BY SACNILK

For over a decade, Joe Anoa'i — better known as Roman Reigns — has been at the center of WWE's biggest storylines, biggest matches, and biggest business decisions. Few performers in the company's history have carried the weight of the brand quite the way he has, headlining WrestleMania after WrestleMania while the product built itself around his character arc. What makes his story stand out isn't just longevity; it's the sheer range of it — a career that has moved through nearly every phase a wrestler can go through, from hated pretender to beloved hero to a villain the audience couldn't look away from. From a breakout member of The Shield to the "Tribal Chief" who headlined the industry's most dominant title reign in modern history, his journey is one of the most complete stories WWE has ever told. Here are the ten moments that built him into the company's cornerstone — the wins, the setbacks, and the reinventions that turned Roman Reigns into the undisputed face of WWE. 1. The Shield Storms In — Survivor Series 2012 Roman Reigns made his main-roster debut on November 18, 2012, ambushing the ring alongside Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose to help CM Punk retain the WWE Championship. The Shield's arrival instantly reshaped WWE's landscape, and Reigns — the imposing enforcer of the trio — was immediately marked as a star in the making. 2. The Betrayal That Made Him a Singles Star — June 2014 On the June 2, 2014 episode of Raw, Seth Rollins turned on his Shield brothers, blasting Reigns with a steel chair and ending the faction. The split forced Reigns out of the group dynamic and into a singles push, setting him on the path WWE had been building toward: its next top guy. 3. Winning the Royal Rumble — January 2015 Reigns won the 2015 Royal Rumble Match, last eliminating Big Show, in a moment WWE clearly intended as a coronation. The reaction was famously divisive — fans openly rebelled against the push — but the match cemented WWE's commitment to making him the franchise's centerpiece, for better or worse. 4. Ending an Era — Defeating The Undertaker at WrestleMania 33 At WrestleMania 33 in 2017, Reigns beat The Undertaker in a No Holds Barred match, becoming only the second man ever to defeat the Deadman at WrestleMania. The Undertaker left his hat, coat, and gloves in the ring afterward — a symbolic passing of the torch that instantly raised Reigns' stature among the all-time greats. 5. The Torch-Passing Over John Cena — No Mercy 2017 In September 2017, Reigns defeated John Cena in a clean, hard-hitting match at No Mercy. Though it happened on a secondary pay-per-view, the bout is remembered as a definitive changing of the guard between WWE's dominant star of the 2000s–2010s and the man being groomed to replace him. 6. Finally Beating Brock Lesnar — SummerSlam 2018 After years of chasing him, Reigns defeated Brock Lesnar to win the Universal Championship at SummerSlam 2018. It was the validation moment fans had waited years for — proof that Reigns could beat the company's most dominant "conqueror" for the top title. 7. The Leukemia Announcement — October 2018 Weeks after winning the title, Reigns stunned the wrestling world on the October 22, 2018 Raw by revealing his leukemia had returned and relinquishing the Universal Championship to focus on his health. The raw, emotional moment humanized him overnight, transforming public perception and rallying the entire industry behind him. 8. The Reinvention — SummerSlam 2020 and the Birth of the Tribal Chief After stepping away for COVID-19 precautions and missing WrestleMania 36, Reigns returned at SummerSlam 2020 with a shocking heel turn, aligning with Paul Heyman and attacking Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman. This rebirth as "The Tribal Chief" — colder, more calculated, and unapologetically dominant — is widely regarded as the true beginning of his prime and the character work that finally won over the audience. 9. Breaking Brock Lesnar's Record — January 2022 On January 16, 2022, Reigns surpassed Brock Lesnar's 503-day reign to become the longest-reigning Universal Champion in WWE history. It was statistical proof of just how thoroughly he had taken over the company at the top of the card. 10. Unifying the Titles — WrestleMania 38 At WrestleMania 38 in 2022, Reigns defeated Brock Lesnar to also capture the WWE Championship, unifying it with his Universal Championship to become the first-ever Undisputed WWE Universal Champion. It was the culmination of nearly two years of storytelling and confirmed him, definitively, as the face of the entire promotion.

