Who Should Dethrone Roman Reigns As WWE Universal Champion?

Roman Reigns not only retained his WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania 37, but he did so in decisive fashion.

Edge and Daniel Bryan, who like Reigns, had comeback stories worthy of a shining moment at WWE’s biggest event of the year, were pinned simultaneously by the current champ. It was the perfect finish for the new Reigns, furthering his spot as the most dominant figure on any WWE brand.

But if Edge and Daniel Bryan – one Hall of Famer and another future Hall of Famer – couldn’t dethrone the man at the head of the table, who will?

Let’s see if we can find the right choice.

THE CONTENDERS

Cesaro

Cesaro scored perhaps his most significant WWE singles match victory to date at WrestleMania, pinning Seth Rollins clean in the middle of the ring.

The problem with Cesaro isn’t potential, it’s WWE’s up and down booking of him since he joined the main roster back in 2012. The win over Rollins made a statement – Vince McMahon believes in Cesaro….for now. But we’ve seen too many instances where a big push disappears on a whim, and we’ve seen that exact scenario with Cesaro.

If Cesaro is the next Universal Champion, WWE will have to do something it’s never done before: actually give Cesaro a sensible long-term push that doesn’t include random intervals of 50/50 booking. WWE has started a program with Reigns and Cesaro heading into WrestleMania Backlash, so the latter is getting the first shot.

But will he win it this quickly? My guess is probably not. However, there’s potential for a redemption story with a rematch down the road.

Big E

Some thought Big E could be Reigns’ opponent at WrestleMania 37, but it quickly became evident that WWE was in no rush to elevate the former Intercontinental Champion to that level just yet. Can he get there? Of course.

Big E is the total package. He’s an incredible athlete who can entertain with the best of them – a perfect fit for the WWE way. Not only that, but Reigns vs. Big E would be a fresh match for a company that lacks fresh matches, often due to the combination of having too much TV to fill and relying too much on multiple rematches in feuds.

But just like with Cesaro, Big E being ‘the guy’ can only come with the proper build. He needs momentum wins against the likes of Seth Rollins and other established stars on his way up to Reigns’ level. He also needs to continue moving toward a more serious character.

What he doesn’t need is a five-match series where he trades wins for months before WWE finally decides to strap the rocket to him for a SummerSlam or WrestleMania match with Reigns.

Big E is likely a future world champion. But whether he’s the right choice to take down Reigns all depends on WWE’s booking. He still needs that one defining singles match in his career, and defeating Reigns would qualify.

Drew McIntyre

The goal of the WWE Draft is to shake things up. One option could be to move McIntyre to SmackDown, thus bringing his feud with Reigns back around after the two clashed at Survivor Series last year.

That felt like a big match. Another, potentially in a WrestleMania main event slot, could produce the same anticipation. It would pit WWE’s top male babyface against WWE’s top male heel. There are worse options, for sure.

One issue with McIntyre being the choice is that even in knocking off a juggernaut of a champion, it wouldn’t do as much for him as it would a Cesaro or Big E.

I’m not sure about this one happening, but McMahon loves McIntyre and could lean his direction if the next two options aren’t available.

Brock Lesnar

I mean, the story writes itself. There’s history between Lesnar and Reigns in the ring (multiple WrestleMania matches) and outside the ring (Paul Heyman connection). It’s a WrestleMania-headlining match and one that would offer a compelling dynamic when it comes to crowd reaction.

My guess? Fans would boo Lesnar and cheer Reigns, even if WWE tries to promote it the other way around.

Even though this is one of those ‘already seen it’ matches, the storyline is so different than before that it would work. Still, I suppose fans will be asking the same question they asked when Lesnar broke The Undertaker’s streak at WrestleMania 30: does Lesnar need it?

He doesn’t. But it would be silly to ignore why him being the choice would make a lot of sense from a storyline standpoint.

The Rock

Reigns wants this match. Vince wants this match. Rock, schedule-permitting, probably wants this match. Of all the possible combinations, this is the one that would be the biggest draw. There’s simply no doubt about it.

