Roman Reigns On Ryback's Claim About Finish Being Changed, His Relationship With Seth Rollins Now
Recently on Talk Is Jericho, former WWE United States Champion Chris Jericho spoke with fellow WWE Superstar Roman Reigns, who got in-depth about The Shield. Also, Reigns talked about the harmonious WWE locker room and why he stopped coming through the crowd in his entrance.
According to Reigns, The Shield was originally CM Punk's idea for a security team and that 'The Voice Of The Voiceless' had people in mind for the faction and Reigns was not one of them.
"It could be a little off, but apparently I guess [it was] Punk's idea to have security or whatever. And he had a group of guys, I believe were in there, but I wasn't one of those guys. No, I was picked by Triple H and Vince [McMahon], of course."
During the interview Reigns said that Shield stablemate Seth Rollins was the top guy in FCW and that he is glad he did not have to stay in NXT for long.
"Seth was top guy the whole time in FCW. He was the man and I was just kind of learning." Reigns continued, "I'm glad I didn't sit down there or stay in NXT and move to Orlando [Florida] because the best way to learn is out there."
Reigns recalled that Joey Mercury told The Shield trio to stick together on the main roster, watch each other's back, and be seen together.
"I think just from his experience in the time he had been up here and the different times of the different runs that he had, and seeing the locker room and things like that, and just to watch out for each other and just to build that brotherhood because if you're that way in real life and you're sticking together, it will help you onscreen anyway, so it just makes you a tighter unit. And I think that's what helped us."
Moreover, in Reigns' estimation, The Shield was "so powerful and so impactful" because the members treated each other like brothers.
"I think that's one thing about The Shield that I really enjoyed, we were a real team. Do you know what I mean? Like, we celebrated together. We sold together. It was really cool to me and I think it's what got us over, the fact that we treated each other like brothers out there."
Reigns acknowledged that part of sticking together for The Shield extended to booking plans backstage. The muscle of The Shield admitted that 'The Hounds Of Justice' got an outcome for the six-man tag team match with Ryback, John Cena, and Sheamus at Elimination Chamber (2013) changed.
"I feel like I heard it on Ryback's little shoot interview or whatever that they were booking? we were in a six-man and they booked Cena to go over because he was about to go into 'Mania against The Rock and stuff. And that was true and came together and we got that switched and Cena was a good sport about it. Yeah, he understood. We took the win because we're a team and these are top Superstars, no doubt, but we are a team. That's our gimmick. Do you know what I mean?"
When asked whether he agreed with the decision to break up The Shield in March 2014, Reigns responded in the negative, saying that the group should have had a longer babyface run.
"Naw, I thought it was too early. I thought we needed like a long [babyface run]. I thought we needed a longer babyface run and I thought we could. Hell, I thought I was going to get a hot tag for a minute. Do you know what I mean? And it was working. It was helping all of us." Reigns continued, "for them to really care about our breakup, they need to love us and I thought that we were going to have the ability to make them love us. And we hoped we could change our characters a little bit. The way we broke up and how early it was and then just the way it went, we weren't able to do that."
Reigns said Dean Ambrose is a cool, laid back guy that takes a while to get to know and that 'The Lunatic Fringe' is in his inner circle. Reigns went on to say that he has better relationship with Rollins now and that 'The Architect' is a good guy with "a different vibe".
"You have to get to know him. He's like a book. You've got to read a few pages, but he's a cool dude. He's a laid back guy. Like most of us, when he starts drinking, he talks more. Do you know what I mean? He tells his stories and stuff, but he's a close-knit guy and it's cool I'm in his group. He's in my group. We just clicked off the get-go. And I learned a lot from those guys. But even Seth, we get along a lot better, I think, now too just because we've just done this dance now. We've done it a few years. We've pulled the wagon for a little while together and we understand each other a lot better now, so I'm happy about that that as well."
In Reigns' view, there is no political backstabbing in 'The Big Dog”s yard and that being in the locker room is his comfort zone.
"That's my comfort zone, being with the boys and being in the locker room and just all of the towns. And we've been everywhere and we've seen nothing, but we have so many memories with these same people and that's why we're a family and that's why you have to be a close as we are. I think that's why this business is so strong, because we go our there and we do the ultimate favor for each other. We kick each other's ass and love each other for it. So it's a strange group." Reigns added, "It was like a competitive hate. I feel like we have a competitive love. Do you know what I mean? Like, I like competing with top-of-the-line wrestlers, but, like, they can still be my friend. I don't feel like I have to be dirty or malicious or, like, pull strings behind-the-scenes. Let's just go out there and bust our ass every night and be as good as we're supposed to be and we'll be alright. Like, just don't stink out the joint and I think that's where we're thriving and that's what makes it easy for me, is we are friends. Do you know what I mean? It's a tough life and it's a tough schedule, but if you're doing it with people you care for and enjoying being around them? You can't go wrong."
Reigns shared that he stopped making his entrance through the crowd because it became a security concern.
"Oh, they'll grab you now. I've had my d-ck grabbed. Yeah, like, in Europe. A few other places, my butt. Somebody got up in there once and it made me jump. Do you know what I mean? And I'm on steps, so what if I fall, lady?" Reigns explained, "and it was cool, but sometimes it gets scary because some places? You'll be in some countries and the culture is different, they're very touchy and they'll grab you and they go crazy. And we've had that before and there's only so much security. And it gets to a point and that's why we had to kind of ixnay on it for me."
Check out 'The Pod Of Thunder And Rock & Roll' here. If you use any of the quotes from this article, please credit Talk Is Jericho with an H/T to WrestlingINC for the transcription.
Source: Talk Is Jericho