At SummerSlam 2020, Roman Reigns made his surprising return to WWE television after four months away, establishing himself as a heel with Paul Heyman as his manager. Since then, Reigns has captured the WWE Universal Championship and asserted his position as the head of the Samoan Dynasty, the vast family tree that encompasses wrestling stars past and present including The Usos, Yokozuna, The Wild Samoans, and many more.
Also part of that family is The Rock, who became one of WWE’s biggest stars in the late 1990s and early 2000s before conquering Hollywood. There’s a strong case for Rocky being the head of the Dynasty, too, so let’s evaluate both stars and see why they’ve both got valid claims to the throne.
10 Roman Reigns: Modern Star
One of the many things Roman Reigns has over The Rock, as far as being at the top of the Samoan Dynasty is concerned, is Reigns’ status as a modern star. The Rock’s popularity and influence is undeniable, but the Attitude Era ended nearly 20 years ago, and Dwayne Johnson has largely moved on to a career as a movie star who makes odd appearances for WWE. It makes sense that Reigns would be at the top of the family hierarchy if you’re just looking at in-ring viability.
9 The Rock: Star of Attitude Era
In WWE -- and possibly pro wrestling at large -- nostalgia takes precedence over the modern. The promotion has endeavored to bring back its stars of yesteryear repeatedly over the past decade and then some, often at the expense of its current stars. Many fans look back fondly on the Attitude Era, and The Rock has become one of the most enduring stars of that lucrative period. As a result, it’s possible that, for many fans, nostalgic love for Rocky outweighs Roman Reigns’ current status.
8 Roman Reigns: Top Star in WWE
Since returning from hiatus at SummerSlam 2020, Roman Reigns has become not only the top heel in WWE but also possibly the face in the company. His winning of the Universal Championship put the spotlight back on him, making him the focus of every episode of SmackDown.
As Universal Champion, Roman Reigns took on WWE Champion Drew McIntyre in the 2020 Survivor Series PPV in a champion vs. champion match that had Reigns put McIntyre in a submission move to the point of losing consciousness. With that, Reigns essentially asserted himself as the top champion in WWE.
7 The Rock: Biggest Star In Wrestling and Out
Despite being retired from wrestling -- for now, at least -- The Rock is still culturally relevant. In fact, he might even be more relevant than he was during his days in the squared circle. He’s made numerous global blockbusters, came back to headline one of the highest-grossing WrestleManias of all time, and even has an upcoming sitcom about his youth. His value as a pop culture icon certainly puts him at the head of the table.
6 Roman Reigns: Had to Struggle Harder
It’s not an unreasonable argument to make that Roman Reigns had to struggle harder in WWE than The Rock. Rocky Maivia’s initial babyface run didn’t pan out, but he was quickly able to become a charismatic juggernaut after his heel turn. Reigns, on the other hand, had to suffer through modern WWE micromanagement trying too hard to make him into a big deal, resulting in fan hostility and no-win situations like having to “retire” The Undertaker at WrestleMania. In a lot of ways, Reigns had to overcome a lot of obstacles to reach the top.
5 The Rock: His Career Is Over
The thing about The Rock is that his wrestling career is over. Because of that, fans have the luxury of being able to look at Rocky’s entire body of work to evaluate his importance and success as an in-ring performer. Roman Reigns’ story is still being written, and the following years could have Reigns ascend to even greater levels or crash and burn. Until then, it may feel more “right” for fans to say that The Rock is the head of the Dynasty.
4 Roman Reigns: Officially Won It
Say what you will about The Rock’s superstardom, but Roman Reigns basically won the position via his I Quit match with Jey Uso at Hell in a Cell 2020. Reigns was defending the Universal Title in the HIAC match, but the bout also carried the weight of Uso reaching for the crown as the top guy in the family.
With Roman’s dad and uncle -- Afa and Sika, The Wild Samoans -- looking on, Reigns was able to get his cousin Jey to say “I Quit” effectively solidifying his seat at the head of the table.
3 The Rock: Not Divisive
More than even John Cena, Roman Reigns has proved to be one of the most divisive wrestling stars of all time, as vocal fans were quick to slam Reigns and his rapid ascent to WWE’s main event scene. While Rocky Maivia started getting “Die Rocky Die” chants during his initial babyface run, he was able to lean into them and become a massively popular star, who many fans would consider one of the greats. For many fans, the jury is still out on Roman Reigns.
2 Roman Reigns: Beat Brock Lesnar
One of the big supervillains of modern WWE is Brock Lesnar, a freakish monster heel with shooting skills and a disregard for the well-being of both his opponents and the overall sport of professional wrestling. He spent several years as Roman Reigns’ biggest kayfabe obstacle, with Reigns failing to capture WWE’s top titles from Lesnar four times before finally defeating him for the Universal Championship at SummerSlam 2018. By contrast, The Rock had one televised match against Brock Lesnar -- at SummerSlam 2002 -- and lost.
1 The Rock: More Titles
The Rock’s career being over also means that he’s won all the championships he could possibly win in wrestling. To date -- including his early days with the United States Wrestling Association -- The Rock has 19 titles to his name, including eight runs with the WWE Championship and five WWF Tag Title reigns. At nine titles, Roman Reigns has less than half of The Rock’s total. Roman Reigns may end up surpassing his cousin in this realm, but for now, The Rock still rules.