Just when you think the tale of the two “Tribal Chiefs” was over, there’s a new twist in the story. Roman Reigns came back to WWE on Monday, just one day after a Mets starter came off the injured list. What started as a real moment of misunderstanding swiftly turned into a funny meme in the MLB world.

Remember a few days back, MLB posted the return of “tribal chief”?  It got everyone thinking that Roman Reigns will be seen in cleats. But soon the air cleared. It wasn’t the WWE star on the field. It was Mets pitcher Sean Manaea, only with the same nickname.

And now SNY Mets playfully took that meme and drew a connection. They shared a tweet with the caption, “Sean Manaea and Roman Reigns returned to their respective professions within a day of one another after not appearing for many weeks. Coincidence? ☝️”  And just like that, it became a conspiracy theory.

Well, it indeed was a great coincidence. Manaea, who was in the 60-day IL due to elbow and oblique issues, marked his comeback on Sunday. He came after going through two rehab games with Triple-A Syracuse, where he had a 4.00 ERA over nine innings. The Mets brought him back as a bullpen arm to strengthen the rotation.

Meanwhile, Roman Reigns also made his comeback after he had been gone from WWE TV since his attack after WrestleMania 41. And SNY didn’t waste a second in noticing it.

Plus, recently, Sean Manaea was asked on the Meet at the Apple Podcast if he would use Roman’s famous WWE entrance tune as his own pre-game warm-up pump-up. He didn’t answer “yes” immediately, but he did smile and nod. So, when you hear “We the ones ☝️” at Citi Field, don’t be surprised.

Now, talking about his presence on the mound, Sean Manaea gave a glimpse of his velocity against the Kansas City Royals.

Back in action: Manaea shines in Mets return

Sean Manaea made his first appearance for the Mets this season on July 13, coming in to pitch in a 3–2 game against the Kansas City Royals. After being taken off the 60-day injured list, he pitched well for 3 1/3 innings, walking no one and striking out seven, showing signs of his old form.

In the middle innings, Sean Manaea was at his best. He struck out five batters in a row in the sixth and seventh frames. Carlos Mendoza, the Mets’ manager, lauded his high-zone fastball and sharp “sweeper,” saying they were like the best pitches he threw in 2024.

Manaea gave up a walk-off single to Nick Loftin in the ninth inning. And that cost him the game, even though he hadn’t given up a run in three bullpen innings. Still, the one run on five hits didn’t take away from the good strikeout total or his 2.70 ERA in 3.1 innings.

Overall, the outing was a terrific return to form. No walks, a WHIP of 1.50, and seven strikeouts in just over three innings. That kind of control and ability to swing and miss is a good sign for the Mets as they get ready to put him back in the rotation.