Reigns Names Cody Rhodes as Only Star Who’s ‘Carried the Banner’

Roman Reigns is openly wondering who, if anyone, is built to carry WWE the way he has for the past decade — and in a recent interview with Complex, he made clear he only sees one name that’s already cleared that bar.

“As it’s been shown with John (Cena) and then also with me, it takes a decade or so,” Reigns said. “Can you perform every single time and then deliver when you’re asked? Can you do it when you’re tired? Can you do it when you’re sick? Can you do it when you’re hungover after WrestleMania? Can you carry the banner for this company? This is a billion-dollar machine. It’s not easy. There’s only been one who’s been able to carry that banner, and that’s been Cody.”

It’s a striking admission from Reigns, who has anchored WrestleMania main events since 2015, and it underlines just how thin WWE’s bench looks when it comes to the next true face of the company. Cody Rhodes has filled that void since finishing his story at WrestleMania 40, but he did so in his late 30s after years away from WWE — hardly the model of a company banking on a young star for the next decade the way it did with Reigns or Cena.

That leaves an obvious question hanging over the product: who’s next? Five names stand out as the fresh main-roster talents WWE has actually elevated over the past two years — Oba Femi, Bron Breakker, Jacob Fatu, Trick Williams and Je’Von Evans. Of that group, Femi looks like the clearest answer. He’s dominated every spot he’s been placed in, scored a retirement win over Brock Lesnar, and appears to be lining up as Reigns’ next WrestleMania opponent for the World Heavyweight Championship — a program that could double as a passing-of-the-torch moment. Breakker and Fatu both had scorching hot streaks that appear to have cooled, while Williams and Evans have the crowd behind them but carry real questions about whether they’re ready for that level right now.

Looming over all of it is the cautionary tale of Jey Uso’s 2025 run. His Royal Rumble win and subsequent 51-day reign as World Heavyweight Champion proved his live-crowd popularity but never fully won over the wider audience as a top-tier singles act. That experience is likely to make WWE more conservative with future Rumble surprises and top-of-the-card bets, which could work in Femi’s favor if the company decides not to hesitate — or could slow-play everyone else on the list.

And then there’s the gap nobody in the men’s conversation ever seems to address: the company’s reluctance to put a woman in that true top-of-the-card spot. Becky Lynch was arguably the biggest star in wrestling in 2019, yet WWE hasn’t chased that kind of crossover positioning since. Rhea Ripley has the look and momentum of someone who could get there, and Bianca Belair isn’t far behind, but both have spent recent stretches on the shelf and seen their booking cool off even before that.

With Reigns himself signaling he doesn’t see an heir apparent walking the halls just yet, WWE’s next 12 months may end up defining who actually gets handed that banner — and whether the company is finally willing to hand it to someone other than a man.