WWE is missing something in Roman Reigns’ push for all-time greatness

[Liz]

The Post's Joseph Staszewski will be bringing you around the world of professional wrestling every Tuesday in his weekly column, the Post Match Angle.

There is still a gaping hole to fill in Roman Reigns' résumé as he ascends into the realm of the all-time greats in pro wrestling history.

The Tribal Chief is still without a legendary rivalry, the contemporary that truly brings out the best in him and vice versa. There was "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and The Rock. Shawn Michaels with Bret Hart and the Undertaker. Ric Flair with Ricky Steamboat and Sting. Hulk Hogan has Andre The Giant and Roddy Piper. John Cena had Randy Orton, Edge and CM Punk. Roman Reigns?

You can make the case for Brock Lesnar, with whom he has main evented WrestleMania three times. But there are plenty of holes to poke into that theory. One, Seth Rollins' cash-in is all people remember from WrestleMania 31. Their second meeting at WrestleMania 34 was during an era where babyface Reigns was still getting rejected by the WWE audience. The most recent run will likely be remembered for the new farmer/cowboy version of babyface Lesnar and the match – billed as the biggest in WrestleMania history – not really living up for the hype. After that, Triple H, Braun Stroman and Bray Wyatt ,,, maybe John Cena?

There is still plenty of time to make this happen and plenty of candidates since Reigns is just 36 and in the prime of his career. Reigns – 600-plus-days as Universal champion and seven WrestleMania main events aside – needs to find that all-time rivalry and signature match for his career to connect on that special level few in the industry have reached.

Lucky for him there are three prime candidates currently on the WWE roster and one maybe waiting in the wings. Whoever the company eventually decides to take the belts from him will have the best chance, but nothing is guaranteed.

Rollins currently has a great chance to be the performer Reigns will be forever linked with. The two have the deepest backstory dating back to their time in The Shield and Reigns has never gotten the better of Rollins in the big moment. Their short program leading up to their match at this year's Royal Rumble was excellent theater. Rollins won by DQ after a heavily frustrated Reigns delivered a receipt for the chair shot Seth delivered to him to break up The Shield. No one eats at the soul of The Head of the Table more than Rollins. They just need more one-on-one interactions.

Drew McIntyre may be the next of WWE's big stars to get a crack at Reigns. The two will be part of the six-man tag at WrestleMania Backlash on Sunday. The Scotsman, because of his true babyface status and ability to thrive in the main event spot, certainly has a chance to turn into Reigns' all-time rival. The two already have the backstory of McIntyre coming ever so close to beating Reigns at the 2020 Survivor Series.

While he will be getting a late start, you have to include Cody Rhodes in that conversation. Rhodes was stuck in the mid-card while Reigns was being put in the main event spot the American Nightmare longed for. Rhodes left, went out to break all the and challenged many of the things WWE stood for on the independent scene (something Reigns never had to do) and AEW before triumphantly returning to declare himself the best wrestler in the world. What better way to prove that than to beat the guy who claims to be and is recognized by many as that, the guy who embodies everything WWE stands for that Rhodes rebelled against for so long?

It's going to take some time to get there with Rhodes, as it would someone like a Bron Brakker from NXT. He would put Reigns more in the role Lesnar and John Cena were for him. Reigns' run and some short programs have been mostly a joy so far. For his story to stay fresh and his legacy to truly reach the pantheon, WWE needs to find his all-time foil – his Rock, his Shawn Michaels, his Steamboat.

Anything less will leave this Reigns' run incomplete.