WWE's Original Plans For The Fiend & Roman Reigns At WrestleMania 36 Revealed
Here's how WWE was going to get to Wyatt vs. Reigns.
More of WWE's WrestleMania 36 plans came into focus on last week's SmackDown, with Roman Reigns stepping to Universal Champion Goldberg in the night's opening segment (amidst reports that a planned number one contender's Elimination Chamber match had been scrapped) and 'The Fiend' Bray Wyatt confronting John Cena in the main event slot, prompting 'Big Match John' to go back on his claims that he'd be sitting this year's 'Mania out.
These aren't the matches WWE originally had in mind for Reigns and Wyatt, of course. Per several reports through January and February, a Universal Championship tilt was originally in the works for the duo, with 'The Big Dog' seemingly winning the Chamber after 'The Fiend' overcame Goldberg in Saudi Arabia.
Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer believes that WWE's original idea was to keep Bray dominant heading into Tampa. He'd have run through everyone else on the roster and deliberately kept away from Roman before 'The Showcase of the Immortals,' where they'd eventually face off for SmackDown's biggest prize.
Instead of taking this route, Vince McMahon changed his mind, put stock into Goldberg, and had 'The Fiend' falter at Super ShowDown 2020.