BY SACNILK

John Cena walked away from WWE in December 2025 with 17 world championships, a Grand Slam, and a resume that reads like a history book of the last two decades of professional wrestling. He beat The Rock, ended feuds with Lesnar, Undertaker, HHH, Angle, Edge, Orton, Batista, Punk, Styles, Owens, Rollins, Reigns, and dozens more across a 23-year run that closed with a tap-out loss to Gunther at Saturday Night's Main Event. But even a career that sprawling has holes in it. Some opponents were in a different company. Some were on the same roster for years and just never got booked against him. Some were on the wrong side of history — retired, injured, or simply timed out before creative connected the dots. Here's my ranking of the 10 dream opponents who never got their moment with Cena, and why each would've been must-see wrestling. 1. John Cena vs. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin This is the granddaddy of every "what if" list in WWE history. Austin and Cena represent two of the biggest merchandise-movers and most bankable stars the company has ever produced, from two entirely different eras of storytelling — Austin's beer-swilling rebellion versus Cena's hustle-loyalty-respect superhero routine. The two never actually locked up, though Austin did serve as a special guest referee for a string of Cena's SmackDown title defenses back in 2005, overseeing wins over JBL and Kurt Angle. When Cena was asked directly why it never happened, his answer was refreshingly simple: nobody ever pulled the trigger on it. He's said he would have loved to wrestle Austin, along with Andre the Giant, but chose to focus on gratitude for the matches he did get rather than the ones that slipped away. Given Austin's limited, sporadic in-ring appearances since the mid-2000s, this is a match that was always more likely to live in highlight-reel fantasy than reality — but it's still the one fans debate loudest. 2. John Cena vs. Goldberg Cena and Goldberg crossed paths exactly once in a competitive setting — the 2004 Royal Rumble, where both men entered late and were eliminated within minutes of each other, Goldberg going out 24th and Cena 25th. Beyond that, despite Goldberg's surprise 2016 return giving him fresh programs against Brock Lesnar, Roman Reigns, The Undertaker, and Kevin Owens, a singles match with Cena simply never materialized. Both men have publicly wished it had. Goldberg has said he never got the chance to put his hands around Cena's throat and admitted that would have been fun, while Cena, asked about it directly at a fan convention, shrugged it off with a joke about nobody ever telling him to do it. With both stars running retirement tours in the same calendar year, some in the wrestling media even pushed publicly for WWE to finally book the collision before either man hung up his boots — but the moment never came. 3. John Cena vs. Ric Flair The Nature Boy shared the ring with essentially every major star of the last five decades — Hogan, Steamboat, Sting, Michaels, Triple H, Batista — spanning the WCW, NWA, and WWE eras. Somehow, a Flair-Cena singles match never happened, despite years of overlap on WWE programming during Cena's ascension in the mid-2000s. The stylistic contrast alone makes this one of the more tantalizing misses: Flair's chop-heavy, psychology-driven old-school formula against Cena's power-babyface, five-moves-of-doom arsenal. A Figure-Four attempt countered into an Attitude Adjustment would have been the kind of moment that bridges wrestling generations. 4. John Cena vs. Kazuchika Okada Often billed by fans and pundits as New Japan Pro-Wrestling's answer to Cena — a franchise cornerstone who carried his promotion on his back for over a decade — Okada's career arc ran almost parallel to Cena's later years. The two were never on the same roster at the same time, and any lingering hope of a crossover dream match effectively ended when Okada signed with AEW rather than WWE. It remains one of the biggest "closest we'll ever get is a highlight reel" matchups in the sport, a genuine East-meets-West spectacle that wrestling fans on both sides of the Pacific wanted. 5. John Cena vs. Drew McIntyre This is arguably the most glaring miss on the list, simply because of how much runway existed for it. McIntyre had two separate stints on WWE's main roster overlapping with Cena's career, including his rise to two-time world champion status in the 2020s, and the two never once collided in a marquee singles match. McIntyre was even floated by wrestling media as a logical dance partner for Cena during his 2025 farewell tour, given the timing of McIntyre's redemption arc as a future Hall of Famer, but the creative never lined up before Cena's final bell rang. 6. John Cena vs. Kenny Omega The AEW ace built his reputation on hard-hitting, high-drama epics in NJPW, DDT, and AEW, and his career overlapped almost entirely with Cena's part-time run and retirement tour — but on the opposite side of the WWE/AEW divide, meaning the two never so much as shared a building. Omega's chaotic, physically punishing in-ring style against Cena's methodical, crowd-pandering formula represents exactly the kind of "different wrestling worlds colliding" dream match that fans still book in their heads on message boards and podcasts. 7. John Cena vs. MJF Before any physical contact, this matchup sells itself on the microphone. MJF built his entire AEW persona as a smarmy, self-obsessed heel mouthpiece, the stylistic opposite of Cena's aw-shucks, crowd-rallying babyface energy — and arguably the closest thing wrestling has produced to a spiritual successor to Cena's promo command, just inverted. A pre-match war of words between the two would have been appointment viewing regardless of who eventually won the bout. 8. John Cena vs. Bron Breakker WWE's next-generation powerhouse has drawn Goldberg comparisons for his explosiveness, and Goldberg himself specifically named Breakker as a fresh option he'd want to face in his own final run. Breakker's spear-and-power arsenal against Cena's five-moves-of-doom, capped by a passing-of-the-torch finish, would have made thematic sense as a way to formally hand the "next face of WWE" torch to the current generation — but the timing during Cena's farewell tour never aligned. 9. John Cena vs. Jey Uso Uso eliminated Cena from the 2025 Royal Rumble, and that moment briefly sparked real speculation about a proper singles follow-up between two of the most consistently beloved characters on WWE television. But Uso spent much of the rest of 2025 entangled in the World Heavyweight Championship picture, and the singles blowoff never got scheduled. Given how thunderously both men get over with live crowds, a full-length Cena-Uso singles match, likely a big babyface-vs-babyface crowd-pleaser, remains one of the more painful "so close" misses of Cena's final year. 10. John Cena vs. LA Knight Knight came the closest of anyone on this list to actually getting the match. He advanced deep into the "Last Time Is Now" tournament that determined Cena's final opponent, only to fall short to Gunther in the final. Given Knight's crowd-command style — arguably the most Cena-like energy on the current roster — a Knight-Cena passing-of-the-torch match, with Knight going over to cement his own ascension, felt like the more poetic send-off some fans wanted instead of the submission loss Cena ultimately chose.

