'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
What's the story?
The WWE has issued an official statement on Roman Reigns vacating the Universal Championship after The Big Dog vacated the title due to Leukemia.
In case you didn't know
Roman joined the main roster in 2012, debuting alongside Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins as the Shield.
After the group split, Reigns was rocketed to the main event scene against stars such as Brock Lesnar, including four consecutive WrestleMania main events, three of which for a World Championship.
At SummerSlam, Reigns defeated Lesnar for the Universal Championship, ending the Beast Incarnate's reign at 504 days.
This week on RAW, Reigns vacated the title, after revealing his Leukemia had returned. He had first been diagnosed in 22, with the disease going into remission in 2008.
The heart of the matter
In a statement from the company, the WWE referenced Reign's real name Joe Anoa'i, and said that the Grand Slam Champion went public about the diseases to raise awareness and funds for a cure.
”Tonight on Monday Night Raw, Roman Reigns (aka Joe Anoa’i) announced that he is relinquishing the WWE Universal Championship and taking a leave of absence from WWE as he once again fights leukemia, which had been in remission since late 2008. Reigns is taking his battle with leukemia public in an effort to raise awareness and funds for research in order to advance cures for the disease.”
What's next?
With Roman relinquishing the title on RAW, the Universal Championship match at Crown Jewel will now be a singles match for the vacant belt, between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns.
WWE Crown Jewel is scheduled to take place November 2 at the King Saud University Stadium, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and will be the second show in the ten-year deal between the WWE and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
