Final yr, individuals predicted that Solo Sikoa and Roman Reigns would collide at WrestleMania. Right this moment, WrestleMania 41 is within the rearview mirror, and Sikoa did not even make the cardboard. It looks like a steep fall from grace for considered one of WWE SmackDown’s marquee acts, however Paul Heyman disagrees.

Sikoa was a key participant from the week after WrestleMania 40 till January. The Bloodline’s stoic enforcer initiated a hostile takeover of the faction in Reigns’ absence. Sikoa decimated Jimmy Uso and Paul Heyman earlier than reimagining The Bloodline in his imaginative and prescient with new troopers like Jacob Fatu and Tama Tonga. His success carried him to a SummerSlam predominant occasion with undisputed WWE champion Cody Rhodes.

“I believe Solo Sikoa was the one most improved performer in WWE from WrestleMania 40 via this week,” Heyman instructed CBS Sports activities. “I’m so pleased with what he completed in that point. 

“I might dare say that in case you look again a couple of years from now on the yr that he had in carrying that aspect of SmackDown, that it wasn’t solely probably the most improved performer of the previous yr, however that he’s maybe probably the most improved performer over a one-year span ever.”

Sikoa’s standing was examined round November. Reigns pinned Sikoa in a WarGames match pitting two variations of The Bloodline towards one another. In January, he misplaced the Ula Fala and standing as “Tribal Chief” to Roman Reigns, marking the conclusion — no less than for now — of a Bloodline storyline lasting years. Sikoa hasn’t been featured as prominently since dropping to Reigns, a obligatory setback by Heyman’s evaluation.

“It is an adjustment interval…” Heyman stated. “Particularly when the stakes are that top, does not successful and dropping must imply one thing?”

“If dropping doesn’t suggest one thing, then by the very nature of that assertion, aren’t you bringing down what it means to win? Is not it a truth that when two individuals struggle, there’s a assured winner and a assured loser?”

Heyman argued it could have completed a disservice to Reigns, who went on to headline WrestleMania 41 Evening 1 towards CM Punk and Seth Rollins, had Sikoa instantly bounced again.

“You may’t spend a yr with the rocket ship trajectory that Solo Sikoa had, after which once you pay it off, instantly transfer on to one thing else that’s substantive and significant and on high,” Heyman stated. “If you happen to do, you negate the effectiveness and mitigate the circumstances across the lack of the Ula Fala again to Roman Reigns. 

“This is why, when Brock Lesnar misplaced a title, you would not see him on TV immediately. If you happen to did it was below very uncommon circumstances… It is why Roman Reigns disappeared after final yr’s WrestleMania 40.”

Try the complete interview with Paul Heyman under. 

Standing subsequent to Fatu additional illuminates Sikoa’s present predicament. Fatu’s aura and depth drive consideration from everybody round him, together with Sikoa. Although Sikoa leads their group, Fatu left WrestleMania 41 as United States champion whereas Sikoa watched from the sidelines. 

One can solely think about Sikoa’s frustrations. If that is the case, Heyman says it should not be. Heyman commends Sikoa for serving to anchor SmackDown for a lot of final yr and fleshing out his character from silent killer to move honcho.

“There may be far much less thrill for the viewers within the victory if there isn’t any agony for that defeat,” Heyman stated.

“He went from being a stoic mute to being somebody that may carry his finish of the microphone towards anyone that he needed to, together with me, together with Roman Reigns, together with anyone that stepped up towards him on that microphone. Solo Sakoa held his personal. I didn’t hear of, witness nor examine — even on the cynical web — I didn’t hear, I didn’t learn a report, I’ve no data of a foul match that he had over the previous yr. 

“If I am inside the pinnacle, soul and spirit of Solo Sikoa and I am something lower than ecstatic, then it is a unhealthy evaluation of the place that man’s head ought to be. He ought to be strolling round along with his chest puffed out, his shoulders cannonball huge and satisfaction written throughout his face.”