BY SACNILK

The wrestling legend says he didn't remember his name, his location, or any part of the historic loss until the early hours of the following morning. Mark Calaway, known to the world as The Undertaker, has revealed new details about the severity of the concussion he suffered during his infamous streak-ending loss to Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania XXX in 2014 — a match that ended a 21-0 undefeated run at "The Show of Shows" and shocked the wrestling world. Speaking on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Undertaker said he has no recollection of the match itself. He was taken to the hospital before the pay-per-view had even finished, and his memory didn't begin returning until roughly 4 or 5 a.m. the next day. He described being repeatedly asked basic orientation questions by doctors — his name, his age — much like the routine seen in television medical dramas, and said he genuinely couldn't answer them. Strikingly, he noted that although he couldn't recall his own name in the aftermath, he was still able to recognize his wife, Michelle, and WWE chairman Vince McMahon — a detail he called "really bizarre." The injury had lasting psychological effects. As he prepared to return the following year, self-doubt crept in for the first time in his career, compounded by his age and a fear that a similar injury could happen again. He said there was no single moment he could point to as the cause — an experience he likened to wrestling's old adage that "fighters get old overnight." Undertaker connected this experience directly to a line from his WWE Hall of Fame induction speech, in which he thanked Triple H for reminding him "who he really is" during a moment when his confidence was at its lowest. He explained that before a later high-stakes match, doubt overwhelmed him backstage — until Triple H approached him and told him not to forget who he was, reminding him bluntly: "You're the effing Undertaker." He credited that moment with pulling him back into the right headspace before heading to the ring.

