How Roman Reigns’ frustration led to the creation of The Bloodline; WWE Hall of Famer details the faction’s inception

59-year-old WWE legend revealed behind-the-scenes story about the formation of The Bloodline and Roman Reigns' character.

How Roman Reigns’ frustration led to the creation of The Bloodline; WWE Hall of Famer details the faction’s inception

Roman Reigns and The Bloodline Saga (via WWE)

Roman Reigns made his shocking return to WWE at SummerSlam 2020, a moment that would forever change the landscape of sports entertainment. On that night, The Tribal Chief made his first appearance, marking the beginning of what would become WWE’s biggest storyline, The Bloodline saga. Recently, The Wiseman of The Tribal Chief, Paul Heyman, shared insights about the inception of The Bloodline in WWE.

Speaking with Screen Rant, Heyman revealed that Reigns was deeply frustrated with WWE’s creative direction at the time. He explained that the goal was to revitalize Reigns’ character by drawing from the roots of Samoan culture. During the COVID-19 pandemic, while both Heyman and Reigns were off television, they collaborated to craft the storyline and develop the persona of The Tribal Chief.

He was pretty fed up with the creative here, and he felt that his character had plateaued and he wanted to elevate not only his character, but the entire presentation of what we as performers do at WWE and how WWE presents its performers, and nothing that he was being pitched was to his liking.

Paul Heyman via Screen Rant
YouTube video

Moreover, The Wiseman revealed that the concept of The Bloodline was discussed nearly eight years ago, long before the faction debuted on WWE TV. However, at the time, Reigns was still in his ‘Big Dog’ era, struggling to connect with fans. Heyman, who was also involved in a successful partnership with Brock Lesnar, contributed to the delay in bringing the faction idea to fruition.

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From 2020 to 2024, The OTC led the powerful faction, The Bloodline, to dominate WWE. As the Undisputed WWE Champion for over 1,300 days, Reigns decimated everyone in his path before dropping the title. In 2024, following Reigns’ fall, the next generation of The Bloodline, led by Solo Sikoa, made their debut. The group is currently on a mission to assert its dominance on SmackDown.

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Roman Reigns could make his return next week on Raw for the first time after winning Ula Fala

Roman Reigns regained his Ula Fala on Raw’s Netflix debut after defeating Solo Sikoa in a Tribal Combat match. Following the victory, The Rock endorsed Reigns as the rightful Tribal Chief of their family. However, there has been no word on the whereabouts of The OTC since this historic moment. Speculation suggests that he may make his return to Raw next week.

Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman
Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman (via WWE)

After his victory on Raw’s Netflix debut, WWE aired a backstage segment featuring Reigns and Paul Heyman. The former Undisputed WWE Champion emphasized his desire for worldwide acknowledgment and instructed The Wiseman to schedule his next appearance. Heyman responded, stating that January 27 would be the perfect date for Reigns’ return.

WWE teased that Reigns could be the cover star for WWE 2K25, fueling speculation that The OTC might appear on next week’s Monday Night Raw. Notably, the 39-year-old has declared himself for the Royal Rumble match. This announcement adds to the anticipation, suggesting that his appearance could electrify the build-up to the Indianapolis spectacle.

Related: “My family would ridicule me,” 46-year-old WWE star mocks Cody Rhodes’ neck tattoo; would rather die of liver and kidney failure than having it