Best Options to Replace Roman Reigns in WrestleMania 36 Title Match vs. Goldberg

As WWE continues to deal with all of the changes being brought about by the ongoing coronavirus epidemic, the company may have just lost one of its top stars for the foreseeable future.

According to Ryan Satin of Pro Wrestling Sheet, Roman Reigns has pulled out of his upcoming universal title match against Goldberg at WrestleMania 36 on April 4 and 5 due to being immunocompromised following his treatment for leukemia in 2018.

It is wise for The Big Dog to consider his health above all else at a time like this, and WWE just has to figure out how to replace him with less than two weeks before the biggest pay-per-view of the year. 

With Goldberg holding the Universal Championship, canceling the match seems unlikely. Management has to decide if it wants to feed him an easy target or pick someone who will bring the belt back to SmackDown.

Let's look at the best option to replace Reigns in his match against Goldberg for both scenarios. 

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With WWE making changes to the WrestleMania card with each passing day, it's possible one bout might be sacrificed in order to service a bigger match. 

Baron Corbin is currently scheduled to face Elias, but that is not a feud WWE is relying on to bring in viewers and it hasn't been building for months.

Their showdown can easily happen on a random episode of SmackDown. Having a WWE title match is more important, and The Lone Wolf is the perfect choice if the company wants to hand Goldberg an easy victory.

Corbin is just successful enough to think he deserves a title shot, and he gets enough heat to make Goldberg the popular choice to win.

This might not be the WrestleMania match we want but it would serve its purpose. 

Sheamus spent so much time with Cesaro as a tag team that people often forget how many individual accomplishments he has to his name.

He is a former WWE champion, three-time world heavyweight champ, two-time U.S. titleholder and he has won Money in the Bank, the Royal Rumble and King of the Ring.

If the company wants to put someone in the ring with Goldberg who can realistically beat him for the title, The Celtic Warrior is a great pick.

His return storyline with Chad Gable and Apollo Crews has been a total bust and this could be how WWE gets him back into the main event scene.

If the plan was for Goldberg to drop the belt to Reigns, Sheamus is a worthy replacement. 

Dolph Ziggler has been bringing up Goldberg's name randomly ever since he lost to the universal champion at SummerSlam.

The Showoff obviously wants revenge and since WWE has not put him into a match with Otis yet, he is still free to challenge the veteran.

This would probably turn out the same way as their last encounter, with Ziggler getting in a bit more offense before being speared and jackhammered into defeat.

The Showoff would be another one of those easy opponents WWE could book to lose so Reigns can still challenge Goldberg at a later date. 

Samoa Joe's 30-day suspension is over and he is free to return to the ring. At a time like this, roster lines do not matter. WWE can shift people around as it sees fit, especially if it finds itself shorthanded.

Let's say Goldberg appears on SmackDown to address the situation with Reigns. He says something like "The show must go on, so who's next?"

Samoa Joe's music hits and he marches to the ring, stares the champion in the eyes and says "I am" before dropping the mic and walking away. 

It's that simple. WWE gets a new title bout, Joe gets the huge push he has deserved for so long, and fans get a match they will be excited to see.

If there is anyone on the roster who is long overdue for a main event push, it's The Samoan Submission Machine. 

Another Superstar who currently finds himself without a spot on the WrestleMania card is Robert Roode. If WWE puts Ziggler into a match with Otis, it would free up his partner to get a title shot.

Roode is not being pushed in a way that would suggest WWE would consider putting SmackDown's top title on him right now, so this would be another easy hurdle for Goldberg to clear.

The good thing about The Glorious One is his level of technical ability. He is a great hand who can have a good match with just about anyone.

Roode can make Goldberg look good so he maintains his momentum heading into his next title defense, whenever that comes. 

If there is anyone who should want a universal title match against Goldberg from a storyline standpoint, it's Kevin Owens.

He lost the title to the 53-year old Superstar at Fastlane 2018. The next night on Raw, he immediately seemed to forget about the belt and continued his feud with Chris Jericho.

KO never received a rematch, so if there was ever a time to have their paths cross again, this is it. He is already set to face Seth Rollins at WrestleMania but with the PPV now taking place across two nights, WWE can film both of his matches ahead of time.

Owens can have his bout with Rollins on Night 1 before challenging Goldberg for the Universal Championship the following night. Management could even declare KO vs. Rollins to be a No. 1 Contender's match so it makes more sense.

The Prizefighter is a member of the Raw roster but just like with Corbin, that doesn't matter. WWE moves people around whenever it wants anyway. Why should now be any different?

WWE still has plenty of options for potential opponents for Goldberg. Roode, Ziggler and Corbin would be great for putting him over, and Joe, Sheamus and Owens would be the best options to win the title form him.

Reigns will be waiting for whoever emerges from WrestleMania with the belt.