50 Best Wrestlers Of The 2020s (So Far)
16. Roman Reigns
It took until the 2020s for Roman Reigns to finally become the generational main eventer WWE had long insisted he was, but what a difference it makes when the fans actually agree.
Reigns' long-overdue heel turn in mid-2020 unlocked something undeniable. Repackaged as 'The Tribal Chief' he debuted a colder, cooler and more cerebral persona that immediately resonated. Anchored by a brilliantly minimalist style, sharpened promo work, and the commanding presence he'd always possessed, Reigns became WWE's undisputed centrepiece - critically, commercially, and literally.
This era of Reigns wasn’t just a successful reinvention but an historic and impossible-seeming run. His reign as Universal Champion stretched over 1,300 days, making him the longest-reigning top champion in WWE since Hulk Hogan’s 1980s peak. Headlining every WrestleMania this decade, he's etched his place in history in all the important fictional ways as much as he did behind the scenes. Time will remember Reigns as the man atop an unlikely boom rather than the imposter struggling to pull the company back to the promised land.
Though Reigns’ in-ring output has subsequently relied more on drama and dominance than the high-octane sprints of his Shield days, he showed an expert understanding of pacing, character work, and crowd control. Matches with Drew McIntyre, Logan Paul, Sami Zayn, LA Knight and his WrestleMania epics with Cody Rhodes demonstrated his ability to elevate opponents, maintain mystique, and deliver when the spotlight was brightest.