Why Is Roman Reigns Rumored to Leave WWE? All Explained
Roman Reigns is an important asset for WWE, but he might not be as much of an asset for TKO. Below, we explain the speculation surrounding Reigns' possible departure.
The OTC dethroned CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 42. As the new champion, Reigns revealed that fans would see him much more this summer, but it now seems the plans have changed. Considering recent developments, Reigns could be on his way out of WWE.
A big storm broke out in the WWE Universe when news emerged that Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods had been released from the company. Before that, several superstars were released from their contracts, and TKO was the one making the decisions.
Additionally, reports suggest that TKO has asked the Stamford-based promotion to cut millions in salaries. This means WWE will have to renegotiate contracts with the remaining roster or release superstars who refuse a pay cut.
Roman Reigns Removed From June Shows
As mentioned earlier, the OTC had announced that fans would see him more this summer. He was keeping his word, appearing regularly on the flagship show to build up his match against Jacob Fatu at Backlash.
The company had announced him for all of the June RAW shows, but now the graphic has changed, and the World Heavyweight Champion is no longer announced for any of the June shows, until Night of Champions on June 27, 2026. He is still announced for the remaining shows in May 2026.
Given that TKO asked WWE to cut costs, it is possible that Reigns received a new payment structure. He may have rejected it, which led to his removal from the June shows after failed talks between TKO and WWE.
WWE already has a match scheduled for Reigns at Backlash 2026. He will put the World Heavyweight Championship on the line at the premium live event.
At Backlash, The Samoan Werewolf could dethrone The OTC, freeing him from any responsibility as champion. This would allow Reigns to leave the company without WWE having to invent a different angle to take the World Heavyweight Championship away from The OTC.
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This story was originally published May 3, 2026 at 7:55 PM.