WWE Superstar Roman Reigns is gearing up for the biggest match of his career at Wrestlemania 31 against Brock Lesnar for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Reigns is part of a strong Samoan-American wrestling dynasty, his father was Sika, part of the Wild Samoans. Other members of the Samoan dynasty are Dwyane ”The Rock” Johnson, soon to be Hall of Famer Rikishi and current WWE superstars, the Usos.
Reigns made his WWE debut in 2012 as a member of The Shield where he saw success as a tag team champion and in 2014 he eliminated a record 12 superstars in the Royal Rumble and earned himself the Slammy Award for Superstar of the Year. In 2015, he won the Royal Rumble match and now he has his eye on the gold and to capture the WWE World Heavyweight Championship for the first time in his career.
TheCelebrityCafe.com caught up with Reigns about his match at Wrestlemania and and his work with the Snickers as part of the 'You’re Not You When You’re Hungry’ campaign.
TheCelebrityCafe.com: You’re three days away from probably the biggest match of your career against Brock Lesnar. What emotions are going through your head right now.
Roman Reigns: There is no probably, it’s certainly the biggest match of my life, it’s possibly the biggest moment of my life. For me it’s all about capturing this moment. This is such a great opportunity it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity, so I’m not going into this thinking it’s going to happen again. I’m going in thinking this is my only shot and lets get it done.
TCC: Your cousin, The Rock has main evented Wrestlemania before. Has he given you any advice?
RR: He has. Anytime you are involved in such a big matchup or huge moment, his advice was to just live in that moment, be in it, don’t worry about all the things that are coming with it. Don’t worry about the pressure or the responsibility. Just live in it, have fun and when everything seems to be going right just stay humble and remember your family.
TCC: Speaking of family, your cousin Rikishi and the Usos will be in attendance, Rikishi is also going into the WWE Hall of Fame. What does it mean to you that they will be there?
RR: It’s awesome. It’s great when great things are happening to you, but when you can share it with people, with loved ones and relatives, people who always have your back, that’s so important and we are just so proud of him you know Rikishi. He has done so many different characters and such a true talent. To be able to stay around and have that longevity, that not only shows how he holds up physically but mentally, to be able to change things up and refresh himself, it really speaks volumes to the performer he is and was.
TCC: With Wrestlemania being obviously the biggest match of your career. Is there any match that stands as your most memorable?
RR: It may be because it’s the most recent but the match with Daniel Bryan at Fastlane. That was a very special match, it did a lot for the build up to Wrestlemania, but to be in the ring with a great competitor like Daniel Bryan is always a good situation for a performer, so that is the one I’m holding on to the most right now.
TCC: Do you have a dream match against The Rock or anyone else?
RR: A lot of those guys The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, John Cena on this level, but I think I’m in the one I want to be in and the one I’m supposed to be in. Brock Lesnar is a great champion. He is hard hitting, brutal competitor and I’m looking forward to it. I’m looking forward to putting on an intense, very aggressive, brutal match and hopefully take people on a rollercoaster ride and tear it down.
TCC: What has been your reaction to the fans’ criticism, In the summer you were the fan favorite then you got hurt and when you came back Daniel Bryan also came back and the reaction shifted and the fans started booing you and didn’t think you were ready. Do you have something to say about the criticism from the fans?
RR: That’s the world we live in. Everyone’s a critic, when you are doing something good everybody wants to bring you down and that’s something I’ve been told. People want to see you do good, but not too good. For me, I’m just going to stay within myself and continue to do the things I do. I love what I do whether they cheer or boo me getting in that ring and having the health to perform you never know when that rug is going to be pulled and I experienced that in football and with the hernia surgery and the injury not too long ago.
It’s just live in the moment, enjoy everything coming at you and right now there is a whole bunch of things coming at me and that’s the great part of being involved in Wrestlemania. I get to partner up with all different types of opportunities. This morning, I’m here and we’re really excited about the “Who Are You When You’re Hungry” contest with Snickers and that’s the crazy part is you never know what can happen when you’re hungry. You explained a lot of what I did in WWE, check out the Snickers Facebook page, you will see a different side of me. You will see a different guy you see in the ring a self conscious, anxious, a little bit questionable character there and luckily there was a Snicker bar on site so I could take a big bite out and feel a whole lot better.
TCC: I saw the commercial with Renee Young and is that who you really who you are? Are you anxious outside the ring?
RR: I think when I’m hungry and I think you can add into this I think there a lot of emotions you go through when you are hungry, you become a different person. That’s the funny thing, that’s the cool goofy part of this, you know you can do anything you want, you can be anybody you want and for me to display a different emotion other than being this cool, calm, collective bad guy, It’s nice to get outside the box and show something different.
You can catch Roman Reigns in the main event at Wrestlemania 31 on Sunday March 29, at 7 p.m on the WWE network.