During a recent chat with SI Media podcast, WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns addressed WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray’s controversial remarks about Jon Moxley’s return promo on AEW Dynamite.
“I didn’t actually see the take from Bubba, but I’ve seen some of the responses to it,” Reigns said. “And I look at it kind of in both perspectives. I understand what Bubba is saying only because I’ve been in these systems and worked for, you know, a billion-dollar promotion and entertainment company, being WWE. And Bubba has too and these are some of the mindsets of kind of the direction that you can handle some of these situations because, at the end of the day, we are performers. We’re entertainers and we want to be there for our fanbase.
“I mean, we continued through a pandemic, you know what I mean? Obviously, it’s a business and you know, we’re all trying to make a living. But that’s what makes our product special. For pretty much any promotion, there’s no season it, you know? So we try to give our fanbase as much as we can.”
Reigns pointed out how very few wrestlers maintain kayfabe in 2022, and why some promos, like the one delivered by Moxley, blur the lines between reality and character work.
“So I can see where he’s [Bully] coming from, but I think in this day and age, there’s not like too much kayfabe,” Reigns said. “I might be one of the most kayfabe performers out there. There’s so many cracks to see through, the blinds to see into backstage now and there’s so many people getting rumors and info and breaking this news and stuff like that. But I think in this day and age, especially with, you know, how much awareness there is for mental health and taking care of yourself and prioritizing you.”
Reigns then lauded his former Shield stablemate for being “responsible enough” to seek help.
“I don’t think he owes anyone an apology,” Reigns stressed. “I think the fact that he was responsible enough to do what needed to be done and also not shy away from it to help other people. You rarely talk about those people that are just, 100% inspired and motivated by what Mox did and having that brutal honesty with themselves and everyone else for the matter. I don’t think he owes anyone an apology, I see where Bubba could be coming from, in a very corporate mindset of, you know prioritizing our fans. But at the end of the day, we do so much for these fans. We don’t deliver the mail, it don’t feel good to do what we do. And obviously, it’s a choice, but it’s not like they’re just giving their money to us and we’re not doing anything. It’s a service and we’re performing that service.”
When asked to address Seth Rollins name-dropping “Mox” during their promo segment on last week’s SmackDown, Reigns said he’ll always have a “deep love and respect” for both his former Shield brothers.
“I never shy away from my history,” Reigns admitted. “Those two are my brothers. Mox sat there, I mean we’ve done, achieved, gone through the highs and lows, the ebbs and flows of it all. So that’ll never change anything, I’ll always have a deep love and respect for both of those guys.
“Mox was actually, I mean, he’ll probably actually tell you too, me and him were like, super tight. Within the Shield and maybe even a little bit closer. They may have been like, super bonded through wrestling and what they have done in FCW, and prior to WWE. But when it comes to just like, whether we were wrestlers or not, me and Mox, we’re friends you know what I mean? Like we’re the kind that can just hang out and have a beer. Well, I guess not anymore.”
