Add as a preferred source on Google Roman Reigns is not officially advertised for tonight’s Friday Night SmackDown, which will be held at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The show will feature Cody Rhodes opening the broadcast, a confirmed appearance by Jacob Fatu, the debut of Ricky Saints, and Charlotte Flair facing Jacy Jayne.
However, the current World Heavyweight Champion’s absence from SmackDown does not indicate any time away from programming. On the contrary, Reigns has now been announced by WWE for an unusually long run of Monday Night RAW episodes.
WWE already lists Reigns among the advertised names for next Monday’s RAW in Omaha, Nebraska. He also appears on the official pages for the shows in Knoxville, Greensboro, Columbus, and Baltimore, in addition to being linked to the European tour that will stop in Turin, Paris, and London.
This run stands out because Reigns has been working a reduced schedule in recent years, appearing only on major shows and premium live events. Now, as world champion, WWE appears to be betting on a more consistent presence from the OTC on the red brand.
It is worth remembering that Reigns will defend the World Heavyweight Championship against Jacob Fatu at Backlash on May 9 at the Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida. The match was confirmed after the segment on the last RAW, when Fatu attacked Reigns and forced him to accept the challenge.
In other words, even without an appearance scheduled for tonight’s SmackDown, Roman Reigns is expected to remain one of WWE’s main focuses in the coming weeks.