"Didn't wanna be a shadow of The Rock" - Veteran on Roman Reigns; says he was one of the "nicest" guys (Exclusive)
WWE legend Ricky Steamboat recently spoke about training Roman Reigns in FCW and revealed how he never wanted to remain under the shadow of The Rock.
Steamboat worked as a trainer and producer for WWE from 2005 to 2014. One of the performers the former Intercontinental Champion saw grow right in front of his eyes was Roman Reigns, who joined the company in 2010. Unlike his self-centered and egotistical on-screen character, Steamboat's comments paint The Tribal Chief as a dedicated and hardworking person in real life.
Speaking to Senior Journalist Bill Apter of Sportskeeda Wrestling, Ricky Steamboat stated that Reigns was one of the nicest and most respectful athletes in FCW at the time.
"Probably one of the most nicest, most respectful, and polite guys at that school at the time," said Ricky Steamboat. [0:43 - 0:51]
Furthermore, Steamboat recalled how the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion was always ready to learn and improve his craft. The wrestling legend added that Reigns never wanted to be in the shadow of his cousin, The Rock. Ricky Steamboat also pointed out how Roman Reigns was a dedicated family man.
"He was the kind of guy who would open up and try to do anything that would make him better. 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," added Ricky Steamboat. [1:28 - 2:17]
Check out the full video below:
Paul Heyman thinks Roman Reigns should win an Emmy
It's no secret that The Tribal Chief avatar has allowed Roman Reigns to flex his acting muscles like never before. His interactions with all his rivals, especially with Sami Zayn, brought out the most menacing and terrifying side of him.
In a recent interview, Reigns' Special Counsel, Paul Heyman, stated that his client deserves an Emmy award for his performance. The former ECW Executive added that the fact that people didn't yet respect The Tribal Chief was disconcerting.
“I will honestly state that I’ll put Roman Reigns and his portrayal of The Tribal Chief up against anybody right now in how he has approached a reality-based character of the top star of the industry... And the fact that he’s not recognized by the people that are there to reward such performances with an award, to me, is disconcerting," said Paul Heyman.
Roman Reigns saying that he wants to break Sami Zayn in front of his family like he broke The Bloodline was deep.
I can't wait for this match. https://t.co/ZWGH7CER4z
The Bloodline leader is set to defend his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Sami Zayn at Elimination Chamber 2023.
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