Backstage Update: WWE's Plans For Roman Reigns Heading into Survivor Series: WarGames 2025
Roman Reigns may be preparing for his high stakes Australian Street Fight with Bronson Reed at WWE Crown Jewel: Perth, but the long-term roadmap for The Tribal Chief has now come into focus — and it’s a major shift from what many expected.
According to a new report from Wrestling Observer Radio’s Dave Meltzer, Reigns will not face Seth Rollins in a singles match this fall as rumored. Instead, he’s slated to compete inside WarGames at WWE Survivor Series on *November 29, 2025, in San Diego, California.
“There’s no Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins match before, at the earliest, January,” Meltzer said. “And I doubt January because they’ll both be in the Royal Rumble. I think it’s probably WrestleMania, just as a guess. He’s definitely doing the San Diego show, but not in a singles match — he’s in the WarGames… unless they change.”
That timeline pushes the long-awaited Reigns vs. Rollins clash likely to WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas, where WWE may finally pull the trigger on the long-teased “Shield-era” collision under the brightest lights possible.
But it raises a bigger question — can WWE really stretch out another Roman Reigns world title run amid the noticeable dip in WWE Raw viewership on Netflix? In the unpredictable Triple H–TKO era, plans can change overnight. Just look at how the ESPN Premium Live Event deal suddenly shifted — what was originally planned for 2026 became Wrestlepalooza on September 20, 2025, proving that nothing in WWE’s calendar is set in stone.
The Road to WarGames
Reigns last appeared in the ring at Clash in Paris, defeating Bronson Reed before being brutally attacked by The Vision and written off TV to film his role in the Street Fighter movie. His upcoming Crown Jewel rematch marks his official in-ring return — and possibly the storyline foundation for his involvement in WarGames.
WWE officials reportedly see the November premium live event as a key point in reigniting The Bloodline saga, though the exact team alignments remain closely guarded. What’s clear, however, is that the company plans to lean heavily on Reigns’ star power heading into the winter stretch as television ratings have shown signs of fatigue across both Raw and SmackDown.
Wrestling.news | Backstage Take
Roman Reigns stepping into WarGames is both a strategic move and a statement. After months away from the spotlight, WWE’s biggest box office attraction re-entering the fold inside one of its most chaotic match types sets the stage for a massive winter storyline.
While many fans hoped for the long-teased singles war with Seth Rollins, holding that encounter for WrestleMania 42 could be the right call. Reigns in WarGames gives WWE flexibility to reheat The Bloodline, build new tension within his ranks, or introduce a new rival before the Rumble.
The Tribal Chief in a cage? That’s not just must-see — that’s main-event insurance.
