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WWE Superstar Roman Reigns is one of the most polarizing figures in modern-day wrestling. From deafening cheers to piercing boos, he is one of those names that is bound to get a reaction from the crowd. The reigning Universal Champion won over many of his critics with his heel turn, creating a convincingly dominant gimmick in the process.
The stark contrast in the overall reaction towards Roman Reigns makes him quite intriguing for wrestling fans. Here, we look at some of the backstage stories that give us a better insight into the aspects of his WWE career that we can’t see on screen. So, without further ado, let’s begin.
#5 Roman Reigns apologized to the WWE locker room
Roman Reigns’ 30-day suspension from WWE came across as a massive shock to the wrestling world in 2016. He had violated the WWE Wellness Policy and was sent packing for a month. At the time, Reigns was the reigning WWE World Heavyweight Champion, and the company continued to address his suspension religiously on RAW.
Although Roman Reigns issued a public apology on social media, backstage stories claim that there was more to his penance. Dave Meltzer reported that Triple H issued an order via Mark Carrano for Reigns to apologize to everyone in the locker room on his way out. The punishment didn’t come from Vince McMahon, but Triple H thought that it was necessary.
There were also reports of the locker room’s reaction to Roman Reigns’ apology over WWE Wellness Policy violations. While a few superstars thought that the punishment was “demeaning,” others felt that it was a justified act. WWE never revealed the exact details of the illegal substances involved in the case.
Two years later, Roman Reigns found himself surrounded by controversy when a convicted steroid distributor named Richard Rodriguez claimed that the WWE Superstar was using his products. The latter issued a public statement to the media that denied any acquaintance between the two parties.
Reigns said he had never heard of the man in question and cited his old mistake as a huge lesson.
"I have never heard of Richard Rodriguez or Wellness Fitness Nutrition. I learned from the mistake I made nearly two years ago and paid the penalty for it. Since then, I've passed 11 tests as part of WWE's independent drug testing program," Reigns said.
Roman Reigns made an impressive return from his suspension. He faced Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins in a WWE Heavyweight Championship match at Battleground 2016 that eventually ended with The Lunatic Fringe retaining his title.
#4 Roman Reigns’ real-life heat with Randy Orton in WWE
Roman Reigns shares a good relationship with a lot of WWE Superstars backstage. But his equation with Randy Orton has been rocky at times. Their conflict started way back when Reigns was still a part of the Shield. Reports claim that Orton and Reigns were once involved in a botched spot during their match at a live event. It led to both men screaming at each other in the backstage area.
Following the Shield’s split, Roman Reigns was involved in a feud with Randy Orton. Reigns believed that The Viper was purposely compromising the progress of their rivalry. He was convinced that Orton used his “crowd killing style” to “kill his push.” Both superstars eventually sorted things out and engaged in an entertaining rivalry on WWE RAW.
When Roman Reigns pulled out of WrestleMania 36, he was asked about his opinion on the show after returning as the heel. The Tribal Chief praised Randy Orton among other superstars and credited him for a great pay-per-view. Roman Reigns described Orton as “less lethargic” but insisted that the latter is great when he enjoys what he is doing.
“The fans wouldn’t have been calling for me to come back,” said Reigns. "The company wouldn’t need me. If it was really all good, I might still be at home, so I think there are some people who are showing some some glimmers, but the people who are doing good now, they were doing good before I left, Bray Wyatt [and] Seth Rollins. Actually, Drew stepped up. I couldn’t imagine this being my opening title run to deal with it through a pandemic."
“So a lot of respect out to Drew. Randy’s always been Randy. He seems like he’s a little less lethargic, and he’s got a little pet to his step and he’s enjoying himself. So I think that’s always been a thing for Randy. If Randy’s having fun, I think it translates. If he’s not, you can definitely see when he’s not. It’s funny, like he doesn’t care. If he’s not into it, you’re going to kind of see it, but he seems like he’s into what he’s doing,” Reigns said.
Although Roman Reigns and Randy Orton didn’t always share a good relationship, it rarely affected their matches inside the ring. They faced each other in excellent in-ring bouts back in 2014 before Reigns eventually defeated Orton at SummerSlam to end their rivalry.
Randy Orton has been absent from television over the last month, but he is now reportedly close to returning on WWE RAW.
#3 Roman Reigns kicked Enzo Amore off the bus during WWE’s European tour
Roman Reigns took the stand for WWE locker room with this act. Former WWE Superstar Enzo Amore did not share a good rapport with the locker room. He had a lot of heat backstage from his peers, and that was generally blamed on his lack of professionalism. Many agreed that Amore often rubbed people the wrong way, and at one point, it led to Roman Reigns kicking him off the WWE tour bus.
