Like any other entertainment company, WWE has always needed a representative to carry its image and message. Through their eras, fans have seen the likes of Bruno Sammartino, Hulk Hogan, The Rock, John Cena. Each was chosen to be a “top guy”, the pinnacle of all superstars and the person who carries the core values that the company wants to present to the audience.
Roman Reigns has been put in that position by WWE. However, there is always a group of people who oppose WWE’s decisions, like in the era of Hulk Hogan, or John Cena. So, what is the story of Roman Reigns? Are the protests of a group of fans justified?
Roman Reigns is the name that promises to become the face of WWE after the John Cena era.
Family tree of brothers full of “veterans” of WWE
Roman Reigns’ real name is Leati Joseph Anoa’i. He is a former football player who played for the NFL and CFL (Canadian Football League).
After 2008, he decided to pursue a career in wrestling. Having been a professional athlete, Roman Reigns’ physical abilities were already honed. However, the key factor that determined his future career was not his natural physique.
Physically superior, but that’s not what launched Roman Reigns to fame at WWE
He is a child of the Anoa’i family, a famous family with a long tradition in American wrestling. His father and uncles were all wrestlers, as were his cousins such as Rikishi, Umaga, Yokozuna, The Usos and even Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
Being born into such a traditional family was not only a good environment for him to learn valuable professional experiences from his father and uncle, but also an ideal start when most of the members of the Anoa’i family joined WWE, the world’s largest wrestling company.
The Anoa’i House has produced WWE legends throughout the company’s history.
Time in FCW/NXT
After completing basic training, he was sent straight to Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW), a division of WWE, and where WWE tests future talent.
For a normal wrestler, they have to spend a certain amount of time fighting in independent companies, learning on their own, and showing off their skills to catch the eye of WWE recruiters. But for Roman Reigns, he has been in the WWE’s backyard since birth.
While other young wrestlers had to struggle in small companies, Roman Reigns started his main career in the WWE’s backyard.
From there, Roman was surrounded by WWE’s handpicked trainers and was placed in a safe, professional work environment. His first ring name was Roman Leakee, then shortened to Leakee, and finally Roman Reigns when FCW reorganized into what is now NXT.
His early steps in FCW/NXT showed his potential when he continuously participated in title matches. But the highlight of his time in FCW/NXT was when he participated in a triple threat match with Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins to win the title. This was a match that marked the great chemistry between all 3 members of The Shields when they performed an impressive match.
Leakee VS Seth Rollins VS Dean Ambrose – The match that set the stage for The Shields later on
Impressive Main Roster Debut
At the 2012 Survivor Series title match between John Cena, CM Punk and Ryback, Roman Reigns, along with Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins, made a surprise debut.
In black suits, Dean Abrose, Seth Rollins, and Roman Reign emerged from the crowd, pummeled Cena, and Powerbombed Ryback through the announce table to allow CM Punk to easily win. Their powerful debut that night set the stage for a bright future for all three.
In 2012, The Shield was born and made a splash just like Nexus before.
And gradually, Roman Reigns was noticed by fans. With his big, muscular appearance and powerful attacks, he became the most loved member of The Shield (the trio Ambrose-Rollins-Reigns).
Typically, in the Royal Rumble 2014 event, he was the most cheered person. In that match, he eliminated 12 other opponents out of 30 wrestlers participating. Although he failed to win, Roman Reigns has since been like a breath of fresh air, making WWE followers look forward to what he can do in the future.
Of course WWE has plans for Roman Reigns. From the above pieces, the day Roman Reigns rises and becomes a separate star at the top of the company is not far away.
However, the factors that helped Roman Reigns rocket to success in WWE were also the very things that brought him down to the mud and were fiercely boycotted.
