Roman Reigns Returning At Royal Rumble, But WWE Has No Title Plans For Him

Roman Reigns’ return to WWE is officially on the horizon, with the tribal leader slated to make his comeback at Royal Rumble 2026. Wrestling fans around the world are buzzing with excitement about when “The Tribal Chief” will step back into the spotlight, especially after a lengthy absence from television. 

However, there’s a twist: Roman Reigns may not be positioned in the WWE Championship picture immediately upon his return. Recent reports indicate that Reigns is currently considered the “odd man out” in the championship race as WWE reshapes its creative roadmap heading into WrestleMania season. 

This development is fascinating on multiple levels. Roman Reigns has dominated WWE’s landscape for years. He held the Undisputed WWE Universal Title for more than 1,300 days and headlined countless main events. Yet here we are approaching one of the most important stretches in WWE history, and creative officials seem intent on steering the narrative in new directions. 

Roman Reigns’ Return To WWE Is Officially Set For The Royal Rumble

Fans have been clamoring for Reigns’ comeback ever since he stepped away from WWE television following his loss at WrestleMania XL. Reports now confirm he’s scheduled to return at Royal Rumble 2026, which takes place on January 31 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 

Reigns’ absence over the past several months sparked endless debate online about whether WWE would use him as the centerpiece of WrestleMania season or pivot to something fresh. A lot of that conversation stemmed from his historic title reign and subsequent loss to Cody Rhodes, after which fans expected a rematch or some kind of direct follow-up storyline. 

Instead, WWE appears to be taking a bold new approach: having Reigns return at a marquee event but avoiding a full-blown title push straight away. The rationale behind this shift seems to be a desire for unpredictability after years of Reigns’ dominance. WWE’s creative team feels the landscape needs fresh energy and fresh rivalries if WrestleMania 42 is to feel truly special. 

It’s a rare moment for a wrestler of Reigns’ stature. Typically, a return at the Royal Rumble is tied directly to a title hunt or major WrestleMania storyline. This time things are different. WWE is betting on a slow burn for Reigns’ return, allowing him to build momentum organically as WrestleMania looms. 

Why Reigns Is Being Left Out Of The Immediate WWE Championship Picture

The biggest shock in recent reports is that Reigns is reportedly not currently included in WWE’s title plans through WrestleMania season. According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Reigns is currently viewed as the “odd man out” when it comes to the Undisputed WWE Championship storyline. 

This doesn’t mean that Reigns won’t ever chase the title again, far from it. What it suggests is that WWE does not have an immediate title match booked for him heading into WrestleMania 42. In fact, current backstage chatter points toward a few possible headline scenarios that do not involve Reigns right away:

• A Triple Threat Match: One of the proposed WrestleMania main events is a three-way between Cody Rhodes, Drew McIntyre, and Jacob Fatu, all vying for the Undisputed WWE Title. 
• A McIntyre vs. Rhodes Rematch: WWE may go with a more traditional one-on-one title fight, giving the new champion another big moment. 

With both of these options on the shelf, at least for now, Reigns finds himself in a peculiar position. After years of anchoring WWE’s main event scene, he’s now set to re-enter the picture as a wild card, not a locked-in contender. 

Behind the scenes, WWE officials reportedly considered that another main event featuring Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes, the third in recent years, could lead to audience fatigue. The feeling is that fans have seen this story more than once, and a fresh dynamic might inject new life into the Road to WrestleMania. 

What This Means For WrestleMania 42 And The Title Scene

WrestleMania season in WWE is always a high-stakes chess match between creative, performers, and fan expectations. With Reigns out of the immediate title picture, the current landscape is wide open. 

Drew McIntyre’s recent capture of the Undisputed WWE Championship has upended plans previously centered around Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes. McIntyre’s title win, bolstered by the backing of several locker-room voices, including Rhodes himself,  signals WWE’s willingness to build new main event energy around different players. 

While Rhodes has history with Reigns, McIntyre brings a different style and freshness that WWE may want to explore more deeply in the months leading up to WrestleMania. With McIntyre and Rhodes featured heavily in the championship discourse, other names like Jacob Fatu and Seth Rollins could also find themselves in prominent roles. 

This kind of unpredictability keeps fans engaged and guessing, a major goal for Triple H’s creative direction this year. It’s also possible that Roman Reigns could still play a major role in WrestleMania season without directly competing for the Undisputed WWE Title. 

WWE loves to intertwine personal feuds, surprise qualifiers, and unconventional story arcs into its biggest shows. Reigns, regardless, remains one of the company’s most compelling characters. 

What The Future Could Hold For Roman Reigns

While it’s shocking to see Reigns sidelined from the championship picture, this isn’t necessarily a demotion. In fact, it might serve to rebuild anticipation around his character. WWE could be planning a narrative arc where Roman Reigns re-emerges stronger, hungrier, and even more unpredictable, leading up to WrestleMania 42 or beyond. 

One scenario fans have speculated about is Reigns entering the Royal Rumble match itself and winning, thereby earning a direct title shot at WrestleMania. That would instantly put him back into the spotlight and create a fresh dynamic against whichever champion emerges by then. 

Alternatively, Reigns could find himself in a personal rivalry unrelated to the championship, perhaps with someone like Seth Rollins or another emerging star who needs a marquee feud to elevate their status. Either way, the potential storylines surrounding Roman Reigns are virtually endless. 

Roman Reigns may be temporarily parked outside the WWE Championship picture, but that doesn’t mean his star has faded. Far from it. WWE is playing a long game, a game where anticipation, unpredictability, and surprise matter more than ever. As Royal Rumble 2026 draws closer, all eyes will be on the Tribal Chief. Will he shock the world, enter the title hunt, and reclaim his throne? Or will WWE take him down an entirely new path? Only time will tell.