Roman Reigns has opened up about his time away from the ring. “The Big Dog” refused to compete against then-WWE Universal Champion Goldberg at WrestleMania 36 back in April. This was due to coronavirus concerns and to prepare for the birth of his twins.
Reigns admitted that the past few months have been tough as he adjusted to looking after his newborn twins. He noted how he’s been waking up at 6:30 am, “bright-eyed and ready to go.”
He also spoke about how his kids have been a blessing to him and his family tree.
Roman Reigns’ WrestleMania Choice
Regarding his decision to not compete at WrestleMania 36, Reigns stressed how it was a “choice for my family.”
He noted how WWE has done “everything” to make the workplace as safe as possible:
“The decision was taken mainly because each performer travels so much, and we are all such a diverse group and from all over the place. I’m not convinced, and I can’t trust the fact that everybody is taking it as seriously and locking themselves down at home like I am.”
Roman Reigns continued, “I trust my life with my co-workers every time I step foot in the ring, but I just can’t put the same trust when it has my children, my wife and my family involved. But I don’t want it to come off as I am taking a stand against the company at all, because I love the WWE. I’ve been a part of this company just since I was a little boy. That’s why I always take it so personally when I represent them.”
Reigns is looking forward to eventually returning to in-ring action. He revealed he has continued to train diligently during the pandemic. Although he may be returning to perform in front of no fans, it’s not something that phases him too much.
He knows that wrestling to an empty arena is “tough.” Reigns commended the Superstars who have been doing it since the pandemic forced WWE to perform to no crowd.
He noted how everything he learned revolves around garnering a crowd reaction and to lean into interacting with them. To him, not being able to feed off of them will be “the hardest part.”
Despite declining a championship opportunity, Reigns is hoping to return to one. He spoke about his interest in challenging for the WWE Universal Championship, currently held by his WrestleMania replacement, Braun Strowman. Whether he is able to come back to a title match or not, Reigns is adamant to prove himself as he attempts to re-establish himself as WWE’s biggest star.