Roman Reigns has been a dominant force in the WWE since the modern era began. Being part of the legendary Anoa’i family, Reigns has had a steady start in the world of professional wrestling, followed by a dominant run in the company as the leader of The Shield.
The former Universal Champion never looked back from that point onwards, elevating his status as the Tribal Chief and becoming the face of the company from the mid-2010s onwards. Despite lazy writing for Roman Reigns, he is still a prominent WWE superstar.
While he is appreciated for the kind of performer he has been inside the ring, several WWE superstars have not liked the way he has progressed during his career in the company.
In light of his upcoming high-stakes clash at Survivor Series: WarGames, here are 6 WWE stars who do not like Roman Reigns.
6. Randy Orton
Credit: WWE
Credit: WWE
Credit: WWE
Credit: WWE
Randy Orton and Roman Reigns had several heated clashes as part of WWE programming, but these issues between them inside the ring extended into the locker room as well. In many ways, Reigns and Orton represented contrasting ideologies in the company. Reigns, still relatively a rookie, wanted to become the top superstar while Orton was already an established performer and close to the authority.
The backstage heat between them boiled to a point that many in the locker room were upset at the manner in which Orton was competing against Reigns inside the ring. Sources close to WWE at the time, as reported by WrestleZone, revealed that several of the wrestlers in WWE were worried that Orton might be slowing down Roman’s progress to the top.
Interestingly, a new babyface star was needed at the top during that time since John Cena couldn’t be expected to carry the entire load, and Daniel Bryan’s future was uncertain due to his nerve damage and possible need for a second surgery.
5. Matt Riddle
Matt Riddle involved in a storyline feud with OG Bloodline. (Image Credit: WWE)
If there is an outsider inside the ring who had an iconic feud with Roman Reigns, the name of Matt Riddle comes to mind. It started in 2021 when, during an interview with TMZ’s Inside the Ring podcast, Riddle claimed that he could beat Roman Reigns in a real fight.
The statement from Riddle was immediately taken up by the OTC himself, who replied with a short but pointed text implying that his remarks weren’t cool. Although Riddle tried to come up with an apology and mend the initial heated encounter between him and Reigns, the OTC might have taken a grudge from his remarks for a sustained period of time.
4. Enzo Amore
Enzo Amore addressing the WWE universe. (Image Credit: WWE)
The former Cruiserweight Champion, Enzo Amore, remains one of the most vocal superstars fans have witnessed in the modern era. Inside the squared circle, Amore was remarkable on the microphone, but it seems like the attitude did not tone down in the locker room. While fans wonder why WWE fired him, his attitude outside the ring, his feud with Roman Reigns, could be one of the reasons why he is no longer a WWE superstar.
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t The Sportster) reported that Reigns kicked Amore off a tour bus in 2017 because of his remarks during a promo segment on WWE programming.
The same report also stated that, following the incident, Amore was given the ‘Miz treatment’, a term which implies that he was not allowed to change in the locker room, coming from an incident where The Miz was kicked out of the locker room for six months because he ate a piece of chicken over someone’s bag.
Amore, however, denied the claims made in the report. During an interview on the WWE network, the former Cruiserweight Champion shared:
If that’s the case, you wouldn’t have seen me on the next show, correct? I have to get from point A to point B, and they have to provide those accommodations because we work for a Fortune 500 company, so it’s impossible to kick me off a bus.
Amore, however, did not deny receiving the Miz treatment in the locker room. Considering that Reigns was the leader of the locker room back then, it is evident that there is bad blood between them.
3. Kevin Owens
Kevin Owens addressing the WWE universe. (Image Credit: WWE)
Kevin Owens had a long and arduous storyline feud with Roman Reigns. While they had been involved in a feud since 2015, it was in 2020 that the animosity between them turned personal. During the TLC 2020 last man standing match between them, a defiant Owens tried his best to outperform the OTC, but a win for Reigns was imminent, with the Bloodline on his side.
Consequently, it was the frustration of that defeat and several other setbacks after that, which resulted in the former Universal Champion pointing out the unfair advantage the WWE creative heads gave Roman Reigns while portraying him as a dominant performer inside the ring.
In a 2025 interview on Cody Rhodes’ podcast ‘What Do You Wanna Talk About?’, Owens revealed that WWE rejected storyline pitches he made during his feud with Roman Reigns in the Thunderdome era. Owens explained that he wanted a more definitive payoff to their rivalry, but creative kept Reigns dominant, and his ideas were “denied.”
While Owens is currently out of WWE programming due to a neck injury, the Canadian superstar is evidently one of the most competitive rivals of the Tribal Chief.
2. Brock Lesnar
Brock Lesnar making an entrance during a match against Roman Reigns. (Image Credit: WWE)
The tension between Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar has been primarily driven by WWE politics and creative decisions rather than personal animosity. When Lesnar had recently re-signed at WrestleMania 31 in 2015, uncertainty surrounded their rivalry. Discussions about who should win, Lesnar or Reigns, were finally settled by Seth Rollins’ cash-in.
The most notorious incident occurred at WrestleMania 34 in 2018, when Lesnar defeated Reigns in a brutal fight. According to reports, he was so upset about how the fight was received that he threw the Universal Championship at Vince McMahon backstage, which led to Reigns being involved in the fallout.
Lesnar’s contract power as a part-time star and Reigns’ position as WWE’s preferred full-time face have dominated much of their backstage dynamic, with creative frequently maintaining Reigns’ dominance to solidify his “Tribal Chief” era.
1. CM Punk
CM Punk as a WWE superstar. (Image Credit: WWE)
The backstage conflict between CM Punk and Roman Reigns is a result of both creative politics and WWE’s promotion of Reigns as its star. In a 2014 Art of Wrestling podcast with Colt Cabana, Punk stated that he supported Reigns’ inclusion but later became irritated when management started preparing him for the limelight, frequently at Punk’s expense.
Punk was Heyman’s “guy” from 2012 to 2013, and Reigns later became Heyman’s Tribal Chief ally, creating a sense of replacement for Punk and increasing tension as a result. While Reigns represented the company’s long-term goals, Punk has publicly criticised WWE for scheduling him against younger stars like Reigns to undermine his credibility.
What are your thoughts on the backstage tensions between Roman Reigns and these WWE superstars? Share with us in the comments below.
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