The Rock versus Roman Reigns doesn’t need the Undisputed WWE Championship

The Roman Reigns story arc since his return at SummerSlam 2020 remains one of the best storylines in professional wrestling. Yes, it has had its ups and downs, but overall, the angle has been a success. As it enters its next phase, there’s a push to see The Rock face down Reigns at WrestleMania. While this outcome would be an intriguing narrative, one thing is still true. A match between The Rock and Roman Reigns must not tie up the entire WWE Championship picture.

In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer noted an idea that could see The Rock return as number 30 in the Rumble and pick up the win. This would set him on a path to face Reigns at WWE’s flagship annual PLE.

“The idea was being talked about behind-the-scenes and rumors certainly exist within WWE,” the report noted. “The idea we heard regarding a discussion and nothing more like I said, it’s been talked about as a pie-in-the-sky is a surprise number 30 entrant and winning.”

The Rock versus Roman Reigns is the biggest match that WWE could put on today. Reigns’s entire arc is built around the idea that he’s the leader of the Anoa’i family line and the reason why they’ve remained a successful force in professional wrestling. Of course, The Rock would have something to say about that.

That at its base is enough to make this a marquee-level contest. Tying it to the Undisputed WWE Championship continues the problem that WWE is facing today and doesn’t create an interesting future for after the huge event.

Reigns carrying both the WWE and Universal Championships limit the entire men’s division. There aren’t enough “prizes” for the others to chase. Even though Triple H has done an effective job rebuilding the Intercontinental and United States Championships, those belts are still not at the level of the main titles, and nor should they be. The titles rarely appear on Monday Night Raw, so what are the talented men on that roster competing for? Regardless of the answer, the fact remains that their position is “less than” without a main championship in play.

Then comes the issue of predictability. There’s a place in wrestling for fans to be able to predict big moments to come. Fans knew MJF was going to walk out of AEW Full Gear with the AEW Championship, but that didn’t lessen the moment. If The Rock is challenging for both titles at WrestleMania, there is a minuscule chance that he will win the belt. The Rock hasn’t been a full-time performer for the company for more than a decade. He will turn 51 shortly after WrestleMania 39. He’s not the guy to carry WWE into the future anymore.

Beyond those two issues, WrestleMania 39 is a two-night event. Except for the mid-card titles, the main roster belts are all tied up within The Bloodline. The rest of the men on the roster do not have strong storylines in place to justify major matches without the stakes that include winning a title on the biggest stage in WWE. That has a long-term impact on building stars within the promotion, which WWE drastically needs heading into 2023 and beyond.

Roman Reigns versus The Rock is a fun feud. There are so many ways the entire Anoa’i family could be involved and things that could be said to set the stage for the match. Even with all that to play with, this battle does not need to tie up the titles heading into WrestleMania 39.