WWE Reportedly Canceled Huge Roman Reigns Title Match Following Unexpected Backstage Objection

Roman Reigns has not wrestled much since capturing the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 42, but a new report suggests WWE once had a very different direction planned for him. According to comments made on the latest episode of the Self Made Sessions podcast, a major title program involving Reigns was discussed internally before it was ultimately scrapped. The report centers around Gunther, a name many fans had already connected to Reigns earlier this year. The two stars shared the ring during the 2026 Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia, where Reigns eliminated The Ring General to secure his second Royal Rumble victory. After WrestleMania 42, it looked like the possibility of a singles match was getting closer. That plan, however, reportedly never made it to television.

A reported Roman Reigns vs. Gunther feud was apparently discussed behind the scenes

Once Reigns left WrestleMania 42 with the World Heavyweight Championship, many believed Gunther could eventually become the next challenger. The idea made sense on paper. Their Royal Rumble interaction had already given WWE a starting point, and fans had been asking for a one-on-one match between them.

Gunther even moved toward the championship picture on the RAW after WrestleMania 42. The situation changed when he was transferred to SmackDown, where his focus shifted to Cody Rhodes and the Undisputed WWE Championship. That move effectively sent him down a completely different path.

A podcast claim suggests the match was dropped after Reigns said no

During a recent episode of Self Made Sessions, Ibou stated that the match was planned at one stage but did not move forward because Reigns did not want to work with Gunther, leading to the cancellation of the proposed program.

"They were supposed to work. That match got canceled. I was gonna say Roman clearly just didn't want to work with him," Ibou said.

The claim has not been confirmed by WWE. Reports in the past have indicated that he has occasionally pushed back on ideas presented to him, including a situation last year that reportedly required WWE President Nick Khan to get involved.

Gunther's focus is on a different championship opportunity

While the reported Reigns match appears to be off the table, Gunther remains in the title hunt.

Last week, he challenged Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship. The bout took a chaotic turn when special guest referee Sami Zayn made a fast count. Even after the match was restarted with a new official, Gunther still failed to leave with the title.

Zayn later struck both competitors, taking out Gunther with a Helluva Kick and also dropping Rhodes.

The fallout led to a new match being announced for Night of Champions on June 27, where Rhodes, Gunther, and Sami Zayn are scheduled to compete in a Triple Threat Match for the Undisputed WWE Championship.

As for Reigns, he is not currently advertised for the premium live event in Saudi Arabia, leaving the Triple Threat title match in position to potentially headline the show.