WWE presents Summer Slam on August 3 at Cleveland Browns Stadium, with major matches including Cody Rhodes vs. Solo Sikoa for the Undisputed WWE Championship and Damian Priest defending his World Heavyweight Championship against Gunther.
However, two unannounced talents, John Cena and Roman Reigns, have the potential to make the most impact.
With both potentially making cameos, the question is how they will be employed.
With this preview, viewers may discover out what roles those two might play ahead of the July spectacle.
Roman Reigns: Avenger 1 OUT OF 5
Roman Reigns has not been on WWE TV since losing the Undisputed WWE Championship to Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania XL, and in his absence, Solo Sikoa has rebuilt The Bloodline according to his own vision.
That involves brutally beating Jimmy Uso and Paul Heyman, two guys who are extremely close to the one genuine Tribal Chief.
At SummerSlam, Reigns will play the character of Avenger.
The return of the Head of the Table to fight Sikoa following the show’s main event, in which the latter will battle Rhodes for the title, is the most suitable use of Reigns.
The return and long-awaited confrontation is the next logical step in the tale, with Reigns seeking to avenge Sikoa’s unearned rise to power and the chaos he has wrought in the family’s name.
It sets up the next chapter, in which Reigns will rely on The Usos to rejoin the OG Bloodline and face off against the new gang, which includes Jacob Fatu, Tama Tonga, and Tanga Loa, just in time for the Survivor Series and War Games.
John Cena congratulates LA Knight (2 of 5).
The fall of 2023 saw LA Knight reach to the top of WWE, culminating in his challenge to Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at Crown Jewel in October.
John Cena, who returned in September and donated his fame to legitimize The Megastar, was a crucial factor to Knight’s rise to the status of bonafide main event star.
With Knight poised to dethrone Logan Paul for the United States Championship at SummerSlam in Cleveland, Cena’s return for one night to congratulate Knight and stand tall with him for the all-important photo op makes sense given how essential he was in Knight’s rise to prominence.
While it is difficult to envision WWE bringing him in solely for that, potentially taking the limelight away from Knight at his pinnacle moment, it would make sense within the context of The Megastar’s story.
Roman Reigns Does Not Return: 3 out of 5
Reigns is expected to return at SummerSlam to confront Solo Sikoa and kick off the Bloodline civil war. It is certainly the direction the storyline has taken in recent months, and it is unquestionably the most obvious one WWE Creative can take things in on August 3.
What happens if he does not return?
What if Reigns does not appear, but instead Jimmy Uso makes his first appearance in four months and faces The Bloodline in the first step toward a reunion with Reigns?
We know Triple H and his gang are slow-burning writers. They take their time and don’t let expectation speed up the story they’re telling, so it’s hardly shocking if Reigns’ exile in Cleveland continues.
During his retirement tour, John Cena targets his first opponent (4 out of 5).
Cena startled the wrestling world by announcing his retirement from the ring, which will occur in December 2025 following a year-long retirement tour.
What better way to kick things off than with the yearly summertime spectacle?
Cena breaking over the curtain and facing someone like Seth “Freakin” Rollins, CM Punk, Drew McIntyre, Logan Paul, LA Knight, or Solo Sikoa would make headlines and give fans something to talk about, especially if Reigns does not return as planned.
If he does, and there is less pressure on Cena’s first opponent, perhaps he will bring out Austin Theory, who began his losing streak in singles competition and would be an obvious first Superstar for the GOAT to defeat.
Regardless, Cena’s appearance would dominate social media and provide SummerSlam some of the attention that WWE loves to generate with its top-tier live events.
Roman Reigns lays down Cody Rhodes and raises questions about his motivations.
5 OF 5
Reigns’ return and confrontation with The Bloodline appears to be a given outcome, so it would not be shocking if it did not quite go as planned.
There is, after all, a current indisputable WWE champion who celebrated the end of WrestleMania XL and has thrived since his absence.
What if Reigns assaults Cody Rhodes, the guy that started The Bloodline’s demise, setting up a third meeting between the two?
It is a scenario that is more plausible than it appears, especially as WWE attempts to capitalize on the one-on-one matchup it knows would draw an audience and, potentially, move two different storylines ahead.
Reigns returning to face Rhodes while essentially ignoring The Bloodline would enrage Sikoa and set up the inevitable showdown, whereas the champion ignoring his friend, Randy Orton, in favor of another battle with the same man he has faced twice before would lay the groundwork for a championship clash between mentor and protege.
Most likely. No, but which one has the longest reach? Most definitely.
