Roman Reigns: "The fans' reactions forced me to evolve"

The trajectory of Roman Reigns in WWE has been a real rollercoaster. The Samoan made a big impact in his debut with The Shield, but ended up becoming the target of fan anger when the company's management, especially Vince McMahon, insisted on making him the new top babyface of WWE. A decision that did not sit well with fans, who booed "The Big Dog" throughout this period.

However, everything changed in 2020, when Reigns became "The Tribal Chief". A character that, despite being a heel, resonated with the audience, thus achieving what he could never accomplish as a face: being acclaimed and respected by the fans. In fact, it was ultimately the fans who ended up forcing this change, as Reigns pointed out in a recent appearance on the podcast What's Your Story? with Stephanie McMahon.

"In the end... the challenges, pressures, and fan reactions forced me to evolve, not only as a performer, but as a person," said Roman. "What seemed like a 'failed' stage was necessary for me to discover who I really am, in front of the fans and for myself."

Despite his status as a part-time superstar, Reigns remains one of the pillars of the company, generating huge reactions with each of his appearances. A success that "The Tribal Chief" attributes to his work ethic and his constant strive for improvement.

"At the end of the day, you have to dedicate time, you have to give it your all. You have to accumulate your 10,000 hours, and you have to approach mastering what you're trying to do before you can fully commit," explained the former Undisputed WWE Champion.

"When you've done something over and over... you reach the point where you've done it so many times that you know how to polish it, how to improve it," he continued. "When we do our promos, I'm always thinking: How do I adjust it? Because I tend to talk too much. How do I make it more concise, more straight to the point?"

Roman also places great importance on respect, both in the locker room and in everyday life. "Being late is actually a lack of respect for other people's time. Other people's time is as important as yours, so be punctual," he said in this regard.

Roman Reigns will face Bronson Reed in a singles match next Sunday at WWE Clash in Paris. "The OTC" will try to get his revenge on the Australian, who has taken advantage of his recent attacks on the Samoan - as well as the theft of his sneakers - to gain notoriety as "The Tribal Thief", the bearer of the "Shoe-La-Fala". A curious gimmick that has gone viral on the Internet in recent weeks.