Why Roman Reigns Means Everything To The WWE Universe

This week on Raw, Roman Reigns told the WWE Universe that his cancer is in remission before putting an exclamation on his return with a trio of superman punches and a spear.

There’s no doubt that this was a special moment for the WWE Universe. When Roman Reigns announced his leukemia had returned in October and was forced to relinquish the Universal Championship, we knew Raw wouldn’t be the same without The Big Dog on the prowl. Later that night, Dean Ambrose betrayed Seth Rollins, setting the wheels in motion for a disjointed men’s main event scene.

As big as the void left in Raw by Reigns’s absence was, it paled in comparison to the hole in our hearts. Because when Reigns announced his battle with leukemia to the WWE Universe, there was this realization that we had taken Reigns for granted. This is a man who lifted others up, brought his best to that ring every single week, and inspired fans of all ages and backgrounds. And despite all of this, he still received boo’s from the crowd and hatred on social media that made many of us embarrassed as wrestling fans.

A small segment of the wrestling fanbase will still say anything to discredit Roman’s greatness in the ring, promos, and character, with some even going as far as to question the legitimacy of Reigns’s cancer diagnosis. These misconceptions have been addressed forcefully, and anyone who perpetuates this nonsense or does not condemn this behavior should be swiftly unfollowed/muted/blocked/etc.

Yet these people do not represent the wrestling fanbase, because there are so many fans who have been touched by Reigns. They look up to him for what he stands for, and his battle with leukemia has only given them more inspiration to spread the love of life to those around them.

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Reigns’s return to Raw summed up his impact on the wrestling industry perfectly. Not only was it an emotional moment that brought many of us to tears and was covered extensively in the mainstream media, but it also exemplified Reigns’s unselfishness.

Even though this moment was supposed to be all about him announcing that his cancer is in remission, he made it about the WWE Universe. Reigns declared, “This is our yard,” after drinking in the audience’s warm welcome. The Big Dog has always valued the fans, even when many of them didn’t pay it forward, and it just speaks to the kind of man he is.

But as @devin_gonzalez3 told me, Reigns doesn’t care if fans boo or cheer him. If it means they are having a good time and letting off some steam (we all have tough lives and watch wrestling for fun), he is accomplishing one of his main goals as an entertainer.

"“Roman said it himself, he didn’t care whether we cheered or booed him. As long as we reacted, that’s all that really mattered to him. Tonight was really special for me personally as I am a big fan of his. Seeing the unwavering support he’s been getting from everyone really brought a tear to my eye. Reigns is respected by the fans because he’s one of the few wrestlers going today who is extremely unproblematic. Dude is a good noodle and that’s kinda rare in wrestling. He’s also a role model for many of the wrestlers in the back like Sasha Banks, Ricochet, and Aleister Black just to name a few. He never declares himself the locker room leader like some other straight edge wrestler which makes me respect him even more.”"

A leader in the locker room. Someone the other wrestlers in the building can look up to. Reigns is as genuine as they come, so the fact that his return to Raw was about the fans – and not him – didn’t surprise @PhoenixJustice, who gave some heartfelt words about Roman’s announcement.

"“Fans appreciate someone who is genuine. They want someone they can identify with, even in a small way. And we humans, if anything else, know what it’s like to struggle. And to overcome.I genuinely thought his appearance was exactly as it needed to be. It was all about him. No announcers, no nothing else. Just him in the ring. Well, him and the fans. The fans were everything we could have hoped for. THAT is how you welcome someone who has fought hard. Respect is a two way street. And Reigns has never failed to give us, the fans, respect even when some people thoughtlessly didn’t give him the same in return. This was a perfect appearance. And with Seth at the end there, it was the cherry on top of the cake. The only way it would have been better is Dean had been out there too.For me, what makes me a fan of Roman? Again, it’s back to genuine. He’s genuine in everything he does and he never gives less than his all in everything. He could have been a person to just sit back and rest on his laurels when he was being pushed the hardest, but no, he wanted to FIGHT for it. He is not someone who wants anything handed to him. He fights for everything and I can’t help but love that. He’s the Big Brother to Dean and Seth and really has become the heart of WWE. He deserves the whole world.”"

Note: Dean Ambrose would have been out there, but he was so overcome with emotion (insert sobbing emoji here) that he decided not to, per Fightful.com’s Sean Ross Sapp.

@UndisputedColby is a Roman Reigns fan, and she had the pleasure of meeting the SummerSlam 2018 hero in person. She also spoke about how she became a fan of Reigns’s, using the perfect word to describe him: magical.

"“I’m not going to lie but the announcement that he was even returning made me so nervous. I didn’t know what to expect, I was scared cause you never know but also hopeful that he beat it again. I missed him so much so I was excited to see him also. Roman coming out tonight and the reaction, the good news, the smile that he had… it was beautiful.I think I became a fan of Roman without realizing. It’s sound crazy but I remember I wasn’t watching wrestling at the time and I randomly turned to it and the Shield was on the screen. I was instantly drawn to him, I’m still a fan cause you can see the passion and hard work, and love he has for this business. Meeting him a couple times and he’s the sweetest man ever. I have a video on my profile of him goofing with me and a couple friends. That man is magical I’m telling you.”"

Likewise, @GlowESTBoss met Reigns recently, and she can also speak to his character and the impact his story has on her as a fan.

"“Roman Reigns is like one of those guys that just exudes passion and love for what he does and for everyone around him. From his family and friends, to his coworkers, to us fans. Having met him a few weeks ago he’s a genuinely nice, gracious guy and his story is so inspirational. He takes everything thrown at him and makes something out of it. He’s a damn good wrestler and entertainer and he gives his all every time he goes out there. Him overcoming his battle with cancer made him that much more inspiring. A fighter in and out of the ring that reminds us all to keep going and fight with heart and faith in whatever you do.”"

These are just four members of the WWE Universe, too, because there are so many other fans who have sent Reigns their well-wishes. And these people have looked up to Reigns even before October last year, as his hard work, dedication, love for the business, and love for those around him was always evident. Even though it hurts that many of us didn’t truly recognize his importance sooner, it’s better late than never. Roman, for his part, has treated every wrestling fan warmly, whether they booed or cheered him.

During his speech on Monday, Reigns pledged to fight to raise awareness and help others for the rest of his life, and it’s a fight against both cancer and a broader fight for unity that we can all partake in. Reigns’s fight against leukemia and commitment to excellence in and out of the ring means everything to WWE fans, who are ready to spread the love in 2019 and beyond, fighting with, as @GlowESTBoss said, heart and faith in everything they do.

Bringing everyone together is the ultimate goal, and it was striking to see how many fans were unified in their support of Roman Reigns on Monday night. It’s that kinship among wrestling fans that means the most, so while Reigns was once known as the most polarizing figure in WWE, perhaps his lasting legacy will be as one of those inspirational figures in wrestling who found a way to help unite a diverse – and often fragmented – fandom.