Tonight’s episode of WWE SmackDown kicked off with the return of Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns. Reigns has been absent from WWE TV since his last successful title defense at Crown Jewel, where he defeated LA Knight. In the time he has been away from TV, Solo Sikoa, Jimmy Uso, and Paul Heyman have continued on with The Bloodline’s business on SmackDown. Once in the ring, Reigns decided it was time to name his successor to take over as Tribal Chief once he decided to hang up the boots. As Uso readied himself to be crowned, Reigns told the crowd that Sikoa was getting the honor.
Moments later, Randy Orton’s music hit, and The Viper made his way to the ring. After a brief address, Orton told Reigns he was in his crosshairs and officially challenged him to a match for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. Reigns responded by deriding Orton for being away from the ring for eighteen months and requested he go to the back of the line of challengers. He also warned that if Orton gets in the ring with him, he may be put out of action for over eighteen months.
Orton acknowledged that Reigns has become a legend but shot back his warning that he is a legend killer. This was when he attempted to hit an RKO, but Reigns slid out of the way at the last moment. The voices in Orton’s head, per the man himself, told him that Tribal Chief “may have crapped his pants.”