WWE fans are still talking about the unexpected finish to Roman Reigns vs Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 39, and the debate about whether or not it was the right call doesn’t show any signs of stopping. The debate on what is next for Rhodes and if a rematch will happen also isn’t stopping, and a new report by WrestleVotes (via GiveMeSport) reveals WWE’s current thinking about that rematch happening at WrestleMania 40. The report states that Reigns vs Rhodes is “on the table” to main event WrestleMania 40 in 2024, and that would be quite the ambitious step in a number of ways.
That would stretch out the payoff to this particular story for a full year, and though Rhodes would have a number of opponents to clear on his road to another shot at Reigns, the path for Reigns is a bit murkier. At this point Reigns has taken down a substantial list of opponents, though there are some names you could bring into the mix for him.
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If the LWO storyline includes the Bloodline, Santos Escobar and Rey Mysterio could be future opponents. The same goes for if WWE ever wants to bring Seth Rollins back into a feud with Reigns, as their last one ended rather abruptly and without a definitive conclusion. Bray Wyatt, LA Knight, Johnny Gargano, Bobby Lashley, Gunther, and a returning stars like Big E and Randy Orton could also be opponents for the Tribal Chief.
Paul Herman addressed Reigns’ win at WrestleMania in an interview with BT Sport’s Ariel Helwani, and he got a kick out of the assumptions that Reigns would lose there. He also addressed Rhodes being the one to defeat him and how even a loss made Rhodes a bigger star.
“I like the fact that everyone walks in now thinking this is the last title defense. I experienced this before, it was something I had a hand in ending, which was the Undertaker’s undefeated streak at WrestleMania. Every year, you sat there, ‘Oh, this is it.’ During the match, the audience is anticipating and salivating for it, this to be the moment that they get to witness the historical three count on the Undertaker to which the streak would end,” Heyman said.
“Then, when Undertaker would defend the streak, they would say, ‘I don’t want to see this end, I can’t wait until the next chapter.’ Then, it finally ended, and the audience was shocked. They thought they would see it, they thought they would see it, they didn’t,” Heyman said.
“It’s the same thing with Roman Reigns’ Title defenses now. You hope this is the one, you think this is the one, you’re sure this is the one. You watch the match happening, you know this is the one. Then it turns out to not be the one. ‘Man, I can’t wait to see the next chapter.’ The response [at WrestleMania 39] to Cody Rhodes, which was louder than the response last week, which was a response more passionate, which was the response of an audience that believes in Cody Rhodes this week more than they did last week when they hung their hopes and dreams on him,” Heyman said.
“He didn’t disappoint them. We disappointed them. We took that away from Cody Rhodes. Roman Reigns took that away from Cody Rhodes and the audience. They blame Roman Reigns for it and they appreciate how close Cody came and they know the next time Cody steps in the ring with Roman Reigns, ‘this will be the one.’ That’s the business,” Heyman said.
Do you want to see the rematch happen at WrestleMania 40 or do you want to see it happen sooner? Let us know in the comments or as always you can talk all things wrestling with me on Twitter @MattAguilarCB!
