Roman Reigns might be one of WWE’s biggest stars, but don’t expect to find him working the locker room before a show. According to the Tribal Chief, there’s a reason he keeps to himself backstage—and it’s all about making sure the fans get the best version of him.
During his appearance on Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay, Reigns was asked why he, John Cena, The Rock and Batista all seem much quieter behind the scenes than they do in front of thousands of fans.
Reigns said they’re all different people, but believes they’ve developed a similar mindset after reaching the top of the business. Instead of spending all day socializing backstage, he’d rather save that energy for when it’s time to perform.
“I think we’re all very different personalities, but I think we are all cut from a similar fabric… when you find that success, it will shape you and mold you in a very similar way to where you see us all keep to ourselves, very reserved, and just conserving that social battery until it’s time to give it all to the crowd.”
He explained that WWE’s backstage environment isn’t always as simple as people think. Between the politics, the relationships and everything happening behind the curtain, it can sometimes feel just as demanding as being in the ring.
“There’s an etiquette and there’s a whole social and political scene to our business. So there’s something about backstage that can sometimes be as center stage as the ring can be at times.”
That realization changed how he approaches every show. Rather than worrying about being the most social person in the locker room, Reigns said he reminds himself who’s actually paying to see him.
“Who paid to see you today? Don’t forget about that paying customer that’s coming later. So sometimes I can’t run for governor back there. Sometimes I gotta hide and just conserve. I know I’m tired, I know I’m low, but I know I gotta be able to bring that main event energy.”
Shannon Sharpe then asked whether that approach could make other wrestlers think he’s unfriendly or standoffish. Reigns admitted that’s possible, but said he isn’t going to apologize for doing what he believes helps him perform at the highest level.
“I think it could go either way, and I don’t go out of my way to announce, you know, this is why I am the way I am… I look at it in a very football way. It’s about production.”
He even admitted he had to make a choice early in his career between trying to be everyone’s friend and becoming the superstar WWE expected him to be.
“So if I’m doing my job and I had to make that choice, do I wanna be one of the boys in the locker room, or do I wanna be a megastar? Do I wanna be a WWE superstar?… I don’t want them to lie about that. So I have to take it as seriously as possible.”
At the same time, the WWE World Heavyweight Champion said he still hopes the locker room understands where he’s coming from, because he does care about the people around him.
“Hopefully, they’ll be able to see this and they’ll be like, ‘Oh no, he means well. He really does.’… But it’s a complicated position because you want to do everything you can to lock in to give the greatest performance, but you also wanna… give back to the people who are gonna hold this up, the people who are gonna follow you. So yeah, it’s a juggling act, for sure.”
For Reigns, staying quiet backstage isn’t about acting like he’s above anyone else. It’s simply part of how he prepares. If conserving his energy helps him deliver in the main event, he’s perfectly fine letting his performance do the talking.
Do you think Roman Reigns has the right approach, or should top stars spend more time interacting backstage with the rest of the locker room? 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.