BY SACNILK

Dave Meltzer has released his star ratings for WWE SummerSlam 2026, with the highly anticipated clash between Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins emerging as the highest-rated match across both nights of the premium live event. The Night Two main event between Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins received a powered rating of 4.75 stars, making it the top-rated bout of SummerSlam 2026 and the only match to come within a quarter-star of the coveted five-star mark. Three other matches earned 4.25 stars, tying for the second-highest rating of the weekend. On Night One, Liv Morgan vs. IYO SKY and CM Punk vs. Cody Rhodes both received 4.25 stars, while Chad Gable vs. Penta matched that score on Night Two. Meanwhile, several matches landed in the middle of the pack with 3.5-star ratings, including LA Knight, Solo Sikoa & Royce Keys vs. The Usos & Jacob Fatu, GUNTHER vs. Nick Aldis, Kevin Owens vs. GUNTHER vs. Sami Zayn vs. Finn Bálor, and Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar inside Hell in a Cell. At the other end of the spectrum, Danhausen vs. Dominik Mysterio in the "Human Monies on a Pole" match received the lowest rating of the weekend at 1 star. The Fatal Influence vs. Paige & The Bella Twins match was awarded 1.5 stars, while Baron Corbin vs. Trick Williams earned 1.75 stars. The Interim WWE Women's Championship Ladder Match received 2.25 stars. Dave Meltzer's WWE SummerSlam 2026 Star Ratings(Night One) Liv Morgan vs. IYO SKY - 4.25) LA Knight, Solo Sikoa & Royce Keys vs. The Usos & Jacob Fatu - (3.5) GUNTHER vs. Nick Aldis - (3.5) Fatal Influence vs. Paige & The Bella Twins - (1.5) CM Punk vs. Cody Rhodes - (4.25) Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar (Hell in a Cell) - (3.5) Dave Meltzer's WWE SummerSlam 2026 Star Ratings(Night Two) Kevin Owens vs. GUNTHER vs. Sami Zayn vs. Finn Bálor - (3.5) Baron Corbin vs. Trick Williams - (1.75) Interim WWE Women's Championship Ladder Match - (2.25) Danhausen vs. Dominik Mysterio (Human Monies on a Pole) - (1.0) Chad Gable vs. Penta - (4.25) Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins - (4.75)

BY SACNILK

Despite Brock Lesnar publicly stating that his in-ring career is over, it sounds like the door hasn't fully closed inside WWE. According to WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select, there are high-ranking officials within the company who still believe Lesnar will be involved with WrestleMania 43 in some capacity. One source noted that if another match isn't in the cards, the idea of Lesnar headlining the WWE Hall of Fame in Saudi Arabia is certainly on the table. Lesnar's road to this point has been anything but straightforward. He appeared to be heading toward retirement back at WrestleMania 42 after losing to Oba Femi, going as far as removing his gloves and boots in the ring in an emotional farewell moment with Paul Heyman by his side. Instead of staying away, though, Lesnar returned weeks later to run it back with Femi, setting up a rubber match to close out their trilogy. That decider came at SummerSlam 2026 Night One on August 1 in Minneapolis, Lesnar's home state, where the two collided in a brutal Hell in a Cell match. Femi got the better of him, and Lesnar responded by embracing his opponent and telling the crowd he was passing the torch, calling himself "the past" and Femi "the future." Three days later, on the August 4 edition of The Pat McAfee Show, Lesnar made it official, confirming that Saturday's match truly was his last as an in-ring competitor and that he considers himself retired from the business entirely. Retirement announcements from Lesnar aren't new — his WrestleMania 42 exit was widely read as a career send-off too, only for him to return a month later. Given that history, it's perhaps no surprise that some within WWE aren't ready to rule out one more appearance next April, even if it doesn't come in the form of a match. A Hall of Fame induction in Saudi Arabia would fit neatly with WWE's continued push into the region and would allow the company to give Lesnar a proper send-off without asking a 48-year-old with a well-documented list of physical wear and tear to get back in the ring. For now, nothing is close to confirmed, but it's clear the door hasn't been shut on one more Brock Lesnar moment at WrestleMania season.

