4 things we learned from Roman Reigns' Sports Illustrated interview

Roman Reigns recently sat down for an interview with Sports Illustrated and gave his thoughts on a wide range of topics. This comes on the heels of his much-anticipated championship match against Drew McIntyre at WWE Clash at the Castle.

The Roman Reigns-Sports Illustrated interaction saw the former answer questions about his personal and professional life and comment on WWE's new era. He also talked about his role in the said new era and why he has been working a lighter schedule as of late. The Tribal Chief also addressed Vince McMahon's retirement and talked about Triple H taking over the reins from him.

On that note, we look at five things we learned from Roman Reigns' SI interview.

#4 On our list of things we learned from Roman Reigns' SI interview: He couldn't believe Vince McMahon had retired

Reigns was surprised when McMahon announced his retirement

Vince McMahon stepped down from his position as CEO a couple of weeks ago, formally announcing his retirement from WWE. The news surprised everyone in the wrestling community, including Roman Reigns.

Reigns said he found it unbelievable that McMahon wasn't running the show anymore. He revealed that his former boss sent him a text and chatted with him for a bit in the wake of his retirement.

"You know, it’s just hard to believe [that Vince McMahon retired], because I think along with anyone who has followed this business or been in this business that just, Vince is gonna be running this....[I thought] we’ll see him in six months or something like that; I think was kind of the mindset that I initially took and then I think we received, you know, the Talent Relations text message and then obviously, a personal message from him and we talked a little bit and yeah."

The Head of the Table shares a great relationship with McMahon, with the latter instrumental in making him a megastar today. The latter will no doubt be watching the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion at home.

#3 He loves what Triple H has done since taking over the creative duties

Roman Reigns also commented on Triple H's rise to Head of Creative. He hailed his WrestleMania 32 opponent and gave him props for running the show extremely well.

"I think he’s [Triple H] done excellent. He’s like a professional wrestling babyface right now, you know what I mean? He’s like a babyface for the industry right now and there’s like this honeymoon situation going....Just dealing, wrapping your brain around that and then being the guy to be next, you know what I mean? I thought following [John] Cena was tough enough. Imagine following Vince McMahon. So I think he’s done great, I really do."

It will be interesting to see how Triple H books Reigns in the future. His first test under The Game's watch will be at Clash at the Castle, where he will face Drew McIntyre in a hotly-anticipated match.

#2 He would have been present at Money in the Bank if it wasn't for a last-minute change

Spot and acknowledge The Tribal Chief

Roman Reigns was advertised for the 2022 Money in the Bank premium live event. However, he was pulled from it following the event's shift from the Allegiant Stadium to the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

He explained how WWE dealt with it and what his reaction to the postponement was.

"Well, the strategy for the first few months after 'Mania 38 was to be on Money in the Bank, but once the show was changed and it was moved away from the Allegiant Stadium into the [MGM Grand Garden] Arena, we re-strategized and we just kind of stayed on the path of hitting these huge ones going into the winter so, once Money in the Bank was moved, I was pulled from that and we knew we were gonna hit SummerSlam and then also Cardiff."

As he predicted, Reigns appeared at SummerSlam 2022 and is set to appear at Clash at the Castle. A man of his word, then.

#1 His new contract allows him to work a part-time schedule

Roman Reigns has been working a lighter schedule since signing a new WWE contract. He explained how he had been running a hectic and full-time schedule for years. The new contract now ensures he can fulfill his duties in the ring and commit to his family and other ventures.

"So the main thing is, no, we’re not gonna be on every single pay-per-view, but anything that I am on which of course will be all the major ones and then a couple of the other ones, you know, that kind of fall in between the big four and the Saudis, I’ll always support those with TVs to build the story and the rivalry going forward....I guess it’s a part-time compared to what I usually run, but I’m an annual character on WWE television," Reigns said.

Given how much work and dedication Roman Reigns has put in over the years, he deserves his new contract and the perks that come with it. If that means he continues to be a mainstay of the product and consistently produces great performances, no one will be complaining.