Add as a preferred source on Google Roman Reigns’ road to WWE SummerSlam looked increasingly lined up for Seth Rollins. The Visionary had been one of the most talked-about names to win King of the Ring and, as a result, challenge the current World Heavyweight Champion at the biggest event of the North American summer.
However, the latest Monday Night RAW completely changed that picture. Rollins was eliminated from the tournament in a Fatal 4-Way Match that also involved Je’Von Evans, Ricky Saints, and Talla Tonga, following interference from The Vision and Bron Breakker. With that, Evans advanced, Rollins fell out of the direct title picture, and WWE suddenly had an interesting problem on its hands.
This year’s SummerSlam, which will take place on August 1 and 2 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, needs a major match for Reigns. Since King of the Ring will give the winner a world title shot at the event, Rollins’ elimination opens the door for less obvious names, some bolder and others safer.
Below are three possible opponents for Roman Reigns at WWE SummerSlam.
3 – Je’Von Evans
Je’Von Evans may be the riskiest option on this list, but he is also the one that lines up best with what happened on the latest RAW.
If Seth Rollins was the heavily rumored name to move on toward Roman Reigns, then the man who survived the match that eliminated Rollins has to be taken into account. Evans did not win clean in a controlled setting. He won in the middle of chaos, taking advantage of an opening, which fits both the idea of King of the Ring and WWE’s need to create new impact players.
The big question is whether WWE would have the courage to put him across from Reigns at SummerSlam. A match between the two would likely not have the same commercial weight as Roman against Rollins or Punk, but it could serve as Evans’ definitive introduction to a more casual audience.
Roman, at this point, is the kind of champion who can elevate any opponent just by being there. If Evans arrived at SummerSlam as King of the Ring, WWE would have a simple story: the most explosive young talent in the company trying to take down the most dominant name of the last several years.
The problem is that a loss to Reigns, if handled poorly, could cool Evans off before he is fully established. On the other hand, if the match is competitive and built around the right story, he would leave much bigger than he came in. WWE has been trying to refresh part of its main roster, and putting Evans against Roman would be a bold decision within that process.
2 – Oba Femi
Oba Femi is currently the name that best fits the idea of a physical threat to Roman Reigns.
Since reaching the top of WWE, Femi has been treated as a force above the norm. His win over Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 42 put his character on rare ground, especially considering that few wrestlers come out of a rivalry with Lesnar looking bigger than they did before.
The most interesting point is that Oba does not need a long, complex story to face Reigns. Just make him the King of the Ring winner, and the rivalry practically explains itself. On one side, Roman Reigns, the champion carrying years of dominance, family, legacy, and influence. On the other, Oba Femi, WWE’s new monster, who has already gone through Brock Lesnar and would now be coming after the company’s top name.
It would be a strong choice for SummerSlam because it would also preserve Seth Rollins for another path. Rollins could continue his rivalry with The Vision and Bron Breakker, while Reigns would face a challenger who represents the company’s immediate future.
There is, however, one clear obstacle. WWE also appears to have enough material to keep exploring Oba Femi against Brock Lesnar, especially in Minneapolis, a city with a strong connection to Lesnar. If that is the plan, Femi would immediately be taken out of Reigns’ path.
Still, if the idea is to make King of the Ring a real platform for the next world title challenger, Oba Femi is the strongest choice. He has credibility, size, presence, and a recent win that puts him above most of the roster.
1 – CM Punk
CM Punk is the safest, simplest, and perhaps most commercial option for Roman Reigns at SummerSlam.
The rivalry between the two was the main focus of the Road to WrestleMania 42, and Reigns’ win over Punk in the main event of the second night still leaves room for a rematch. Unlike Evans and Oba Femi, Punk does not depend on King of the Ring to justify his spot in the match. He already has the history, the grievance, the name, and the audience.
The argument is straightforward. Punk lost the World Heavyweight Championship to Roman on the biggest stage possible, and so far, he has not had a rematch on a stage of the same size. A two-night SummerSlam allows WWE to present that reunion as one of the weekend’s biggest matches.
On top of that, Punk against Reigns solves an attraction problem. If WWE does not want to take too big of a risk with a rising name, a rematch between two of the company’s biggest stars would be the most stable route. The company could even use Seth Rollins’ elimination as the reason for changing course, bringing Punk back into the title picture.
The risk here is repetition. WrestleMania was not that long ago, and Reigns already beat Punk in the big moment. For the rematch to work, WWE would need to add something new: a special stipulation, a stronger role for Paul Heyman, or even interference from Seth Rollins if he remains obsessed with the title and Roman.
Even so, Punk remains the name with the most immediate weight. If WWE wants a guaranteed impact match for SummerSlam, he is the safest choice.
In the end, Seth Rollins’ elimination may have been just a temporary detour or the beginning of a real change in WWE’s plans. The most interesting part is that, without Rollins on the direct path, Roman Reigns now has three different types of threats in front of him.
Je’Von Evans represents boldness. Oba Femi represents power. CM Punk represents the established major name.
WWE’s choice will say a lot about what the company plans to do with Roman Reigns for the rest of 2026.