What Awaits Roman Reigns After Hiatus? Three Fresh Directions Beyond The Bloodline

Instead of a predictable revenge plot, Roman Reigns' WWE return could explore fresher creative directions. The article proposes three compelling alternatives for The Tribal Chief.

The eventual return of Roman Reigns after filming Street Fighter, the easy prediction would be that he goes straight after The Vision's Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed, the duo responsible for putting him on the shelf at Clash in Paris.

That makes sense. But what if WWE took a different approach this time? What if Reigns' comeback steered away from Paul Heyman, Seth Rollins, and even his crumbled Bloodline empire, and instead opened the door to something fresher?

Here are three creative directions for The Tribal Chief upon his return.

The Long-Awaited Feud with CM Punk

Fans got a snippet of what a Reigns vs. Punk rivalry could look like when both featured in the WrestleMania 41 main event alongside Seth Rollins. But despite their tense history - both on-screen and off - WWE has never delivered the one-on-one feud between them.

Reigns could mock Punk by pointing out that he eclipsed him, becoming the bigger star while Punk left WWE years behind. Punk, in turn, could counter that his lessons prepared Roman for the ruthless environment of WWE in the first place.

It wouldn't need to be a traditional babyface-heel dynamic. Both men could stay in their current roles, letting the fans organically choose sides. The real-life friction layered with their legacies would create instant electricity. And if given the freedom to wrestle without mountains of interference and overbooking, the matches themselves could be classics.

A Reigns–Punk program could also connect neatly back into WWE's longer-term plans: Seth Rollins lurking in the shadows as his two greatest rivals tear each other down, softening each other up for his eventual advantage.

It's been more than a decade since the two crossed paths in a throwaway Raw match in January 2014. Finally showcasing them in a fully fleshed-out rivalry feels overdue - and massively intriguing.

Reigns Has to Earn His Way Back

For well over a decade, Roman Reigns has been a near-constant presence in WWE's main event scene, battling for or defending world titles more often than not. His reinvention as The Tribal Chief cemented him as the company's centerpiece, but recent setbacks have shifted the narrative.

He lost the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania 40, was betrayed by Paul Heyman, saw The Bloodline crumble, and later struggled against The Vision. Despite that, he has remained in the title conversation without truly earning it over the last year.

A compelling twist would be to have Raw general manager Adam Pearce stop him in his tracks. Pearce could remind Reigns that his dominance is in the past and that he must prove himself all over again. From there, Reigns could climb the mountain step by step - facing the likes of Rusev, Dominik Mysterio, and The Judgment Day, before eventually squaring off with The Vision's enforcers and finally rejoining the title picture.

This approach not only gives WWE new matchups to explore but also reframes Reigns. Fans would see him battling from underneath, shattering the perception that opportunities are handed to him, and providing emotional investment in a way that hasn't been tapped since his early days.

Haunted by The Wyatt Sicks

Bray Wyatt's legacy in WWE has always been rooted in the concept of“family.” That tradition now lives on with The Wyatt Sicks, a sinister faction targeting those who have betrayed their own circles of trust.

Is there a more fitting target than Reigns? His manipulation and toxicity played a direct role in the disintegration of The Bloodline, making him the perfect victim for their wrath.

Apart from Erick Rowan, Reigns has little in-ring history with any of the Sicks, which means fresh storytelling opportunities. The eerie dynamic could see him endure a psychological and physical reckoning, his sins coming back to haunt him. For WWE, linking the faction to a future Hall of Famer like Reigns would immediately enhance their credibility after uneven booking.

Throw in Jey Uso - now seemingly drifting back into a selfish persona himself - and the feud could easily blur into the larger Bloodline saga while providing powerful callbacks to his history with Bray. Few stories would feel as organic as Reigns being hunted by those embodying Wyatt's darkness.

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