Nia Jax revealed that even as a family member, she is often surprised by Roman Reigns’ appearances on WWE television. While promoting the September 26 SmackDown in Orlando during an interview with WKMG, Jax noted that “The Tribal Chief’s” returns are unpredictable. Since 2022, Reigns has worked a limited schedule, making each appearance a major event.
Speaking on the uncertainty of WWE programming, Jax reflected on her cousin’s sporadic schedule. “To be fair, I can’t even tell you exactly, because sometimes I’m totally surprised by who shows up. There’ll be times where Roman Reigns will show up, and I’ll be like, ‘Hey, cousin, what’s going on?’ But it’s always a great show. I know that anytime somebody comes, no matter what, they leave extremely happy and saying that they had a great time.” (h/t Fightful)
Reigns has been absent from WWE programming while filming his role as Akuma in the upcoming Street Fighter movie. According to PWInsider Elite, his filming commitments were scheduled to conclude on September 25.
Despite wrapping up the movie, Fightful Select reported that Reigns is not expected to appear on the September 26 episode of Friday Night SmackDown. His absence continues following the post-match ambush at SummerSlam by Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed, which happened moments after Reigns attacked Paul Heyman.
WWE is already advertising Reigns for major premium live events, including Crown Jewel on October 11 in Perth and Survivor Series: WarGames on November 29. His part-time schedule also led to his disqualification from the 2025 PWI 500, as he did not meet the activity requirements. The list was released on September 23.