At this point, this is the most compelling match WWE has in its arsenal. Reigns pushing himself at the Head of the Table against the biggest box office draw in the world would be magical. And you could only imagine Heyman’s involvement in promo battles with Rock.

Logistically, is it a realistic possibility? Not in the short-term due to Rock’s movie schedule. Long-term, again, my guess is all parties want to find a way to make this match happen.

WrestleMania 39 is in Los Angeles. That’s two years away. Two years. That’s the perfect scenario for the storyline, but something tells me McMahon and company would be just fine doing it next year at WrestleMania 38 at AT&T Stadium.

The one point you could make against this match is it doesn’t necessarily need the Universal Championship to be a main event attraction. Also, even if this match happens, are we sure Rock is winning?

THE PICK

I don’t see anyone defeating Reigns in the near future. I just don’t. The WrestleMania finish was as definitive as can be. Had WWE wanted to get the belt off him soon, that was the place to do it.

However, when projecting him losing the title, word choice becomes important. If you’re trying to predict the next Universal Champion, at least for me, there’s a difference between ‘who will’ and ‘who should’ dethrone Reigns.

Let’s face it: Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar, and Roman Reigns vs. The Rock are two blockbuster matches that would leave McMahon and many fans salivating. Reigns vs. Lesnar at WrestleMania 38 at Cowboys Stadium? That’s selling a lot of tickets. Reigns vs. Rock at WrestleMania 39 in Hollywood? That’s selling a lot of tickets.

Reigns vs. Cesaro, Reigns vs. Big E, and Reigns vs. McIntyre could equally sell tickets. But how many tickets would all depend on how WWE builds those three as legitimate threats to Reigns’ dominant run. McIntyre is the furthest along at this point, but we saw that match last November at Survivor Series, and it’s not as fresh as some of the other options.

Cesaro or Big E being the right choice as the next Universal Champion is going to require work and consistency. I don’t think they’re ready to take the reigns in the next few months, but SummerSlam? It’s possible with the right build.

The WrestleMania finish suggested WWE is set on making Reigns one of the most convincing champions in company history. Some have even gone as far as using the Bruno Sammartino comparison (though, I don’t think Reigns is keeping the belt for eight years), which begs another question: Can the company effectively book a truly lengthy title run in this era? Other champions have had long reigns, but this one is different.

It’s Roman Reigns, finally as a heel, portraying the character that everyone has been wanting for years. And thus far, it’s hard to argue with the company’s execution of him in that role. Now, it’s continuing to find ways to keep fans invested for the long haul.

As we’ve learned so many times in wrestling, it’s not about the start. It’s about the finish. For this title run to go down as one of the best ever, the build to his eventual loss has to be superb. The double pin on two future Hall of Famers at the biggest show of the year gives me optimism that McMahon understands that.

Rock defeating Reigns would be a spectacle. But to push WWE forward, it’s about creating new stars. We’ve said that time and time again for years, only to see the company drop the ball with countless current superstars in favor of bringing back part-time superstars.

My pick, with the right build and fans in attendance, would be Big E. Maybe it’s SummerSlam, or maybe it’s next year at WrestleMania 38. Either way, Big E has the tools, and it’s just about honing his character to match the magnitude of a storyline with Reigns.

This is the perfect scenario to create a new top star. Is that Big E? Is that Cesaro? Is that someone not even on this list, like a revamped Keith Lee or Aleister Black, or a return program with Edge or Daniel Bryan?

The fact that there’s no sure answer on who it’ll be makes it that much better. Reigns’ ascent to the Head of the Table is a fascinating tale filled with lots of intriguing directions.

Which one should WWE take? Which one will WWE take?

The answer to those questions will define the most well-booked championship run in recent WWE history.

Who do you think should dethrone Roman Reigns? Share your thoughts in the comments section! For more of my thoughts on pro wrestling, subscribe to the 411 On Wrestling podcast and follow me on Twitter @wrestleblake. Thanks for reading!