Roman Reigns has heard the nepotism talk surrounding his family, and he’s not pretending the Anoa’i name hasn’t played a role in his wrestling journey. But as far as Reigns is concerned, carrying that name comes with a whole lot more pressure than people on the outside might realize.
Speaking on Club Shay Shay, Reigns was discussing the meaning behind his Samoan name and something his father once told him about it meaning “last man standing.” That eventually turned into a bigger conversation about his family’s decades-long connection to professional wrestling and why keeping that legacy going matters so much to him.
For Reigns, WWE isn’t simply the company where he happens to work. He considers professional wrestling the family business, and he pointed out that different members of his family have found completely different ways to keep that connection alive.
“I mean, you know, that’s the way we look at it. This is our family business. We want to always be a part of it. Sometimes you can do that in, you know, like a quick stint and a flash and just boom — you know, like, you can be very popular — and sometimes you have a different route, like Rikishi, where you go through a lot of different phases.”
Reigns believes every generation has done its part to keep the family tied to wrestling, and now he sees that responsibility falling partly on him. His goal isn’t just to protect his own spot but to make sure the relationship between his family and WWE remains strong.
“But each one represented our family and kept us tied to the business. So, I just want to do my part, you know, and just continue to push our legacy, continue to keep us on stable ground as far as a family business and being connected to the WWE and being a good patron of that and that partnership.”
That’s where the nepotism conversation came into play. Reigns knows people can look at his family tree and argue that having generations of wrestlers before him gave him an advantage, but he sees another side of carrying that name every time he walks through the curtain.
“But yeah, every time I step out there — like the people that say the nepotism — there’s so much that I’m representing. I have a lot on, you know, on the line. There’s a lot at stake when I step out there to perform, because I’m not just representing myself.”
Reigns said he feels like he’s carrying his entire family history with him whenever he performs. That includes the generations who came before him and helped create the opportunities that eventually allowed him to build the career and life he has today.
“I’m representing my entire, you know, lineage, right? Everyone that came before me, all my ancestors that laid down the groundwork that I could do what I do and live at this — you know, live this life that I’m living — it’s all due to that. So, I try to rep that every day.”
Reigns isn’t exactly running away from the advantages that come with his family name. His argument is that the same legacy that helped open doors also gives him an entire family reputation to carry every time he steps into a WWE ring.
What do you think about Roman Reigns’ response to the nepotism criticism surrounding his family’s place in WWE? Let us know in the comments below.
This transcript was produced exclusively for Ringside News from the original recording. Republishing the transcription in full is prohibited. When using excerpts, provide prominent credit and a link to this article.
