Before becoming one of WWE’s biggest stars and potentially breaking into Hollywood, Roman Reigns led a very different life despite his famous wrestling family and a promising college football career. Born on May 25, 1985, in Pensacola, Florida, to Liati Joseph Anoai and Shikaanoai—one half of the legendary Wild Samoan tag team—Roman was the youngest of four siblings and gravitated towards football early, eventually playing at Georgia Tech alongside future NFL Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson. However, contrary to expectations, his career took an unexpected path.
Roman was not selected in the 2007 NFL Draft but signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Vikings. During training, he was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, a serious type of cancer, and began treatment that led to remission. Though he missed valuable training time and didn’t make the NFL roster, he briefly played in the Canadian Football League before being released. During this time, he worked installing office furniture with family members before deciding to pursue wrestling, joining WWE’s developmental system where his cousins Jimmy and Jay Uso also worked. A pivotal conversation with his father inspired him to stay patient and committed.
He started in WWE’s Florida Championship Wrestling in 2010 as Leakee before the brand transitioned into NXT, where he was renamed Roman Reigns. After training a few years, he debuted on WWE’s main roster in 2012 as part of The Shield, a popular trio. Although the group was successful, WWE controversially broke them up in 2014 to focus on Roman’s solo career. Fans were initially resistant to his solo push, partly because of his famous cousin Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s shadow, but WWE’s then-CEO Vince McMahon kept faith in Roman’s potential.
In October 2018, Roman revealed he was battling chronic myeloid leukemia for the second time, pausing his push and relinquishing his titles to focus on treatment. He returned in February 2019 and reunited with The Shield, which marked a turning point in fan support. After a brief hiatus during the early COVID-19 pandemic, Roman came back in August 2020, leading a new faction called The Bloodline, further cementing his legacy as one of the era’s most dominant and respected wrestlers. Now highly regarded by fans despite a part-time schedule, Roman is steadily building a movie career, seemingly following in The Rock’s footsteps toward Hollywood.
Fan Take: Roman Reigns’ story is a testament to resilience and the power of perseverance, resonating deeply with WWE fans who admire not just his athleticism but his character. His journey from hardship to superstardom underscores the evolving nature of sports entertainment and hints at a future where wrestling stars can successfully cross over into mainstream pop culture.
