10 WWE Champions Who Vanished Without A Trace After WrestleMania

Roman Reigns’ legendary reign as Undisputed WWE Universal Champion finally came to a screeching halt at WrestleMania 40, as Cody Rhodes did what he set out to do — he finished the story. After an astonishing 1,316 days atop the mountain, the Tribal Chief was dethroned in the main event of the biggest show of the year. And then… he vanished.

Rather than a climactic send-off or a chaotic fallout, Roman’s exit was eerily quiet — a vanishing act that left fans stunned and storylines suspended in mid-air. Paul Heyman and Solo Sikoa were left to awkwardly carry the torch in his absence.

For a character who had dominated WWE programming for nearly four years, this was a baffling creative choice. Reigns’ loss was the emotional climax of WrestleMania weekend — a moment years in the making. But instead of riding that wave, WWE slammed the brakes.

SmackDown was left with a gaping hole, and while the Bloodline saga limped forward, it lacked the gravitas and star power Roman brought. Fans expected a redemption arc, a power vacuum, something. Instead, they were met with silence — and a whole lot of questions.