Wrestling fans divided over criticism of Roman Reigns' status in WWE

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TORINO DI SANGRO, ITALY - MAY 31: Roman Reigns celebrates his win during Clash in Italy at Inalpi Arena on May 31, 2026 in Torino di Sangro, Italy. (Photo by Andrew Timms/WWE via Getty Images) | WWE via Getty Images Earlier today, I wrote about podcaster Conrad Thompson’s brutal critique of Roman Reigns following Reigns’ match with Seth Rollins at SummerSlam. This latest criticism seems to be part of a growing trend, and I don’t understand why. This year, Reigns has been more active than he typically is at this point in the calendar. Three of his five matches have received widespread praise. In September, he has another world title defense set for Raw against a yet-to-be-determined luchador. But Thompson is already clearly over it, as he questioned Reigns’ popularity: “I just don’t know that there are any really, truly fanatical Roman Reigns fans. Like, if they booked Roman the way they do Punk or the way they do Cody or the way they do anybody. I just feel like we’ve been conditioned to believe he’s the top guy, but there’s no real reason. “I don’t know that anybody could say, ‘Here’s my favorite Roman Reigns match.’ When people talk about their favorite match ever, how many people list a Roman Reigns match? How many people list their favorite promo ever as a Roman Reigns promo?” Reigns’ matches might not be Thompson’s cup of tea, but plenty of people were quick to compliment WWE’s World Heavyweight Champion for his work at SummerSlam. Additionally, Reigns continues to receive some of the biggest, if not the biggest, reactions from fans every time he’s on TV, which may explain why he’s headlined every premium live event he’s appeared on this year. Admittedly, if there is something to criticize, it’s the direction of his character. On one hand, Reigns is winning matches on his own, mostly fair and square. On the other, he’s still a cocky bastard, barking orders at his cousins in The Bloodline while tearing into them when they fall short. That said, as someone who’s watched Reigns perform during his Tribal Chief era, I see his current storyline the same way I see his matches: a slow-burn that ultimately satisfies — which brings me to this quote from Reigns after defeating Rhodes at WrestleMania 39. Said Reigns: “We’re out here making filet mignon. This ain’t McDonald’s, this isn’t Burger King. It’s not fast food. We’re giving you the good stuff.” Thompson noted that WWE appears to be building toward a match between Reigns and Oba Femi at WrestleMania 43, a match I also predicted just before this year’s Mania. As I touched on with our readers, I believe Reigns’ current story will ultimately serve the grand purpose of making Oba WWE’s next big star. And there are two ways WWE can get there. The first is to continue having Reigns win straight, cementing him as a dominant force. Beating that version of Reigns should elevate Oba to the next level. The other possibility is that Reigns’ talk about winning on his own is just bluster. When the pressure mounts, he’ll call on his family to bail him out, which means helping him beat “The Ruler.” If that happens, Reigns would likely become WWE’s top heel again. It would also force Oba to start over, just as Rhodes did after losing to Reigns in 2023 before conquering him at WrestleMania XL in 2024 and becoming an even bigger star. As it did for Rhodes, a victory over an evil, cutthroat Reigns could help Oba smash through the glass ceiling that Thompson also bemoaned. Either path, though, requires patience. But maybe that’s too much to ask of someone who wants the quick fix that only an empty meal like McDonald’s can provide, or whose palate doesn’t extend beyond Burger King. Roll Tide.

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DES MOINES, IOWA - AUGUST 03: Roman Reigns looks on during Monday Night RAW at Casey's Center on August 3, 2026 in Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo by Kevin Sebatis/WWE via Getty Images) | WWE via Getty Images Roman Reigns is at the center of criticism following his SummerSlam main event against Seth Rollins. In a clip from 83 Weeks, WWE Hall of Famer Eric Bischoff said he thought the match was good, but added that it didn’t do much for him. Rather than further a critique of the match, Conrad Thompson, his co-host, replied with what he called a hot take he knew would upset people. “I think Roman Reigns is probably the most overrated main eventer in WWE history,” Thompson said. He continued, calling Reigns an industry plant — a term in the music business used to describe someone whose success is perceived as being manufactured and backed by influential connections, such as family ties to the industry. Despite Reigns’ placement as a top guy in the company, Thompson believes WWE’s fortunes wouldn’t change if the second-generation were to suddenly go away. Conrad Thompson just nuked the Tribal Chief narrative. He claims Roman Reigns is arguably the most OVERRATED main eventer in WWE history. Conrad went as far as calling him an industry plant, suggesting that if Roman disappeared tomorrow, WWE's fortune would not change at all. He… pic.twitter.com/gJugr9OkBu — RingsideFeed (@RingsideFeed) August 3, 2026 When it comes to doing public relations, Thompson accused Reigns of not putting in the same work as Cody Rhodes or John Cena, despite Reigns having done so years earlier. “He just flies in, takes 12 minutes to get to the ring, wrestles kind of the same match, does it really really slow, gets his hand raised, and he moves on,” Thompson said. “He’s Goldberg if Goldberg worked more than 10 minutes.” Thompson also compared Reigns’ current Bloodline storyline to the nWo in its later years, a period many, including Bischoff, who led the faction during its peak, believe dragged on far too long. “If they [WWE’s creative team] keep doing what I did, which is riding it till it dies, essentially, people will reflect back on The Bloodline storyline and have a less favorable opinion of it,” said Bischoff, who called the group’s initial run one of the best stories ever told in wrestling. Bischoff was more optimistic than Thompson, adding that if WWE “can come up with a compelling story that makes it feel new, I’m in.” Thompson’s criticism comes on the heels of similar critiques following Reigns’ performance against Jacob Fatu at Clash In Italy. After losing to Reigns, Fatu was forced to join his cousin in The Bloodline and serve Reigns under the pre-match stipulation. In his critique of the match, former ESPN writer Andreas Hale opined, “The Bloodline was one of the best-executed stories in WWE history, but running back a rehash of it might not be a great idea.” Jim Cornette was also critical of the Samoan family saga, saying on his podcast, “The Bloodline was the thing you slowed down for. There’s more exciting shit going on now.” On-screen, though, Reigns continues to receive positive reactions from fans. He also remains active in the ring, a vow he made to fans after winning the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 42. On Wednesday, WWE announced that Reigns will defend his title on Raw in Mexico City on Sept. 14 against the winner of an upcoming tournament featuring luchaodores from Raw, SmackDown, and AAA. A fresh matchup against a seemingly unlikely opponent might give WWE an opportunity to address the concerns some critics have raised about Reigns’ recent direction.

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When it comes to the current WWE product, there are very few stars who are ahead of Roman Reigns in the eyes of the company and maybe even the fans. CM Punk, Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins are all certified main eventers, but nobody has been positioned as strongly as Roman has for some time.