Does Roman Reigns’ Presence on ‘SmackDown Live’ Threaten Kofi Kingston’s WWE Title Run?

Roman Reigns is now the Big Dog of the blue brand. WWE’s top guy made his SmackDown Live debut on April 16, which was night two of the Superstar Shake-Up. Vince McMahon’s company evidently wanted the No.1 star sent to the program set to air on FOX this fall, so that’s exactly what happened. 

So now Roman is reigning atop SmackDown Live and many fans are asking the same question. What happens now? More importantly, what does this mean for Kofi Kingston and the WWE Championship?

Whatever buzz that exists over Roman’s move is perhaps still being happening, but eventually it will wear off. When it does, reality will set in and that reality is a reminder that Roman is not working in a bubble on SmackDown Live.

Reigns is surrounded by a locker room full of Superstars. He’s faced many of those Superstars in the past and he’s yet to face some others. But regardless of the situation he now finds himself in, the fact is that Roman Reigns must get back to work. 

But the problem is that from a distance, it’s not entirely clear who he will work with. The first Superstar that immediately jumps out from the rest is Randy Orton. Of course that’s mostly because he’s a clearly defined heel and would surely give Roman a top notch feud. Reigns needs a guy who is strong in the ring, on the mic and in terms of his character. The Viper checks all those boxes.

Watch Roman’s debut on SmackDown Live!

Daniel Bryan is another great option. He and Roman have some history together and many fans have never forgiven WWE for elevating Reigns past Daniel back in 2015. Those two facts combined may be enough to instantly get a new rivalry between them over as the top program on SmackDown Live.

Lars Sullivan could perhaps be the best overall choice to feud with Roman at some point. Lars is big, he’s intense and he’s extremely explosive. Best of all, he’s a remorseless heel with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. All of this makes him a legitimate threat to WWE’s top star.

But after that, the choices get a bit thin. Roman has already faced Elias. The same is true of Erick Rowan, as well as The Bar. Kevin Owens and Finn Bálor each have a history with Roman as well. But all three men are babyfaces, which means Roman is probably not working either one of them in a serious program. Fans know what happens when Roman faces someone perhaps more popular than he is and the results are not desirable for the company.

Roman has also feuded with Rusev and since there’s no title involved, WWE will probably not use them together again. The only credible heel left is Shinsuke Nakamura and considering how WWE has underutilized him as a main event star, it’s a safe bet that even if this rivalry happens, Nakamura will likely be right back where he was before after it’s over.

Watch The New Day in action on Smackdown Live!

This is the moment when Kofi Kingston’s fans get increasingly nervous. The main reason for that is the title that now sits around his waist. Kingston has 11 years in WWE and didn’t get a championship shot, much less a championship run. But Kofi worked hard, learned his craft and became one of the most dependable bell-to-bell performers in WWE. 

Fans supported him every step of the way and they always believed in him. Kingston put his time in and he earned the right to be called champion. But now he’s on the same program as the top guy. So is his title reign already in jeopardy?

The top star typically wears the top title. That’s not always the case of course and Roman certainly doesn’t need the strap in order to get over. But if he’s within 1000 feet of the gold, then he’s automatically a threat. Now that he’s on the same roster with Kingston, it’s just a matter of time until the two men cross paths.

In any other scenario, this would not be a problem. But Roman wants to be the best and that means being the world champion. No amount of camaraderie or fair-play between him and Kofi would make a difference. At the end of the day, it’s all about the WWE Championship. If Roman isn’t talking about it now, the fact is he will be soon enough.

Listen to Roman’s words after his debut!

But does that mean that Kingston’s days as WWE champion are already nearing an end? Common sense says the company will keep Roman away from the title, at least for now. Kingston has had no time to establish himself as the champ and he must certainly have more time with the gold.

However it’s almost impossible to believe that Roman will begin his life on Smackdown Live, completely oblivious to the championship that Kofi Kingston currently possesses. 

Eventually, Reigns will want that title. When that time comes, Kofi’s awe-inspiring run as WWE champion will be over. However until then, with any luck, Kofi will go on his way and begin a career defining WWE title run. But The Big Dog is right around the corner.

 

Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Wrestling Rumors. His podcast, Tom Clark’s Main Event, is available on iTunes,YouTube, iHeart Radio, boinkstudios.com and live every Friday at 12pm EST on Wrestling Rumors Facebook Live