• WWE’s New Nickname For Roman Reigns Revealed
Behind the scenes, WWE has started laying the groundwork for Roman Reigns’ highly anticipated comeback. WrestleVotes previously reported that new merchandise and marketing materials are already in development, signaling that the company is getting serious about bringing The OTC back into the spotlight. WWE is also exploring variations of the “Tribal Chief” moniker, hinting at a possible refresh or evolution of his character when he resurfaces.
In a new update from WrestleVotes, the main plan is to introduce Roman Reigns as “Tribal Chief One” or “OTC1” when he comes back to television. Roman will return to WWE TV before SummerSlam 2025 and will set up a match for the biggest event of the summer. Since this will be the first two-night SummerSlam in history, WWE wants all of their active top stars to be a part of this event.
Word going on is that Roman could return at Saturday Night’s Main Event on July 12, since Seth Rollins will also be a part of this event (he’s scheduled to face LA Knight). Rollins, along with Bron Breakker, took out Reigns on RAW after WrestleMania 41. Roman recently celebrated the birth of his 6th child.
• Not All WWE Women Wanted Evolution 2, Felt Set Up For Failure
On Fightful’s The Hump podcast, Sean Ross Sapp discussed the controversial scheduling of WWE’s Evolution 2, an all-women’s premium live event set to take place this Sunday, on the same weekend as AEW’s All In: Texas, NXT’s Great American Bash, and a high-profile Beyoncé concert. The decision to stack these events in close proximity has sparked significant backlash from both fans and WWE talent, with several female wrestlers reportedly feeling that the company has set them up for failure.
According to Sapp, WWE’s decision to schedule Evolution 2 on Sunday has created logistical and promotional challenges. The event, which marks the return of WWE’s all-women’s show after its inaugural event in 2018, was initially planned for the previous weekend but was moved to align with this packed schedule. Sapp noted that only 5,000 tickets had been distributed for Evolution 2, a modest number considering the event was “thrown together very quickly” and lacks the star-studded announcements fans expected.
“When the announcement of this show happened, I had a number of talent that were like, ‘Feels like we’re set up.’ Like, we didn’t know about it until a month before. It’s across the street from Beyoncé on MLB All-Star weekend during AEW All In weekend on the fourth show in town of the weekend,” Sapp said. “It’s baffling to me. And there’s a whole lot of people in the company that felt like it was a ‘here, damn, here you go, finally’ type of thing.”
This sentiment shows a broader frustration among some WWE women’s talent, who feel the event’s timing and lack of preparation undermine its potential success. The proximity to Beyoncé’s concert, in particular, was seen as a logistical nightmare, with Sapp questioning, “What does it matter when you’re battling traffic against Beyoncé? Gee, I don’t know, man.”
While WWE’s creative direction has improved significantly since Vince McMahon’s departure, Sapp noted that the handling of Evolution 2 has reignited concerns among talent. Some wrestlers expressed frustration over the lack of buildup and the rushed nature of the event’s announcement.
“Not all the women wanted an Evolution show,” Sapp revealed. “There certainly are some of them, but listen, there are some women high up on the card that’s like, before they added a last women’s match to… I can’t remember if it was Saudi or Saturday Night’s Main Event, but one of them said to me, ‘Oh, do you think they’ll have all the men come out and do a curtain call at the end of this all-men’s event they’re going to do like they had us do?’”
The lack of a cohesive title program for stars like IYO SKY, who has not had a significant title defense since WrestleMania 41, and the haphazard booking of the women’s tag team title tournament further fueled these frustrations.
“They had a team qualify on Friday for the tag team title tournament or tag team title match, then put a team that lost on NXT in it, and then they put a team that just reformed in it,” Sapp explained. “They didn’t even say it. Like, if they had explained it maybe, but they didn’t.”
Below is the match-card for WWE Evolution 2:
– Women’s World Championship: IYO SKY (c) vs. Rhea Ripley
– WWE Women’s Championship: Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Trish Stratus
– Women’s Intercontinental Championship: Becky Lynch (c) vs. Bayley vs. Lyra Valkyria
– NXT Women’s Championship: Jacy Jayne (c) vs. Jordynne Grace
– Fatal 4-Way Match For The WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship: Raquel Rodriguez & Roxanne Perez (c) vs. Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss vs. Kabuki Warriors (Asuka & Kairi Sane) vs. NXT Women’s North American Champion Sol Ruca & Zaria
– #1 Contender’s Battle Royal (winner earns a title match at Clash In Paris): Nikki Bella vs. Stephanie Vaquer vs. Nia Jax vs. Natalya vs. Maxxine Dupri vs. Ivy Nile vs. Kelani Jordan vs. Jaida Parker vs. Lola Vice vs. Lash Legend vs. Izzi Dame vs. Tatum Paxley vs. Zelina Vega vs. Women’s U.S. Champion Giulia vs. Candice LeRae
– No Holds Barred: Queen of the Ring Jade Cargill vs. Ms. Money in the Bank Naomi
Also Read: Why Victoria Won’t Appear At WWE Evolution 2
