“Didn’t wanna be a shadow,” 69-year old HOF’er says Roman Reigns doesn’t want to be counted as a shadow of The Rock

Former Intercontinental champion and WWE Hall of Famer appreciated the abilities of Roman Reigns and stated he didn't want to fall under the shadow of his cousin The Rock.

“Didn’t wanna be a shadow,” 69-year old HOF’er says Roman Reigns doesn’t want to be counted as a shadow of The Rock

The Rock and Roman Reigns at Royal Rumble 2015(via-WWE)

Ever since splitting from The Shield, Roman Reigns has been a mainstay in the WWE as a top star. After failing miserably as the company’s biggest babyface, Roman turned heel in 2020, joining forces with Paul Heyman.The meteoric rise of his career started with Reigns introducing his character as the Tribal Chief of The Bloodline. For almost three years, Roman and The Bloodline have been dominating the WWE scene. With Reigns also holding the undisputed WWE Universal championship.

In a recent interview with Bill Apter, WWE Hall of Famer and former I.C. champion Ricky Steamboat discussed the rise of Roman Reigns. Appreciating Reigns, Steamboat said, “He was the kind of guy who would open up and try to do anything that would make him better“. Ricky also addressed Roman not wanting to be a shadow of The Rock.

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Ricky stated, “He didn’t wanna be a shadow of The Rock, and he had a Hollywood movie star face. And that was a big plus right there for the girls. But very tight family man, with his family, his kids, very tight”. Overall, Steamboat had nothing but praise for the Tribal Chief and sees a bright future for him in Hollywood following his wrestling career as well.

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Speaking of The Rock, the dream match between Roman and Rock was rumored to take place at WrestleMania 39. The story was there, as Rock also belongs to the Samoan Bloodline. However, it’s almost confirmed now that The Rock is not going to return for the most anticipated match this year. But never say never, as The Rock could challenge Roman in the future, and fans could see a dream match.

Related: Paul Heyman pitches Emmy award for Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns is set to main event WrestleMania again this year

Roman Reigns vs Cody Rhodes
Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes WrestleMania 39(via-WWE)

In the upcoming Elimination Chamber PLE, Roman Reigns is set to defend his Undisputed title against Sami Zayn. If Roman is able to retain his title by beating Sami in Montreal, he will go on to main event WrestleMania 39. The Tribal Chief winning at the chamber is the most likely scenario, as he could not lose the title before the show of shows. And to quote Paul Heyman, “It’s not a prediction, it’s a spoiler.”

After overcoming Sami, Reigns will have his eyes set on the 2023 men’s Rumble winner, Cody Rhodes. The main event match between Roman and Cody at WrestleMania has already started building up. Things have started to get personal after a classic promo segment between Rhodes and Heyman aired recently on Raw.

With the upcoming Show of Shows, Roman Reigns is set to headline WrestleMania for the seventh time in his career. After achieving this accolade, Reigns will be only behind Hulk Hogan in the most WrestleMania main events. With all being said, Roman is currently considered the biggest star in WWE and wrestling in general and deserves everything.

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