Roman Reigns hasn’t appeared on WWE programming since his elimination from the Men’s Royal Rumble Match in Indianapolis. During that match, both Reigns and Seth Rollins were eliminated by CM Punk, after which Rollins delivered two Stomps to Reigns’ head, effectively writing him off television. This sequence of events led many fans to anticipate a potential match between the former Shield members at WrestleMania 41.
WWE has advertised Reigns to return on the March 21 and 28 editions of SmackDown. If the Undisputed Tribal Chief remains absent until his scheduled March 21 appearance, WWE’s creative team could pivot away from the expected Reigns-Rollins match and instead build toward a Seth Rollins versus CM Punk showdown for The Show of Shows.
This potential change in direction would allow Reigns to resume his unfinished business with Drew McIntyre upon his SmackDown return. The two former world champions previously engaged in a memorable rivalry in 2022. McIntyre has spent recent months targeting Reigns and his allies, demonstrating clear motivation for a high-profile confrontation. The Scottish Warrior’s recent move to SmackDown during the Transfer Window further aligns the logistics for this match to materialize.
This scenario hinges on the upcoming Men’s Elimination Chamber Match, as neither Punk, Rollins, nor McIntyre winning that contest would significantly alter these projected directions for WrestleMania 41.