Roman Reigns: I Am WWE’s ‘Biggest Star’ Despite Lengthy TV Absence

WWE star Roman Reigns has been off TV for more than three months, but “The Big Dog” isn’t ready to give up his spot atop the company.

Reigns recently told Metroplus (h/t Wrestling Inc) that he is hoping to reenter the Universal title picture when he returns to SmackDown because he still views himself as the biggest star in WWE despite his lengthy absence from TV: “But when it comes down to it, I am gonna get in there and compete at the highest level, hopefully for a title. More specifically, the Universal Championship. If not, I will be there to prove that I’m not just the top of the mountain, but I am the mountain. I am [WWE’s] biggest star regardless of if I am on the show or not, so I have everything to prove and everything to lose as well.”

Of course, Reigns hasn’t been seen on either Monday Night Raw or Friday Night SmackDown since March after he withdrew from WrestleMania 36 and his planned Universal Championship match against Goldberg due to concerns about the Covid-19 pandemic. During his interview with Metroplus, Reigns elaborated on his decision to remove himself from TV, saying, “For me, I just had to make a choice for my family. [WWE] has done everything that they can to make it the safest work environment possible. It is not the workplace that I was necessarily concerned about. The decision was taken mainly because each performer travels so much, and we are all such a diverse group and from all over the place. I’m not convinced, and I can’t trust the fact that everybody is taking it as seriously and locking themselves down at home like I am.”

During Reigns’ absence, there were reports of potential heat on the former world champion for deciding to take a leave of absence, as was the case with Sami Zayn when he took himself off of SmackDown and was stripped of the Intercontinental Championship reportedly as a way to “send a message” to those who chose to stay home. Even with WWE dealing with reported widespread Covid-19 cases, the company is operating under the old adage that “the show must go on,” and WWE has moved forward during this bizarre fan-less era without numerous top stars, ranging from Reigns to Becky Lynch.

Prior to his hiatus, Reigns was arguably the No. 1 star in all of WWE, battling for that spot with the likes of Lynch and Seth Rollins among full-timers as well as part-time stars like Brock Lesnar and John Cena. Though WWE has largely ignored Reigns since his indefinite hiatus began, Vince McMahon has indicated that the absence of the company’s top stars is playing a role in WWE’s viewership downturn, as both Raw and SmackDown have drawn historic viewership lows since Reigns removed himself from TV. This isn’t the first time that McMahon has blamed WWE’s disappointing ratings on absentee marquee stars, either. In April 2019, McMahon more or less implied that WWE’s business declined due to the lengthy absences of stars like Reigns, and though that’s undoubtedly part of the problem, it certainly doesn’t tell the whole story.

While Reigns has become a polarizing figure as one of WWE’s most pushed superstars for more than half a decade, it’s easy to dismiss his importance to SmackDown because of what at times has been an overbearing push for “The Big Dog.” Though it’s doubtful that Reigns will ever measure up to his predecessor John Cena as a draw due to the way WWE focuses on its brand as a whole rather than one particular star, Reigns has assumed Cena’s old role as the public face of WWE, which, in essence, makes him its top star. Keep in mind that Reigns was the man who finally knocked Cena off his merchandise-selling throne in 2018, has been WWE’s go-to guy for media appearances, etc. since roughly 2015 and has been considered by WWE’s own stars to be the company’s locker room leader.

As easy as it is to criticize Reigns for the way he’s been pushed, it’s just as easy to forget how much his presence has been missed on SmackDown in recent months. There has been a noticeable lack of star power during Reigns’ absence, and the blue brand has struggled to truly elevate new babyfaces in his absence, instead sticking with a Universal title push for Braun Strowman that clearly wasn’t the long-term plan and hasn’t exactly resulted in riveting TV.

WWE doesn’t really operate under its old business model of pushing one wrestler as its unquestioned top star the way it once did with the likes of Cena, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin or Hulk Hogan, but despite that strategy changing, Reigns is always the centerpiece of the discussion regarding who is WWE’s biggest star.

And if and when he does return, he could—and should—reclaim his spot atop WWE, with a consistent presence in the main event and world title pictures.

Speak Your Mind

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Get in Touch

350FansLike
100FollowersFollow
281FollowersFollow
150FollowersFollow

Recommend for You

Oh hi there 👋
It’s nice to meet you.

Subscribe and receive our weekly newsletter packed with awesome articles that really matters to you!

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

You might also like

Midstream Oil And Gas Companies Adapt To COVID-19

Pipes for a proposed new natural gas pipeline are...

Founder of oil trader Hin Leong, OK Lim, charged...

SINGAPORE Lim Oon Kuin, founder of troubled Singapore oil firm Hin Leong Trading...

U.K. Jobless Claims Soar To Highest Levels Since 1996

TOPLINE The devastating impact of coronavirus lockdowns on the U.K. labor market is now...

Brooklyn Nets’ Player Empowerment Movement Meets Its Match …...

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 10: James Harden...