Add as a preferred source on Google Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes could face each other for the third time at a major WWE event, though not necessarily at WrestleMania.
During a recent appearance on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Paul Heyman discussed his current backstage role in WWE, saying he no longer takes part in the weekly writers’ meetings and prefers to operate in a broader capacity, focusing on the company’s major long-term plans.
The WWE Hall of Famer said his current obsession is planning WrestleMania 43, which will take place in 2027 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
“Let’s write the last page now, and then let’s build towards it.”
Heyman named several stars who could be central pieces in that planning, including Roman Reigns, CM Punk, Logan Paul, Bron Breakker, Seth Rollins, Jade Cargill, Becky Lynch, Liv Morgan, and Rhea Ripley.
Paul Heyman suggested that a third Roman Reigns vs Cody Rhodes match could happen in Saudi Arabia.
— Fightful Wrestling (@Fightful) June 23, 2026
"Oh, I’m looking at the year after Saudi. If it was up to me — and it’s not — Let’s start there. We’ll change it every week if we have to. We’ll change it every time we meet but… pic.twitter.com/QAVWv00BVm
However, the most interesting point came when Heyman used Reigns and Rhodes as an example for Crown Jewel. According to him, if Roman remains the World Heavyweight Champion on RAW and Cody remains the Undisputed WWE Champion on SmackDown, WWE would have the perfect setup to run the trilogy between the two at the Saudi event.
Reigns and Rhodes are currently tied 1-1 in WrestleMania singles matches. Roman won their first meeting at WrestleMania 39, while Cody defeated the OTC at WrestleMania XL, ending his historic 1,316-day title reign.
The idea also fits the current Crown Jewel format, as WWE now promotes an annual match between the Undisputed WWE Champion and the World Heavyweight Champion to determine the Crown Jewel Champion. In 2024, Cody Rhodes defeated Gunther to become the first male winner under that concept.