Born into a family with a long tradition in pro wrestling , Roman Reigns still tried a career in American football but ended up following in the footsteps of family members such as his father Sika Anoa’i, brother Rosey and cousins Yokozuna, Rikishi, Umaga, The Tonga Kid, Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso and The Rock.
Born on May 24, 1985 in Pensacola, Florida, Leati Joseph Anoaʻi by his real name has Samoan and Italian roots and only debuted in the ring in August 2010, at age 25, at the time already in WWE’s developmental territory. then Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW). Two years later he ascended to the main roster as part of The Shield.
After winning the WWE Tag Team Championship once alongside Seth Rollins while still a member of The Shield, he has already won the WWE United States Championship (one occasion), the WWE Intercontinental Championship (one), the WWE Championship (three) and the WWE Universal Championship (two), as well as the 2015 Royal Rumble .
He is currently the universal champion since August 30, 2020, after having been away from the ring between October 2018 and February 2019 to treat leukaemia and between March and August 2020 as a precaution during the outbreak of the covid-19 pandemic. , since it is immunosuppressed.
Fastlane 2015
Roman Reigns vs. Daniel Bryan
On the February 2 episode of Raw, Roman Reigns was manipulated by The Authority into accepting to defend his shot at the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 31 , something he had earned by winning the Royal Rumble match . That same night, Daniel Bryan beat Seth Rollins to earn the right to face Roman Reigns for the top contender position during the Fastlane pay-per-view.
WrestleMania 31
WWE World Heavyweight Championship :
Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Roman Reigns ( vs. Seth Rollins )
At the 2015 Royal Rumble, Brock Lesnar successfully defended the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against John Cena and Seth Rollins . However, Rollins still had in his possession the Money in the Bank suitcase, which guaranteed him an additional title shot whenever he wanted. At that same event, Roman Reigns won the Royal Rumble match, which earned him a title match at WrestleMania 31.
On the February 2 episode of Raw , Reigns agreed to put his lead contender status at Fastlane on the line and that same night Daniel Bryan beat Seth Rollins to face Reigns at the pay-per-view . At Fastlane , Reigns got the better of Bryan and retained the title shot against Lesnar at WrestleMania. Reigns and Lesnar had only two eye-to-eye interactions prior to WrestleMania , one of which was on the March 23 episode of Raw , in which the two clinched for the belt. Also at WrestleMania 31, Seth Rollins faced Triple H and was defeated, but The Architect ‘s night didn’t end in that match.
Fastlane 2016
Roman Reigns vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Brock Lesnar
At the 2016 WWE Royal Rumble, Triple H won the Royal Rumble match and captured the WWE World Heavyweight Championship by eliminating Dean Ambrose in last place .
The following night on Raw , Stephanie McMahon scored a triple threat match between Ambrose, former champion Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar for Fastlane , with the winner earning the right to face Triple H for the title at WrestleMania 32 .
Extreme Rules 2016
Extreme Rules – WWE World Heavyweight Championship :
Roman Reigns (c) vs. AJ Styles
On the first Raw after WrestleMania 32 , on April 4, AJ Styles won a four-way match to earn an opportunity to fight for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship . held by Roman Reigns. The following week, he retained the title opportunity by beating Sami Zayn.
On the April 25 episode, Styles saved Reigns from an attack by Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows, but Reigns attacked Styles afterwards.
In their duel at Payback, Reigns was defeated twice, first by countout and then by disqualification, but the match was restarted both times (first by Shane McMahon and then by Stephanie McMahon), making it a match with no disqualifications. After interference from Anderson, Gallows, and the Usos, Reigns got the victorious settlement. .
However, Vince, Shane, and Stephanie McMahon all agreed that Styles should have a rematch at Extreme Rules , in an Extreme Rules match . On the May 2 episode of Monday Night Raw , Anderson and Gallows wanted Styles to hit Reigns with a chair, but Styles refused. When the Usos attacked Styles from behind, Styles retaliated, only to be Powerbombed by Reigns at one of the commentators’ tables.
Royal Rumble 2017
WWE Universal Championship – No Disqualification match:
Kevin Owens (c) vs. Roman Reigns
At Roadblock: End of the Line in December 2016, Kevin Owens retained the title against then United States Champion Roman Reigns after Chris Jericho attacked Owens with a Codebreaker and caused him to be disqualified . After the match, Jericho , defeated by Rollins that night, revealed that this attack was part of a strategy for Owens to win and retain the belt. In retaliation, Reigns and Rollins delivered Double Powerbombs to Jericho and Owens at the commentator tables.
On the following night’s edition of Monday Night Raw , Owens and Jericho celebrated Owens’ victory, but General Manager Mick Foley appeared and announced that Roman Reigns would have a new title shot at the Royal Rumble , with Jericho suspended above the ring on the inside of a cage.
