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| (Courtesy: WWE) |
When it comes to professional wrestling, few names are as synonymous with excellence and dominance as Roman Reigns. Born Leati Joseph Anoa'i, Reigns earned his stage name from his stint as a defensive tackle for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, where his coach saw his resemblance to one of wrestling's most iconic figures, The Rock.
After brief stints in football and Canadian football, Reigns followed in the footsteps of his father and uncle by pursuing a career in professional wrestling. He signed with the WWE (then known as World Wrestling Entertainment) in 2010, where he began his journey in the developmental territory FCW (Florida Championship Wrestling). There, he honed his craft, refining his moves, and developing his mic skills.
Reigns made his main roster debut in November 2012 as a member of The Shield alongside Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose. The trio quickly became one of the most dominant factions in WWE history, with Reigns serving as the muscle to Rollins' technical prowess and Ambrose's lunacy. Together, they won multiple tag team championships and feuded with top superstars like John Cena and The Undertaker.
But Reigns always had his sights set on the top prize in the business: the WWE Universal Championship. He would get his chance in 2015 when he won the Royal Rumble match, granting him a shot at the championship at WrestleMania 31. Reigns would defeat Brock Lesnar in what many consider one of the greatest matches in WrestleMania history, capturing his first world championship.
From there, Reigns became the face of the company, feuding with the likes of AJ Styles, Bray Wyatt, and Braun Strowman. However, it was his battles with his former Shield brethren Rollins and Ambrose that launched Reigns into superstardom. The three engaged in a bitter feud over the WWE Championship in 2016, culminating in a Triple Threat match at Battleground. Reigns emerged victorious, cementing his legacy as one of WWE's top talents.
In 2018, Reigns' career took a personal turn when he announced that he had been diagnosed with leukemia, a battle he had fought and overcome 11 years earlier. The news shook the wrestling world, with fans and fellow superstars alike expressing their support for Reigns. Thankfully, Reigns announced in 2019 that his cancer was in remission, and he has since made a full return to the ring.
Reigns is once again at the top of the mountain, having captured the Universal Championship at SummerSlam 2020. But this time, something is different. He has taken on a sinister new persona, aligning himself with his cousin Jey Uso and adopting a more aggressive in-ring style. He is no longer the fan-favorite babyface, but rather a cold, calculating villain who will stop at nothing to retain his championship.
Roman Reigns' career has been one of the most captivating in the history of professional wrestling. From his days as a member of The Shield to his reign as the top guy in the company, he has left an indelible mark on the business. And with his new persona as the dominant Universal Champion, he's showing that there's still plenty of gas left in the tank. There's no telling what the future holds for Reigns, but one thing is for sure: he's not going anywhere anytime soon.
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