Roman Reigns is widely expected to make his return to WWE television at the upcoming Royal Rumble, but new reports indicate that his comeback may not immediately place him back in the WWE Championship spotlight.
According to Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the “Tribal Chief” is not currently part of WWE’s short-term plans for the WWE Title.
“We were told that Reigns will be the odd man out of the WWE title picture. He is scheduled to return at the Rumble and one would expect his direction to be clearer there.”
The report arrives amid widespread speculation surrounding the main event landscape for WrestleMania 42. With Reigns reportedly on the outside looking in when it comes to the championship scene, attention now turns to what direction WWE may take with one of its biggest stars on the road to the company’s biggest show of the year.
The Royal Rumble is set for Saturday, January 31, and traditionally serves as the launching point for WWE’s most important storylines heading into WrestleMania season. Reigns’ return at the event would mark his first appearance since stepping away from television for a hiatus.
Earlier internal plans reportedly called for Reigns to work with Cody Rhodes in a WWE Championship program at WrestleMania. However, those plans have since changed, leaving Reigns’ ultimate WrestleMania opponent unclear heading into the Rumble.
As always, the Royal Rumble is expected to bring clarity—and potentially major surprises—to WWE’s top-tier creative plans, with Roman Reigns’ return standing as one of the most anticipated moments of the night.
