the WWE. The Bloodline storylines are taking over, at occasions, 50% of SmackDown’s runtime, and that is the very best the writing group might provide you with? There have been higher methods to arrange a Jimmy and Jey feud, and it is disappointing that with all of the manpower seemingly put into crafting this storyline, this was the concept that made the reduce.
The Match Was The Identical Cookie-Cutter Method As Each Title Protection For The Previous 12 months
Cease me if you happen to’ve heard this one earlier than. After a powerful first half of the match, Roman Reigns slowly bought overwhelmed by the challenger. There was a forwards and backwards, and regardless of makes an attempt by Solo Sikoa and Paul Heyman to intrude, the challenger was gaining steam. Lastly, he landed an enormous blow on Reigns, and he was out for the depend. The win was all however assured for the challenger, however by some means the ref wasn’t wanting aware or the challenger was pulled out of the ring. Reigns regained his senses and gained.
If it sounds acquainted, it is as a result of it has been the formulation of each title protection way back to Conflict At The Fort in 2022. Roman Reigns hasn’t had a totally clear title protection in fairly a while, which was what made the Tribal Guidelines stipulation so thrilling. This is able to be an opportunity to point out that the Tribal Chief was nonetheless the highest canine and will win on his personal. But regardless of that, it performed out like actually each match we have seen over the previous 12 months.
If the thought is that Roman Reigns can not all the time win with out the assist of The Bloodline, the message was obtained a very long time in the past. It is now getting to a degree the place the WWE is firmly establishing Roman Reigns can not win except somebody interferes, giving him an opportunity to get better and end the match. Is that actually how the WWE desires its longest-reigning fashionable champion remembered? I do not thoughts just a few soiled wins right here and there, however as soon as he drops these titles, it will likely be exhausting in Kayfabe to grasp how Reigns will decide up a single victory and not using a posse behind him.
Realistically, Jey Uso was the best technique to give Roman Reigns a clear victory that had minimal penalties for both expertise. Jey is not considered or offered as a predominant occasion expertise within the singles division, regardless of all his accolades as a tag-team champion. I should buy he’d put up a great battle, however identical to Reigns’ match with Logan Paul, the viewers went in assuming Reigns would win considerably simply. This victory made Reigns look as weak as he has ever been, and that is one of many main causes I see it as a low level in his title reign.
Roman Reigns Is Reportedly Harm And Seems Extra Susceptible Than Ever
Information is circulating by way of Fightful Choose that Roman Reigns was reportedly injured throughout the SummerSlam match, although we’ve not heard official affirmation about this from anybody throughout the WWE. Within the worst-case state of affairs that Roman Reigns is unable to compete for a time, he could also be unavailable for main pay-per-views like Survivor Collection, and even perhaps greater than that.
If Roman Reigns is unavailable to compete for months, and I ought to stress we do not know if that is the case, he will look as susceptible as he ever was. When he does return, it will be as a champion who barely gained in opposition to a member of his personal faction he ought to’ve learn like a e book. It will make it simpler from a storytelling perspective to promote if the WWE is planning for him to lose at WrestleMania 40, however be worse if the plan is that he’ll stay champion.
It is exhausting to say which method the WWE will go together with Roman Reigns’ title reign. Because the longest-reigning fashionable champion in many years, it is doable they wish to look again on the fortieth Mania as a second he stood tall. On the similar time, one of the memorable moments of WrestleMania 30 is Brock Lesnar defeating The Undertaker’s well-known streak. That win skyrocketed Lesnar’s profession into legend standing and led to a decade of dominance within the WWE. Will the identical occur to whoever beats Reigns?
If the latter is true, then you definately need a challenger to beat Roman Reigns at his best possible. He at the moment appears to be like extremely susceptible, however there’s nonetheless time to rectify that earlier than WrestleMania 40. Finally it will be on the WWE to try to work its magic, and given how invested they’re on this run, I am certain writers are brainstorming as we converse.
Roman Reigns’ title protection at SummerSlam 2023 is offered to look at with a Peacock Premium subscription. After all, viewers may also watch him on SmackDown, which airs on Fox on Fridays beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET.
