Roman Reigns will defend the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Jacob Fatu at Clash in Italy, and Triple H has addressed the match.
Taking place at WWE Clash in Italy on May 31, the stage for the encounter was set on last night’s Raw, after weeks of antagonism between Jacob Fatu and Roman Reigns.
With their last match seeing Roman Reigns retain the World Heavyweight Championship at WWE Backlash, it was Fatu who would stand tall after that match, laying out The OTC and holding up the title he clearly covets.
Fatu has continued his aggression towards Reigns, with the May 18 episode of WWE Raw seeing a challenge issued for Tribal Combat at Clash in Italy, something that The OTC would accept.
Reacting to the challenge on Twitter, Triple H would share his thoughts, noting that there’s “no higher stakes” given the bad blood between the family members, posting:
“No higher stakes for the family.
“No bigger mountain to climb.
“Roman Reigns. Jacob Fatu.
“For the WWE World Heavyweight Championship and the title of Tribal Chief…
“In a TRIBAL COMBAT MATCH. #WWEClash”
Reigns has competed in two Tribal Combat matches to date, scoring victories over Jey Uso at SummerSlam 2023, retaining the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at that PLE, with his most recent encounter being a win over Solo Sikoa on the January 6 Netflix premiere of Raw last year.
High Stakes, Not Just For Roman Reigns & Jacob Fatu
There’s an argument to be made that Roman Reigns doesn’t need the WWE World Heavyweight Championship to remain at the head of the table, although the title of Tribal Chief is something that has been sought after during the time of The Bloodline.
Already a history-making world champion, having held the WWE Universal Championship for 1,316 days, Reigns has been known as “The Tribal Chief” since late 2020, with The Bloodline rising in prominence as a result.
While The Bloodline may not be the group it was, Reigns has remained a constant at the top of the tree, whether it be through the feud with Solo Sikoa, which saw the faction rebranded as MFT, or in his current program with Sikoa. That said, despite his role, Reigns is a part-time champion with limited availability on WWE television, last defending the World Heavyweight Title at Backlash early in May, having won it at WrestleMania 42 the previous month.
By contrast, Fatu has competed in eight matches, including the men’s Royal Rumble in January, compared to the three that Reigns has so far had. The idea of the World Heavyweight Championship being defended on a more regular basis than Reigns can offer under his current contract is surely a tantilizing prospect, especially seeing the reckless abandon with which Fatu engages his opponents.
Following on from Clash in Italy will be Night of Champions on June 27, with a recent report noting that Reigns had been removed from a number of WWE Raw show listings through that month, as he isn’t planned for a match at the Premium Live Event in Saudi Arabia.
Whether WWE will move the World Heavyweight Championship away from Reigns at Clash in Italy remains to be seen, although seeing it back in the hands of a full-time star might do more for its prestige than keeping it on a top star that doesn’t necessarily need it to dominate.
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