WWE changed its plans for Cody Rhodes to defeat Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Title in the main event of WrestleMania 39 – night 2 last year. Instead, they had “The Tribal Chief” retain the title.
Prior to the event, it was widely believed that Reigns would lose the title to Rhodes and take a break. This was during the period when Vince McMahon began implementing changes to the creative direction, particularly for the post-Mania episode of RAW. Despite this, McMahon was still involved in WrestleMania, even though Paul “Triple H” Levesque was in charge of main roster creative.
According to the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer stated that it was rumored both McMahon and Levesque supported Rhodes’ return at the Royal Rumble following his pec surgery and his subsequent title victory.
Meltzer wrote, “A lot happened behind the scenes, with the key points being argued and eventually agreed by all parties it would be stronger a year later. It was also argued that keeping Reigns as champion would open up a key storyline to make Jey Uso into a major singles star and merchandise draw as a babyface. While Vince did make the call, Levesque was on board with the call and there were no significant issues with the decision. It was said that it was absolutely not Vince overruling Levesque and forcing the decision.”
In a surprising turn of events, WWE changed its plans for WrestleMania 39’s main event, where Cody Rhodes was originally slated to defeat Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Title. However, the company decided to have Reigns retain the title instead, altering the course of the event and leaving fans speculating about the reasons behind this decision.
Before WrestleMania 39, it was widely believed that Reigns would lose the title to Rhodes and take a break from the wrestling scene. This period coincided with Vince McMahon implementing changes to the creative direction, particularly for the post-Mania episode of RAW. Despite McMahon’s involvement in WrestleMania, it was Paul “Triple H” Levesque who was in charge of main roster creative at the time.
According to Dave Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter, rumors circulated that both McMahon and Levesque supported Rhodes’ return at the Royal Rumble following his pec surgery and subsequent title victory. This led to speculation about whether their support for Rhodes influenced the decision to have him win at WrestleMania 39.
Meltzer shed some light on the situation, stating that there were extensive discussions and arguments behind the scenes before all parties agreed that it would be better to delay Rhodes’ victory for a year. One of the key points in favor of this decision was the potential to create a compelling storyline involving Jey Uso, Reigns’ cousin, who could be transformed into a major singles star and a popular merchandise draw as a babyface.
While McMahon ultimately made the call to keep Reigns as champion, it is important to note that Levesque was on board with this decision. There were no significant issues or conflicts between them regarding this choice. Meltzer emphasized that it was not a case of Vince overruling Levesque and forcing his decision upon him.
The decision to have Reigns retain the title at WrestleMania 39 undoubtedly had a significant impact on the event and the subsequent storylines. It allowed for the development of Reigns’ character as “The Tribal Chief” and the rise of Jey Uso as a prominent singles competitor. Additionally, delaying Rhodes’ victory created anticipation and excitement for a potential future clash between him and Reigns.
While fans may have been surprised by the change in plans, it is clear that WWE’s creative team carefully considered the long-term implications and storytelling opportunities before making their decision. As with any form of entertainment, unexpected twists and turns are part of what keeps fans engaged and eagerly awaiting future events.