Roman Reigns will not be at a Big 4 WWE show.
Ever since The Tribal Chief retained the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Cody Rhodes in the main event of WrestleMania 39, Reigns’ appearances have become less frequent and title defences even rarer due to the lack of challengers. Although Reigns is scheduled to defend the title against LA Knight at Crown Jewel, don’t expect to see many follow-up appearances.
As reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Reigns will not be at Survivor Series and is not scheduled to have another title defence until the Royal Rumble, meaning that the championship match against Knight will be his final one of 2023. If correct, plans have changed for The Tribal Chief as Roman Reigns is not currently advertised to be at the Royal Rumble. Reigns is also not advertised for any future episodes of SmackDown until further notice.
Reigns will next appear on the October 27th edition of SmackDown to sign the contract to make his match with LA Knight official. The November 3rd go-home show will also be taped that night to give the roster ample time to travel to Saudi Arabia, meaning that Reigns could also be featured on that show too.
How Will Roman Reigns’ Absence Affect Ratings?
With a lengthy absence from Reigns expected, SmackDown will likely see a drop in viewers as a result. With appearances from the champion being less and less frequent, when Roman Reigns does appear on TV it proves to be a success as ratings rise for SmackDown that particular week.
In another update, Brock Lesnar’s return plans have also been reportedly revealed.