Paul Heyman Calls WWE Star The 'Second Greatest Of All Time' Behind Roman Reigns
Upon his 2023 return to WWE, John Cena was dubbed "the greatest of all time" by the company. According to The Bloodline's "Wiseman" Paul Heyman, though, Cena is actually the runner-up in that category, trailing shortly behind the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns.
Ahead of last Friday's episode of "WWE SmackDown," Cena tweeted a photo of himself drinking coffee alongside an advertisement at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which was promoting the return of Reigns. Prior to Friday, Reigns hadn't been seen since the blue brand's SummerSlam fallout episode in August.
Things I know about @WWE #Smackdown tonight…
1) I’ll be caffeinated. ☕️
2) I’ll be hydrated. 💧
3 THE TRIBAL CHIEF RETURNS ON THE SEASON PREMIERE TONIGHT AT 8pm ET on @WWEonFOX! 👊 pic.twitter.com/wE1lrTwNow— John Cena (@JohnCena) October 13, 2023
"Things I know about [WWE] #Smackdown tonight...1) I'll be caffeinated. 2) I'll be hydrated. 3 THE TRIBAL CHIEF RETURNS ON THE SEASON PREMIERE TONIGHT AT 8pm ET on [FOX]," Cena captioned his photo. Unsurprisingly, the third point quickly caught the attention of Paul Heyman, who responded by stating, "Even the SECOND Greatest of All Time [John Cena] ACKNOWLEDGES The Undisputed #GOAT [Roman Reigns]!"
When Cena later opened the show, he was interrupted by Reigns, Heyman, and Solo Sikoa. While Reigns initially believed Cena may have wanted another shot at his title, Cena clarified that he was not on "SmackDown" to challenge Reigns. Instead, Cena acknowledged him, commending him for his 1000-day plus reign as Undisputed WWE Universal Champion. This then led Cena to introduce LA Knight, whom he said has earned the right to challenge Reigns.
As of this writing, it's unknown if Reigns will defend his championship against Knight in the near future, but it's worth noting that Knight later scored a victory over Solo Sikoa in the main event of "SmackDown," thanks to some assistance from Cena.