WrestleMania 40 certainly lived up to the billing. There were bangers across both nights of action, but of course, the hottest topic coming out of the Lincoln Financial Field-hosted showpiece was Cody Rhodes’ stunning victory over Roman Reigns, stopping the Head of the Table’s record-breaking 1,316-day title reign in its tracks. Now, attention turns to what’s next for the Tribal Chief.
It is hardly a secret that the plan for the recent Showcase of the Immortals was for Reigns to face off against real-life cousin The Rock in the main event in Philadelphia. Then, the notoriously vocal WWE fanbase got involved and demanded that the American Nightmare headlined the show, and that’s exactly what happened. Now, the two Bloodline members are expected to face off at next year’s WrestleMania. But how do we get there?
The Bloodline Screw Reigns Out of the Title
Roman Reigns isn’t scheduled to feature on WWE TV until the weeks leading up to SummerSlam in August. When the Tribal Chief returns, he will no doubt do so to a thunderous ovation, shifting him from villain to hero. His first match back should be a rematch for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Cody Rhodes, with the contest headlining the Biggest Party of the Summer. Websites providing the option to bet on sports online have made fellow Bloodline member Solo Sikoa a 9/1 contender to win the Money in the Bank ladder match the month prior.
Could he win the briefcase and play a part in stopping Reigns from returning to his throne? The odds certainly suggest he has a chance however, using an online bet calculator suggests that it’s an outside chance at best. Placing £10 on the Street Champ to secure the victory would result in potential winnings of £100, while betting the same amount on the 7/4 favourite Sami Zayn would only bring back winnings of £27.50.
Whether he has the briefcase or not, the youngest member of the faction and apparent heir to the Bloodline throne has been on a power trip since Reigns’ WrestleMania heartbreak. He decimated Jimmy Uso, stopped Paul Heyman from contacting the Tribal Chief by destroying his iPhone on the 12th April episode of SmackDown, as well as added another member to the faction in the form of Tama Tonga. When Reigns returns, there is no doubt that he and Sikoa will embark on a power struggle, culminating at SummerSlam as Reigns loses to Rhodes once again.
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EVERYTHING just changed for #TheBloodline… #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/G6rDVEeXvO
— WWE (@WWE) April 13, 2024
The Rock is the Higher Power
And the man behind Sikoa’s recent actions toward the would-be former Head of the Table? None other than The Rock. Many didn’t know what to expect when the Hollywood Megastar returned to WWE earlier this year. However, following his heel turn and alignment with the Bloodline, the Great One dazzled both on the mic and in the ring, and he made the American Nightmare’s triumph all the more emotional. But while it was Reigns and Rhodes that squared off for the gold last time around, The Rock stated on a recent episode of Monday Night Raw that his and Cody’s story is just getting underway.
That suggests that a title match between the two is in the works, probably at the January 2025 Royal Rumble. Here, WWE will have two options. Have The Rock win the title and have Reigns win the Royal Rumble, putting them on a collision course at ‘Mania. Or have Reigns cost his cousin the title, just like Sikoa did to him at SummerSlam on the Rock’s behalf? We’re going with the latter.
Both superstars are now on part-time schedules and their names alone carry enough weight to justify them being in the main event of WrestleMania. Keep the title on Rhodes and have Reigns and The Rock embark on the biggest match in WWE history with the Head of the Table moniker on the line.
