WWE SmackDown: Ranking the top 5 moments since moving to FOX

Paul Heyman and Roman Reigns unite, August 28, 2020

There wasn’t a move that shook things up on WWE SmackDown more than the decision to put Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman together. During Reigns’ rivalry with Brock Lesnar in 2018, he and Heyman were on opposite sides of that brutal feud, but it was the Big Dog who came out on top eventually by winning the Universal Title at SummerSlam.

The real-life respect between Heyman and Reigns is a huge part of this story, too. But in kayfabe, what’s interesting to note is that Reigns is the one running the show over Heyman, whom Reigns is using as a means to establish himself as an even bigger star. Heyman, quite clearly, works for Reigns, and he does so in a way that is different from how Heyman and Lesnar worked together.

Reigns returned to WWE at SummerSlam and attacked Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman after the Fiend picked up a Universal Title win over the Monster Among Men. The Big Dog’s return was obviously the main highlight of SummerSlam, and WWE didn’t waste any time capitalizing. That next Friday, he and Heyman were revealed as business partners, with Reigns winning the Universal Title back the following at Payback.

The possibilities are endless with Reigns and Heyman on the same page. Heyman is one of the greatest talkers and wrestling minds in history, while Reigns is one of the biggest stars in WWE history as the company’s current top full-time male star on the level of Cena and Lesnar. His role is something of a mix of both of them, but his character is absolutely unique. SmackDown just wasn’t the same without Reigns, and it won’t be the same with Reigns and Heyman working together.