On the first Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix, Roman Reigns faced off against Solo Sikoa in just the second-ever tribal combat match, both of which have now been won by Reigns. With the ula fala and the title of the one true tribal chief on the line, Reigns emerged victorious against his cousin, overcoming the interference from the new Bloodline in the process. As the winner, Reigns regained the ula fala, which was personally put back around his neck by a Samoan high chief and pillar of the Samoan dynasty, the Rock.
Reigns is back on top…so now what? There are a lot of questions about what is going to be next for both men. In this article, we’ll look to answer some potential paths that could be taken for Reigns and the OG Bloodline going forward.
Reigns is Still a Top Target for Sikoa’s Bloodline
Even though Reigns claimed the title of tribal chief, it’s clear that the story between him and the new Bloodline is far from over. While Sikoa may have lost the battle, he’s likely not lost the war. At least, not yet. As of now, Sikoa still likely has loyal foot soldiers by his side, one of whom may sense his claim to the ula fala sometime soon. But for now, it seems that Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, and Jacob Fatu will be more motivated than ever to support their guy. Perhaps out of loyalty or perhaps out of pride or revenge. Either way, the new Bloodline still has something to fight for. It’s hard to see Sikoa’s guys betraying him just yet but the same can’t necessarily be said for Reigns’ Bloodline, which can perhaps be described as a tentative alliance at best.
In professional wrestling, you have to watch your back at all times, and right now, there is a target firmly planted on Reigns’ back and therefore, the backs of those who align themselves with him, namely the Usos and Sami Zayn. All three of those men certainly have history with Reigns, much of it not so great. That said, all three have stood by Reigns of late, no matter their reasons, and helped him regain something so precious to him. At this point, it would all be nothing if they left his side and allowed Sikoa and his numbers to once again take the upper hand. Seeing Reigns fall to Sikoa and his Bloodline again would be painful, so helping him is the best way to keep him on top and possibly themselves safe from the New Bloodline as well.
…But, Reigns Hasn’t Changed his Behavior Since Coming Back
It’s easy to stand by an ally, a friend, or a family member under the best of circumstances but this is far from the best of circumstances. Not only does standing by Reigns come with its challenges from Reigns’ opponents but also Reigns himself. One of the popular talking points since Reigns’ return has been his behavior, namely that it hasn’t changed. It seemed like he would be humbled after his loss at WrestleMania, but that hasn’t been the case. Reigns hasn’t apologized to the OG Bloodline for his behavior or defended them while they were being attacked. They had each other, but Reigns was nowhere to be found. The sentiment was even spoken out loud by Seth Rollins as he Seth Rollins as he confronted Zayn weeks ago on Raw. Rollins was wondering why he and the Usos continually return to Reigns’ side given Reigns has shown no remorse for his actions. Every person, even Paul Heyman, came back to him for reasons other than Reigns himself. Now that he has the ula fala, it would be understandable for them to walk away. They did their job maintaining a tentative alliance, but that job is now done so really, would anyone blame them from walking away given all Reigns has put them through?
Will the Bloodline Acknowledge the Tribal Chief?
What happens next with the OG Bloodline will certainly be interesting. Reigns is the rightful tribal chief, but will the Usos and Zayn still be loyal to him? They’ve helped him get to this point, but the suffering he put them through as tribal chief cannot be ignored. There’s a reason why they all left the Bloodline at various points, and they all have to do with him. Seeing Reigns wearing the ula fala could give them flashbacks of their lowest points over the last couple of years. However, the win could also mark a clean slate for everyone and perhaps the debut of a more magnanimous tribal chief. What happened in the past could stay there as they continue to fight for a common cause against Sikoa’s Bloodline, even if it is just an enemy of my enemy kind of situation. Working together for the greater good could defeat them once and for all. But the events of the past couple of years make their reactions unpredictable, which will certainly add more layers to the story of the Bloodline. Quite frankly, what happens next could all lie in Reigns’ hands and how he decides to treat the men that helped return him to his rightful place at the head of the table.
Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on the evolving Roman Reigns Bloodline story and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world.
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