The 6 WWE Stars Who Could Realistically Beat Roman Reigns in the Next Year

Roman Reigns did the unthinkable at WrestleMania 37. In a matchup where the odds were weighed against him and a title change was expected, he stacked up and pinned Edge and Daniel Bryan to remain universal champion.

The Head of the Table now looks truly unstoppable. If Edge and Bryan together could not defeat him, who can stop him? There is a real possibility he will carry the gold all the way to WrestleMania 38.

Many are asking who could face Reigns at the next Show of Shows. Will it be The Rock? John Cena? Brock Lesnar? However, there is a more pressing question to focus on when discussing The Head of the Table: Who can dethrone him before The Showcase of the Immortals?

There are a few clear names who have been established over the past few months that feel worthy of the honor. From the fresh challenge of Cesaro to the familiar threat of Drew McIntyre, these are six wrestlers who could knock down The Head of the Table.

The obvious answer is usually the correct one.

Roman Reigns is afraid of Daniel Bryan, and that has been established throughout their rivalry. While The Head of the Table has defeated The Yes! Man three times, all three include a heavy asterisks.

If Bryan can get Reigns to fight him one-on-one without Jey Uso or Paul Heyman in the way, he could well dethrone The Head of the Table. It would not be a surprise just as it wouldn't have been if Bryan had won the universal title at WrestleMania 37.

Reigns and Bryan have intense chemistry that led to their matches at Fastlane and WrestleMania being among the best of 2021 already. This is a contest that can be revisited, even if The Yes! Man must first overcome Edge.

The universal champion has a type. His worst rivals are not those who try to match his power or speed but those who challenge him in ways he cannot match.

He cannot keep up with the technical offense of Bryan, who has repeatedly wrestled him to the mat. He even made him tap out at Fastlane while the referee was knocked out. There is no better technician in the world today than The Yes! Man.

It would be a special moment to have Bryan get one last opportunity at the top. He has won almost every championship in WWE, but one last run before he moves into a part-time role would be a wonderful cherry on top of a legendary career.

At one point, Reigns vs. Edge was the main event of WrestleMania 37. While WWE pivoted, that doesn't mean the matchup isn't enticing.

The Rated-R Superstar has the worst odds at the moment of anyone on this list to dethrone The Head of the Table because he would have won at WrestleMania if it was going to happen. He is also playing the heel now, which makes a one-on-one clash less likely.

Moreover, the veteran has the least upside. It is fantastic to see The Rated-R Superstar back in a WWE ring, but he's already an 11-time world champion. He has nothing to gain from one more run. He's already done it all.

Still, it wouldn't be the first time WWE pivoted to a veteran that fans know. No one would question Edge standing at the peak of the mountain on SmackDown. He's been there so many times before.

This is merely down to what direction WWE officials want to take the blue brand. If Edge is the best fit for the guy to take the reins from Reigns, this is certain to happen soon.

Cesaro is the strongest wrestler in WWE. This has been proved time and time again. He's also got far more than just power in his arsenal and delivers every time in matches few can forget.

Thanks to a recent feud with Seth Rollins, he is finally building the momentum to face Reigns. In fact, he may have the most momentum of anyone in WWE right now.

The two men last faced each other on Raw in 2015, but both have evolved far beyond that time, though.

The Swiss Cyborg is a force in the ring unlike anything The Tribal Chief has faced during his reign to date. Pound for pound, he arguably outmatches Reigns in every category: endurance, speed and technical acumen.

That sets up a fascinating dynamic that WWE can utilize. While Cesaro will never be the charismatic star that Reigns is for WWE, there is a spark to this rivalry that could allow The Swiss Cyborg to finally capture a world championship.

While Big E has been signed with WWE for over a decade, he is still just 35 years old. He is the youngest star to appear on this list and the most unproven as a singles competitor. However, that also makes him the most exciting challenger to Roman Reigns.

No one can doubt the power of the former New Day man. At times, he carried his team through matches. He won the Intercontinental Championship with relative ease against Sami Zayn on Christmas Day only lost it thanks to a sneak attack from Commander Azeez to help Apollo Crews.

If he were to step away from his rivalry with Apollo Crews, no one would doubt he could fight Reigns. Most would just question if he could win.

It is time for WWE to commit to fresh talent and see how far they can go. Big E is immensely popular and can do anything the company needs from him. He has all the makings of a franchise star, and he has the talent and momentum to dethrone Reigns.

If WWE wants to put over someone young and fresh while taking the title off Reigns, Big E is one of the few stars who can truly carry that legacy forward on SmackDown. He is ready and waiting.

Bobby Lashley earned the WWE Championship after a long journey to the top. He has always been seen as a dominant force, but it took a long time for the company to see him as one of its peak performers.

After defeating Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 37, he set himself up for a long run with the belt. However, no title reign lasts forever. If The All Mighty was dethroned, one of the best ways to keep him in the title picture would be a move to SmackDown to challenge Reigns.

The WWE draft is the opportunity to freshen up the divisions of both brands, and this year should be no different. It is likely either Lashley or McIntyre will move to the blue brand in the next one, and they should quickly rise to the top of the ranks.

At the moment, Reigns and The All Mighty are both heels, but fans have shown an appreciation for Lashley. His run to gold was quite the opposite of Reigns' immediate push to the top of the company.

This is a great hook to set up a match between these two. They have fought before but not quite like this. Both are at their peak with far more momentum at their backs. The All Mighty might just be The Head of the Table's one weakness, matching him in speed, power and ferocity.

Drew McIntyre has become a household name over the past year. When he defeated Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 36, it began a new chapter in his journey that set up for a monumental battle at Survivor Series against Reigns.

At that time, it was the top star of Raw against the best of SmackDown, but it was also a test for The Scottish Warrior. Reigns argued that no matter what title he held, McIntyre would always be second best in the wake of his dominance.

In some ways, The Head of the Table has proved that to be correct. He defeated the Scot thanks to Jey Uso's assistance and has held the Universal Championship for almost 250 days, which is longer than McIntyre held the WWE title.

However, this still feels like an undecided debate. McIntyre has been dominant for so long that he has been built with the potential to dethrone Reigns at any time. This would require him to move to SmackDown during the 2021 WWE draft, although rosters can shuffle at any time.

No matter what, a rematch between Reigns and McIntyre would be a must-see contest. The Scottish Warrior may be out of the title picture for the moment, but he remains a star.