JBL believes Roman Reigns has reached a rare position in professional wrestling where his appearances should be treated as special attractions rather than weekly occurrences.
Speaking on Something to Wrestle, the WWE Hall of Famer discussed Roman Reigns’ recent World Heavyweight Championship defence against Penta on Raw in Mexico City. JBL compared Reigns’ current status to major touring attractions from previous generations, including The Sheik, Bruiser Brody, Abdullah the Butcher and Jack Brisco.
“Roman Reigns has become the guy that’s very rare in this business, that can come along as an attraction,” JBL said. “You don’t want them wrestling on TV every week.”
JBL Says Roman Reigns Matches Should Feel Like A Big Deal
Roman Reigns has worked a limited schedule in WWE for several years, with the majority of his biggest matches taking place at premium live events rather than on weekly television. JBL believes scarcity has made Reigns’ matches feel more significant when they do take place, including his recent defence against Penta.
“When he has one of his first matches on television, it’s a big freaking deal,” JBL said.
The former WWE Champion compared the approach to how major attractions were presented during the territory era. Wrestlers such as Brody and Abdullah frequently travelled between promotions, with their limited appearances helping make individual bookings feel more significant.
Reigns has been presented similarly since returning to WWE in 2020, with his appearances and matches becoming less frequent than those of most full-time roster members. His match against Penta in Mexico City was another example, with Reigns putting the World Heavyweight Championship on the line during a regular episode of Raw rather than at a premium live event.