Two weeks later, Reigns defended the United States title in a handicap match against Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho , with the latter defeating Reigns and claiming the belt. Y2 J had his first title defense on Raw before the Royal Rumble and was disqualified against Reigns after Owens interfered. Owens and Jericho attempted to put Reigns in a cage, but Reigns fought back and locked Owens in the cage and elevated him above the ring, then delivered a Superman Punch and a Spear on Jericho.
SummerSlam 2017
WWE Universal Championship:
Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Roman Reigns vs. Samoa Joe vs. Braun Strowman
A champion since beating Goldberg at WrestleMania 33 , Brock Lesnar has not defended the WWE Universal Championship regularly. On the June 19 episode of Monday Night Raw , Roman Reigns proclaimed himself the main title contender at SummerSlam . That same night, Strowman returned from injury and cost Reigns a match against Samoa Joe, challenging him to an Ambulance match at the Great Balls of Fire .
In that PPV , Lesnar beat Samoa Joe for the title and Strowman defeated Reigns, although The Guy ended up later locking Strowman in the ambulance and destroying it with him inside.
That said, the following night Roman Reigns reiterated that he wanted to face Lesnar for the title at SummerSlam , but Lesnar said Reigns didn’t deserve it. Joe also claimed a new opportunity, so Raw General Manager Kurt Angle scheduled a match between Joe and Reigns for the following week to determine the main contender, but the match ended in a No Contest due to interference from Braun Strowman , who attacked the two fighters.
Faced with such an impasse, Kurt Angle ended up scoring a Fatal 4-Way title match for SummerSlam . However, Brock Lesnar and his attorney Paul Heyman contested the decision, as The Beast would not have to be defeated to lose the belt, and assured that Lesnar would leave WWE if another wrestler emerged champion.
TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs 2020
TLC Match; WWE Universal Championship:
Roman Reigns (c) vs. Kevin Owens
Since returning to the ring and winning the WWE Universal Championship at Payback 2020 , Roman Reigns has begun to proclaim himself as the “ Tribal Chief ” and “ Head of The Table ” of the Anoa’i family.
However, Jey Uso joined his cousin Roman Reigns after the latter defeated him in Hell in a Cell . In the months that followed, Jey and Kevin Owens had a falling out as members of Team SmackDown at Survivor Series , in a match in which Team Raw eventually won .
On the SmackDown episode following Survivor Series , Reigns criticized Jey Uso for the loss and stated that the other members of Team Smackdown did not respect Reigns or his family. That same night, an enraged Jey Uso intentionally disqualified himself in a match against Kevin Owens by attacking the opponent with a chair. However, Owens retaliated by executing several Stunners on Jey and then calling Reigns. The following week, Kevin Owens challenged Reigns to a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match for the WWE Universal Championship at the TLC pay-per-view and the champion accepted.
Fastlane 2021
WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Daniel Bryan
(Edge as Special Guest Enforcer)
Edge won the 2021 Royal Rumble despite entering first and earned the right to fight for a world title of his choice at WrestleMania 37 . The following week, the Rated-R Superstar appeared on Raw , NXT , and SmackDown and confronted the world champions of each brand , but clarified that he would wait until after the Elimination Chamber to make a decision.
At the pay-per-view , after universal champion Roman Reigns retained the title from Daniel Bryan, Edge appeared and speared Reigns , then pointed at the WrestleMania sign , implying that he had chosen to challenge Reigns for the WWE Universal Championship. , which was eventually confirmed. 48 hours earlier, Reigns had demanded that Edge choose him for him, in addition to having speared the Canadian. However, Daniel Bryan , who had faced Roman Reigns moments after winning an Elimination Chamber match , asked for a rematch. Therefore, for Fastlane , it was scheduled a new duel for the title between Bryan and Reigns, with Edge playing special guest enforcer.
WrestleMania 37
WWE Universal Championship:
Roman Reigns (c) vs. Edge vs. Daniel Bryan
At Fastlane , Roman Reigns emerged victorious, but after Edge attacked him and Bryan with a chair. That said, on the March 26 episode of SmackDown , it was announced that Roman Reigns would defend the Universal Championship against Daniel Bryan and Edge in a triple threat match at WrestleMania 37 .
SmackDown! (April 30, 2021)
WWE Universal Championship : Roman Reigns (c) vs. Daniel Bryan
At WrestleMania 37 , Roman Reigns retained the title from Daniel Bryan and Edge by laying down both simultaneously, after interference from Jey Uso. On the following episode of SmackDown, Cesaro confronted Roman Reigns, hinting that he wanted to fight for the WWE Universal Championship. However, instead of giving Cesaro a title match , Reigns gave Bryan one last shot at the title, but on the condition that Daniel Bryan leave Smackdown if he won, which he did, with Daniel Bryan leaving for AEW sometime afterwards.
