Tag: Drew McIntyre

For all the flak the WWE takes when its booking decisions defy common sense, it probably gets too little credit when it executes logical, entertaining plans for its top stars. With that in mind, it’s “give credit where it’s due” time: If reports about the three challengers Roman Reigns will face this summer are correct, WWE has lined things up for him perfectly.

Considering the way Reigns is positioned, that’s no easy feat. In his current Tribal Chief/Head of the Table/GOD Mode incarnation, Reigns holds the company’s two most important men’s championships (one for more than 600 days) and seems unbeatable. He came out of his victory over Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania with no obvious challengers, and has been cutting promos discussing how there’s no one left because he’s smashed everyone.

But as various forms of pop culture have demonstrated time and time again, audiences love a good struggle against a supposedly invincible villain, and three men have stepped up to form a bit of a Rebel Alliance against the Bloodline’s Empire: Randy Orton, his RK-Bro partner Riddle, and Drew McIntyre.

Not coincidentally, these are the three challengers Reigns is likely to face at this summer’s premium live events. Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer reported this week that the tentative plan is to have each of them face the Tribal Chief at different upcoming stadium shows.

Right now the talk is, and none of this is close to etched in stone, that Reigns wrestles Riddle on 7/2, Orton on 7/30 and McIntyre on 9/3. The first summer TV Reigns was announced for was 7/25 in Madison Square Garden, which is the go-home Raw for SummerSlam. Reigns will be appearing on TV’s to build those three matches and has also been announced for the 7/22 Smackdown in Boston and 8/19 Smackdown in Montreal.

Not only has there been a logical escalation to programs with all three men, the order is even laid out perfectly.

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Roman Reigns vs. Riddle at Money in the Bank

This got set into motion with Riddle’s knee to Reigns’ face at SmackDown last week, pictured above. It would be easy for the champ to dismiss the usually jovial King of Bros most times, but after that?

Reigns can’t let that offense go unpunished, plus it’s in character for him to want to beat up Riddle just to shut him up. There’s virtually no way WWE would let Riddle get the win, but he’s at a stage in his career where even a valiant but losing effort in a championship match can help push him forward.

Roman Reigns vs. Randy Orton at SummerSlam

The biggest show of the summer requires the biggest possible match, and it’s hard to argue against this matchup for the main event slot. As many have noted, Orton appears to be having the time of his life as a fan favorite at the moment, and WWE has pushed his 20th anniversary as a Superstar pretty hard. Think of this like someone winning both current and lifetime achievement trophies on the same awards show.

It would be the safe call for Reigns to retain and take the championships into the next PLE, but let’s let our imaginations run a little bit and say that WWE wants to reward Orton even more. There’s something here that just feels like a title change could happen, especially if McIntyre gets involved and ends up costing Reigns his gold.

Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre at Clash at the Castle

A main event for the first stadium show in the UK in decades pitting the No. 1 guy in the company against its biggest UK-born Superstar. It’s a no brainer, and if Reigns still has both titles, could give McIntyre the championship moment in front of a huge crowd that the pandemic denied him. It’s a script that writes itself.

But this would also be a huge bout even if Orton wins at SummerSlam, or it could change entirely over the next few months. McIntyre vs. Tyson Fury, for instance, could definitely be on the table for Wales.

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