WWE News: Roman Reigns relinquishes the Universal Championship and seemingly leaves WWE

Roman Reigns opened this week's episode of Monday Night Raw to apologize to the WWE Universe because he couldn't be the fighting Champion that WWE wanted him to be as the main titleholder on Monday night Raw because he was a real person called Joe and for 11 years he has been fighting Leukemia.

Roman then went on to state that the illness had returned and it would force him to step aside whilst he once again fought it off and he would have to relinquish the Championship in order to do so.

.@WWERomanReigns has officially relinquished the Universal Championship on #RAW. pic.twitter.com/Dov281qW94

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) October 23, 2018

Reigns was greeted by "Thank You Roman" chants as he left the Universal Championship in the middle of the ring and made the long walk up the ramp. He was then greeted by his Shield brothers at the top of the ramp as Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins hugged their fallen friend and Rollins was visibly overcome with emotion.

There's no brotherhood greater.#Raw @WWERomanReigns @TheDeanAmbrose @WWERollins pic.twitter.com/QHFemFd9A5

— WWE (@WWE) October 23, 2018

WWE released the following statement:

WWE's official word on the subject

It is unknown what this means for the Universal Championship match at Crown Jewel in just over a week's time but Roman stated that once he has overcome this illness he will return to the ring and continue to fight it out for a place in the biggest wrestling company in the world.

Crown Jewel is just days away now and WWE has a headache on their hands when it comes to traveling to Saudi Arabia, but whilst Reigns made it clear that this wasn't a retirement speech, WWE now needs to push ahead and look at a future without Reigns in the main title picture for the first time since 2015.

Everyone at Sportskeeda would like to wish Roman Reigns the best in his recovery and hope that he can return to WWE in the coming months.