BY SACNILK

The excitement for WWE SummerSlam is building as a new poster featuring a stacked lineup of champions and contenders has been unveiled.## This year's edition of the "Biggest Party of the Summer" takes place on Saturday, August 3rd, at Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio, hometown of United States Champion Logan Paul, who himself made the announcement earlier.## The electrifying poster features a diverse group of top stars vying for dominance. Leading the charge is the newly crowned Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, Cody Rhodes. He's joined by the fighting spirit of United States Champion Logan Paul, the reigning Women's World Champion Rhea Ripley, the powerhouse Bianca Belair, the confident newcomer Jade Cargill, and the ever-opportunistic Raw Tag Team Champion The Miz.## This impressive roster hints at potential dream matches and showdowns that will have fans at the edge of their seats.## Last year's SummerSlam left a lasting impression with Roman Reigns' controversial victory over Jey Uso in a Tribal Combat match. The event also saw unforgettable moments like Cody Rhodes' triumph over Brock Lesnar and IYO SKY's successful Money in the Bank cash-in to become Women's Champion.## With the new poster raising anticipation, speculation runs wild about what captivating matchups SummerSlam 2024 will deliver. ## ## Stay Tuned To Sacnilk...

BY SACNILK

Brock Lesnar's future with WWE remains uncertain following sexual misconduct allegations against Vince McMahon.## A lawsuit filed in January accused McMahon of various offenses, with one unnamed party described as a former UFC Heavyweight Champion negotiating with WWE at the time. Though never explicitly named, reports point to Lesnar.## This reportedly led to Lesnar's removal from WWE plans, including the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania 40. He was also scrubbed from video games and promotional materials.## However, Lesnar remains listed on the WWE roster. During a press conference, WWE COO Paul Levesque (Triple H) addressed Lesnar's status:## "We had a conversation about the Royal Rumble a while back. Right now, Brock's at home being Brock. We'll see where things go from here. He's not gone from WWE, just taking some time off."## Lesnar's future with the company hinges on the lawsuit's resolution and his desire to return. While currently absent, Triple H leaves the door open for "The Beast Incarnate" to make his comeback. ## Stay Tuned To Sacnilk...

BY SACNILK

Paul Heyman's WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony on April 5th wasn't without its surprises. While Lesnar was noticeably absent from the official video package, Heyman defied expectations by acknowledging his longtime client, Brock Lesnar, during his speech.## Heyman, known for his "advocate" role and signature introductions, took a humorous and energetic approach to his acceptance speech. He referenced his history as a wrestling disrupter, his leadership of ECW, and even took a playful jab at Stephanie McMahon. For the ECW segment, he donned classic ECW gear and declared that the spirit of the brand is far from dead.## While recapping his career highlights, Heyman specifically mentioned advocating for Lesnar, even delivering his trademark introduction for "The Beast Incarnate." This is significant because Lesnar was entirely omitted from the official WWE-produced video package. The closest reference was a brief mention of Heyman managing the "1 in 21-1," Lesnar's undefeated streak record.## Lesnar's exclusion likely stems from his implication in an ongoing lawsuit against WWE. The lawsuit alleges that Vince McMahon used an unnamed "world-famous athlete" to keep Lesnar, a former UFC Heavyweight Champion, happy during contract negotiations. Since the lawsuit's filing, Lesnar has been pulled from WWE creative plans and television appearances. ## PAUL HEYMAN NAME DROPPED BROCK LESNAR!!#smackdown #WWEHOF pic.twitter.com/PuMj3AHj2H— Maverick (@OneTrueMav) April 6, 2024 ## Stay Tuned To Sacnilk...

BY SACNILK

Roman Reigns' reign as the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion continues to be historic. Two years ago today, on April 3rd, 2022, Reigns defeated Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 38 to unify the WWE and Universal Championships. ## Since then, Reigns has cemented his dominance by defending the Undisputed Championship against a string of challengers, including WrestleMania 39 victor Cody Rhodes, Jey Uso, Kevin Owens, and Randy Orton. ## This upcoming WrestleMania will see Reigns take center stage once again, competing on both nights of the event. ## On the first night, Reigns will team up with none other than The Rock to face a formidable duo of Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes. Night two will see Reigns return to his familiar position, defending the Undisputed Championship in a rematch against a determined Cody Rhodes.## Current betting odds suggest that Cody Rhodes is poised to dethrone Roman Reigns and become the new Undisputed WWE Universal Champion. ## Stay Tuned To Sacnilk...