The incident dates back to 2016 when WWE Superstars were engaged on a European tour. Reports claim that Enzo Amore’s inappropriate behavior didn’t go down well with the other superstars who were also on the bus.
He reportedly talked about how he partied all weekend and bragged about how much money he makes in the pro wrestling business. Roman Reigns then decided to remove him from the designated vehicle.
Enzo Amore appeared on WWE Network's "Straight To The Source" show with Corey Graves and claimed the incident never happened.
“If that's the case, you wouldn't have seen me on the next show, correct?" Enzo asked Graves. "I have to get from point A to point B and they have to provide those accommodations because we work for a Fortune 500 company, so it's impossible to kick me off a bus. They ain't stupid and neither am I, they're not going to put themselves in jeopardy by not providing transportation to one of their biggest stars. If I can't get from point A to point B not on a bus, how am I getting there?"
However, Corey Graves and several other WWE personnel later confirmed that Roman Reigns and the rest of the superstars grew tired of Amore’s constant disrespect. Graves revealed more details on an episode of Bring it to the Table.
“If you’re on a European tour for 12 days deep and he’s going on and on and an about how he partied with The Weeknd in L.A., you’re gonna get tired of hearing about it," Graves said. "There’s a limit and when you’re on the road that much, a guy like that will wear on your nerves.”
Roman Reigns avoided a public discussion on the topic but used the opportunity to establish himself as the locker room leader in WWE.
#2 Roman Reigns helped Braun Strowman backstage in WWE
Former WWE Superstar Braun Strowman was one of Roman Reigns’ biggest rivals in the promotion. Back in 2020, Reigns decided to take some time off because of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, he was scheduled to challenge Goldberg for the Universal Championship at WrestleMania 36, but he pulled out of the pay-per-view.
As a result, Strowman replaced him in the match and went on to win his first world championship in WWE. Roman Reigns eventually returned as a heel and won the Universal Championship, while Strowman was shockingly released almost a year after his title victory. He once talked about Reigns’ heel turn and revealed the backstage response to the surprising change in his gimmick.
During the conversation, Strowman also revealed that he has a lot of respect for Roman Reigns. He talked about how Reigns helped him backstage during the early stages of his career.
"I've always had a lot of respect for Roman. Even when we were trying to kill each other, you know, he helped me out a lot early in my career, and he went away, and stuff in the beginning of this pandemic and I applauded him for being selfish and taking care of himself and his family, first and foremost,” Strowman said.
Roman Reigns also takes pride in the fact that he was one of Braun Strowman’s first feuds in WWE. He revealed that Strowman “didn’t know left from right” when he first came to the company.
However, Reigns expressed that he is proud of Strowman’s immense growth as a performer and is glad that he had a small role to play in familiarizing The Monster Among Men with the subtleties of the pro wrestling business.
#1 Roman Reigns is genuinely a locker room leader in WWE
Roman Reigns has faced his fair share of criticism in WWE. A few of those stem from how he is booked. The promotion worked hard to get him over as the locker room leader as well. While part of it was always related to his gimmick, Reigns has truly earned that title backstage.
Former WWE Superstar Aleister Black (now Malakai Black) hailed Roman Reigns as a great locker room leader. He credited The Tribal Chief for genuinely carrying out the business and asserted that the latter is highly respected backstage. Here’s what Black had to say:
“For the most part, I just enjoyed shutting myself out because with a lot of us, being around so many people can overload your sensories. It’s nice to go from this massive adrenaline rush to settling back into the room, unwinding, relaxing, and getting ready for the next day. The culture, when it comes to that, is much healthier. (There was a tour) I sat down with Samoa Joe, who I have known for a long time, and he’s always been good to me, and I sat down with Roman as well."
"It was one of the first times I really felt how great Roman is as a locker room leader. That’s a good memory where we kind of forged a bond, and I could pick his brain on a few things. He’s only the guy who carries our business. Same with the Usos. It was good and comfortable. As bad as some of the experiences were, the locker rooms were always great. Our locker rooms were lovely, and we had a lot of fun. The men’s locker room was always super cool with each other,” Black said.
It is impossible to force respect out of anyone. Roman Reigns deserves a lot of credit for his work both on and off the screen. He went from apologizing to the entire locker room to genuinely earning respect amidst his peers, and that is commendable.
Regardless of his booking, one can’t deny that he has turned himself into the company's face and is as professional as one can get in that position. He is currently enjoying a great run as a heel on WWE SmackDown. Hopefully, Roman Reigns' backstage popularity will translate well onto the screen over the coming years.
