Roman Reigns has been operating with a different kind of authority during his current World Heavyweight Championship run. The longtime “Tribal Chief” has built much of his WWE legacy around the influence of The Bloodline, but his recent championship defenses have shown a champion increasingly capable of winning without the group stepping in at the decisive moment.
That recent independence is central to the latest discussion surrounding Reigns and LA Knight. With Knight positioned as Reigns’ next major challenger, Bully Ray has suggested that WWE could use the history between the two men, Reigns’ recent victory over Penta, and the presence of the dangerous 946 group to create a surprising Money in the Bank title change.
Speaking on Busted Open Radio, Bully Ray explored the possibility of Knight becoming associated with 946 without necessarily becoming the faction’s leader. The idea is not simply that Knight should recruit backup for backup’s sake. Rather, it would give WWE a storyline explanation for why Knight, who has publicly projected self-reliance, decides that challenging Reigns requires a different kind of preparation.
“What if the swerve is, LA Knight is with 946?” Bully Ray asked on Busted Open Radio. “Not the leader of 946, but just associated with them?”
For more background on this topic, read Drew McIntyre Shares January-to-October Physique Transformation During WWE Absence.
The suggestion arrives at an important point in Reigns’ reign. He has not required Bloodline assistance to retain the title in his latest defenses, a development that strengthens the champion’s image while also complicating the path for a challenger. If Reigns is no longer regularly escaping through outside interference, a rival cannot merely claim that the champion is vulnerable once his allies are removed from the equation.
Knight’s task is therefore larger than confronting the version of Reigns who prevailed over him years ago. He must confront a Reigns who has recently demonstrated that he can stand alone when necessary, remain composed in high-profile matches, and still leave with the championship. For Bully Ray, that is where an association with 946 could become a meaningful narrative twist instead of a random angle.
Why the Penta Match Matters for LA Knight
Bully Ray pointed to Reigns’ match with Penta as a particularly relevant piece of the current story. Reigns defeated Penta without outside involvement, giving the champion a clean and recent accomplishment that fans will likely remember going into Money in the Bank. In an industry that moves rapidly from one major match to the next, the Reigns-Penta bout remains close enough that it can help define the stakes for Knight.
The comparison matters because Knight would be pursuing the same championship after watching Reigns overcome a major opponent on his own terms. A challenger needs to convince the audience that he has a realistic answer to a champion’s strengths. In this case, the answer cannot be built solely around the claim that Reigns is dependent on The Bloodline. The Penta match gives Reigns evidence to the contrary.
Bully Ray’s proposed response is for Knight to acknowledge that reality rather than avoid it. Knight could recognize that Reigns handled Penta without help, while also redirecting attention toward the earlier chapter of Knight’s own rivalry with the champion. At Crown Jewel three years ago, Reigns defeated Knight with Bloodline involvement factoring into the match.
That contrast gives Knight a straightforward case to make. Reigns may have beaten Penta without allies at ringside, but the champion’s previous win over Knight did not unfold under the same circumstances. The story would not be that Knight is making excuses for the past. It would be that Knight has learned from it, remembers exactly what happened, and refuses to enter another title match unprepared for every possible Reigns contingency.
Bully Ray said that bringing those points together could make viewers reassess the rivalry. “There wasn’t anybody involved in the Penta match, but there were people involved in the LA Knight match,” he said on Busted Open Radio. The implication is that Knight could decide to counter power with power, even if doing so seems to conflict with the independent image he has cultivated.
A Shift in Knight’s Message Would Need Careful Context
Any connection between Knight and 946 would represent a notable development because Knight has made it clear that he does not see himself as someone who needs a supporting cast. Bully Ray specifically referenced Knight telling Reigns that he had never needed anybody. That statement establishes a challenge for WWE if the company chooses this direction: the alliance would have to feel like a calculated adjustment, not an abandonment of Knight’s character.
There is a meaningful difference between Knight becoming a faction leader or suddenly needing protection and Knight choosing to form a temporary, strategically useful association. Bully Ray’s idea centered on the latter. Knight would remain Knight, retain his own voice and ambitions, and still be the man seeking the World Heavyweight Championship. The potential involvement of 946 would be about leveling a field that was not level at Crown Jewel.
That distinction would be essential. Knight’s appeal has long been tied to his confidence, directness, and ability to present himself as the central figure in any confrontation. If WWE were to place him alongside 946, the group could not eclipse him or turn him into a passenger in his own title program. The angle would work only if it reinforced that Knight is making the decision and remains fully accountable for what follows.
It would also create an immediate question surrounding the title match: is Knight preparing for a legitimate threat from Reigns’ past, or is he bringing a dangerous variable into the contest because he believes he cannot win cleanly? That ambiguity could be productive. Knight may argue that he is not seeking an advantage, but protecting himself against the kind of circumstances that previously cost him against Reigns.
Reigns, meanwhile, would have a powerful response. The champion could maintain that Knight’s decision proves Reigns has already gotten inside his head. From that perspective, Knight’s attempt to “fight fire with fire” would not be smart strategy; it would be evidence that the challenger has begun to doubt his ability to beat Reigns alone.
Money in the Bank Could Be the Right Stage for a Surprise
Bully Ray framed the idea as one that would make sense if WWE were considering taking the championship off Reigns for a limited period. That qualification is significant. Reigns is not merely another champion whose reign can be altered for shock value. His place at the top of WWE, his history with The Bloodline, and his status as the “Tribal Chief” all make any defeat a major story point.
Money in the Bank is naturally suited to unpredictability. The event is associated with changing fortunes, opportunistic decisions, and championship scenarios that can shift in an instant. A potential 946 reveal or intervention tied to Knight would fit the atmosphere of a show where fans are conditioned to expect plans to change quickly.
However, the best version of the scenario would need to preserve the importance of both wrestlers. If Knight were to defeat Reigns, the result should feel like the culmination of a carefully argued strategy and a hard-fought match, not simply the product of chaos. Outside involvement may explain why Knight took extraordinary measures, but it cannot entirely replace the need for Knight to look credible against one of WWE’s defining champions.
Likewise, Reigns would need to remain protected even in defeat. The champion’s recent ability to win without Bloodline help has already added depth to his presentation. A loss amid a new and unexpected force around Knight would not erase that progress if WWE makes the circumstances clear and gives Reigns a reason to seek answers afterward.
There is also the possibility that the speculation itself highlights how much pressure Knight faces, regardless of whether 946 ever becomes involved. He is walking into a program against a champion who has recently turned back Penta, carries the memory of a previous win over Knight at Crown Jewel, and has spent years proving that he can control enormous main-event situations.
The Central Question for Knight
Ultimately, the developing issue is whether LA Knight can defeat Roman Reigns while staying true to the principle that has defined his challenge: that he does not need anyone else. Bully Ray’s proposal raises the possibility that the answer may be more complicated than Knight wants it to be.
Knight can point to the history of Bloodline interference and argue that he is simply refusing to be caught off guard again. Reigns can point to the Penta victory and insist that the old excuses no longer apply. Between those competing claims sits 946, a group that could dramatically alter the championship picture if it chooses to enter Knight’s orbit.
For now, the prospect remains speculation, not a confirmed WWE direction. But it offers a logical way to connect Knight’s prior loss to Reigns with the champion’s current momentum, while giving Money in the Bank the possibility of a high-impact twist. Whether Knight goes it alone or decides that Reigns requires a different answer, the challenger will be measured against the standard Reigns set in his win over Penta—and against the difficult history that still hangs over their Crown Jewel encounter.
In pictures
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.