BY SACNILK

This week's WWE Raw featured a bloody attack on Cody Rhodes by The Rock, but fans shouldn't expect to see a return to bladed wrestlers every week. ## The parking lot attack, which you can see below, included The Rock telling Rhodes "tonight, I'm going to make you bleed" earlier in the show. However, the use of blood in this instance seems to be an exception rather than the rule. ## Wrestling Observer Newsletter's Dave Meltzer addressed the return of blood, noting that with Vince McMahon no longer at the helm, "blood is no longer a regular feature" on WWE programming. Meltzer also clarified that there are no plans for WWE to adopt a more liberal approach to blood, similar to their competitor AEW. ## However, it seems The Rock holds a special place. Meltzer compared The Rock's influence to Brock Lesnar's under the McMahon administration, stating, "But if Johnson wants it in his angle, he's like Lesnar...and he's going to be able to do what he wants in his angles and matches."## This unique position likely stems from The Rock's recent business ventures with WWE. In January, he joined the TKO Board of Directors and acquired ownership of trademarks related to his wrestling persona. Additionally, he cemented his villainous turn at the WrestleMania 40 kickoff event, aligning himself with Roman Reigns. ## The Rock and Reigns are set to team up against Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40 on April 6th. Following this tag match, Rhodes will challenge Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship on Night 2. ## Stay Tuned To Sacnilk...

BY SACNILK

The Undertaker's undefeated WrestleMania streak remains a monumental feat in professional wrestling. However, in a surprising revelation, The Undertaker himself believes someone else should have ended that streak: Bray Wyatt.## In a recent statement on his Patreon page, The Undertaker acknowledged the impact of Brock Lesnar's victory at WrestleMania 30, but argued that Bray Wyatt, with his dark and enigmatic persona, would have been a far more fitting choice.## "The most logical person to break it would have been Bray Wyatt," The Undertaker said. "It would have meant more to his career than even Roman's." ## He elaborated on the thematic connection between his character and Wyatt's, suggesting a potential storyline merge. "There were so many comparisons between the two characters and the darkness and the different things," he said. "For him to be able to have broken it would have been such a feather in his cap... something that could have extended the Undertaker character in a different capacity." ## "The most logical person to break it would have been Bray Wyatt. Probably of the three, it would have meant more to his career than even Roman's. For Roman, it would have been very special but for Bray, there were so many comparisons between the two characters and the darkness and the different things.## For him to be able to have broke it would have been such a feather in his cap and in something that would have prob probably could have extended the, the character of the Undertaker in, in a different capacity. ## You know, I mean, Bray would have been the, the in ring aspect of it, but I think that those characters would have somehow maybe merged together in some kind of higher power type deal. But I think of, of all the people that it would have helped, the most, I think Bray would have been the guy. He's the only one." ## Stay Tuned To Sacnilk...

BY SACNILK

Speculation swirls around Brock Lesnar's WWE future. While reports initially suggested Lesnar was removed from the active roster page on WWE.com, it appears he may have been there all along. ## However, Wrestling Observer's Bryan Alvarez suggests efforts are underway to bring "The Beast" back. Alvarez on WOL: "There have been moves regarding Brock Lesnar... inquiries made. It seems like a bad idea to me." ## Lesnar's scheduled Royal Rumble return was scrapped following his mention in the Vince McMahon scandal. Planned Elimination Chamber and WrestleMania matches were also nixed. His removal from WWE show intros and the 2K video game further fueled speculation of a potential departure. ## While backstage moves hint at a possible return, report emphasizes the situation remains fluid. Whether this translates to a concrete comeback is yet to be determined. ## Some fans welcome the prospect of Lesnar's return, considering his star power. Others express reservations due to the ongoing controversy surrounding him. ## WWE's official stance and any potential timeline for Lesnar's return remain unclear. Only time will tell if "moves" translate into a full-fledged comeback for the former champion. ## Stay Tuned To Sacnilk...