Reigns segment set for SmackDown, WWE to decide first challenger
A segment with new Universal Champion Roman Reigns is set for this Friday’s episode of SmackDown.
WWE has announced that Reigns “will address the WWE Universe this Friday on SmackDown with Paul Heyman in tow.” WWE hyped that Reigns will talk about his Universal title win and his alliance with Heyman.
The alliance between Reigns and Heyman was revealed at the end of last week’s episode of SmackDown. There was a show-long storyline where Adam Pearce had to get Bray Wyatt, Braun Strowman, and Reigns to sign the contracts for their no holds barred triple threat match at Payback. Reigns told Pearce to fix the changes they need and he’d be at Payback on Sunday. Reigns said him winning the Universal Championship wasn’t a prediction — it’s a spoiler. It was then revealed that Heyman was sitting with Reigns. Heyman told Pearce to “Believe that.”
At Payback, the story was that Reigns didn’t sign the contract for the match until after it started. After The Fiend giving Strowman a superplex collapsed the ring, Reigns’ music hit and he came to the ring with Heyman. Reigns ended up pinning Strowman to win the Universal Championship.
The Fiend was Universal Champion going into Payback. He defeated Strowman to win the title at SummerSlam, but Reigns returned after the match and attacked both of them.
This week’s SmackDown will also feature a four-way match to decide Reigns’ challenger for Clash of Champions. Big E, Matt Riddle, Baron Corbin, and Sheamus will face off to determine Reigns’ challenger for the pay-per-view. Big E defeated Sheamus and Riddle defeated Corbin in singles matches at Payback.
Clash of Champions is taking place on Sunday, September 27.