Roman Reigns once told wrestler to "quit b****ing," ex-WWE star says

Roman Reigns has been one of WWE's most prominent stars since moving to the main roster as part of The Shield in 2012. In a recent interview, Karl Anderson recalled how The Tribal Chief once gave some stern advice to a fellow roster member.

Anderson worked for WWE from 2016 to 2020 before returning for another run with the company between 2022 and 2025. The 45-year-old won the RAW Tag Team Championship twice with Luke Gallows and is also known for his association with the Bullet Club.

The latest episode of Stories with Brisco and Bradshaw featured a conversation about finances in the wrestling business. Speaking to WWE Hall of Famers Gerald Brisco and John Bradshaw Layfield (JBL), Anderson told a story about Reigns telling another wrestler to stop complaining:

"I remember one time we were on a flight with Roman one time and somebody was b****ing about a flight, and Roman literally said it at the baggage claim, he goes, 'Either get it written into your contract or quit b****ing.' And it was like, 'Yeah, good point, Roman.'" [1:14:25 – 1:14:40]

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Roman Reigns is widely viewed as the most successful WWE star of his generation. The 40-year-old's latest world title reign lasted 1,316 days from August 2020 to April 2024. He has also competed in 10 WrestleMania main events, more than any other wrestler.

JBL reacts to Roman Reigns' remark

John Bradshaw Layfield commented on many of Roman Reigns' greatest moments in the 2010s. He also wrestled for WWE for 14 years before retiring from in-ring competition in 2009.

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Addressing Reigns' "stop b****ing" comment, JBL added that wrestling legend Stan Hansen taught him a similar lesson about contracts:

"Stan Hansen always told me something very similar. He'd always say, 'John, you negotiate your contract. Don't care what anybody else makes. If you're happy with what you make, be happy with it.'" [1:14:53 – 1:15:02]

In April, Reigns revealed in an interview with Vanity Fair that his WWE contract will expire after WrestleMania 42 in 2026. The popular star has wrestled a part-time schedule since signing his latest deal in 2022.

Please credit Stories with Brisco and Bradshaw and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.

About the author

Danny Hart is a journalist who has been reporting on pro wrestling (WWE) at Sportskeeda since 2017. He grew up as a massive fan of football/soccer and wrestling, leading him to pursue a career in sports journalism.

Before assuming his current role, Hart worked as a football writer at Goal.com between 2009 and 2016. He prides himself on writing original content that is fact-based and highly accurate. Hart thoroughly proofreads his work before submitting it and relies only on credible sources for information.

Hart’s favorite pro wrestler is The Undertaker. He admires the 2022 WWE Hall of Famer’s ability to reinvent his character and remain relevant across his decades-long career. If given the keys to WWE’s creative department, he would bring back The Phenom for a farewell bout against AJ Styles in a stadium full of fans. Not only that, but he would love to have the multi-time world champion’s greatest rivals seated at ringside for the spectacle.

When not watching and covering sports, Hart enjoys long-distance running, playing video games, and listening to audiobooks and podcasts.

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Edited by Danny Hart