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Absent WWE Star Refuses To Acknowledge Roman Reigns

By Sridhar Krishnan • Published Jun 20, 2026 11:55 EDT
Roman Reigns WWE
Roman Reigns on WWE RAW - Source: Twitter/@WWE

For Roman Reigns, “acknowledgement” (or Acknowledge Me) is not simply a catchphrase in WWE.

As the self-proclaimed leader of the Anoa’i family and the ‘Tribal Chief’ of The Bloodline, acknowledgement, for him, is a demand for respect and submission.

For more than 5 years, Reigns has portrayed the gimmick as the Head of the Table, overseeing every move of his family members, including The Usos, Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, and even The Rock, to name a few.

However, there are members on the WWE roster who are defiant and not necessarily fans of Reigns’ authoritarian attitude, one of whom is The Vision’s Bronson Reed.

While Reigns wrestled in only 7 matches in 2025, 3 of those included Reed, 2 of which were in singles competition.

The OTC and the Auszilla first squared off at Clash in Paris, where Reigns won. However, after the match, Reed imposed a severe beatdown, resulting in Reigns getting stretchered off the arena.

They faced each other again at Crown Jewel, this time in Reed’s backyard of Australia, in an Australian Street Fight. Following The Usos’ interference and miscommunication, the Tribal Chief lost.

In 2026, Roman Reigns has been far more active on television than last year, but Reed is currently on the shelf due to an injury.

Sports fans have also been following the ongoing FIFA World Cup, where Australia recently suffered a defeat at the hands of the United States.

While his country trailed by a single goal, Reed took to X to express his frustration, hoping that if it was to end in a loss, it would be better by a one-goal margin.

After the 2-0 loss, a fan responded to his post and took a swipe at him by stating that now he should acknowledge WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns.

Reed’s single-word response highlighted his defiance as he nears his in-ring comeback.

Mystery Surrounds Roman Reigns’ WWE Night Of Champions Appearance

Despite being the WWE World Heavyweight Champion, Roman Reigns is not advertised for Night of Champions in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on June 27.

With only one Raw taping in between, fans will be glued to their screens to find out whether or not the OTC gets on the last-minute plane to the Kingdom.

Even the promotional posters have omitted Reigns, maintaining a mystery around his appearance. Likewise, Rhea Ripley is expected to miss the event due to her recent injury. She was replaced by Tiffany Stratton on the official poster recently.

Other matches on the Night of Champions card are as follows:

  • Jey Uso vs. Oba Femi – King of the Ring tournament final
  • IYO SKY vs. Liv Moran – Queen of the Ring tournament final
  • Trick Williams (c) vs. Ricky Saints – United States Championship match
  • Seth Rollins vs. Bron Breakker – Steel Cage match
  • Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Jade Cargill – Women’s United States Championship match
  • Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Sami Zayn vs. Gunther – Undisputed Championship match

The winner of the King of the Ring tournament will secure a world championship match at WWE SummerSlam.

Roman Reigns will most likely defend his championship at the biggest party of the summer, although Jey Uso has currently stated that he would challenge Cody Rhodes if he wins KOTR.