Roman Reigns has once again pushed back on criticism that his success in WWE is the product of years of favoritism from the company.
In a recent interview on NotSam Wrestling, Reigns said his commercial results have always justified his standing among the top names in wrestling.
Reigns also addressed the attention his name draws on social media, saying many people use his popularity to drive views.
“We’re in a world now where views are currency, and when you’re speaking about wrestling, if you want to maximize your views, you use my name. And that’s kind of what’s been happening.”
The criticism has intensified in recent months, particularly after Conrad Thompson called Reigns one of the most overrated stars in WWE history.
Reigns, however, believes numbers matter more than individual opinions, a point he made while discussing how WWE decides who gets the top spots.
“But to say like, ‘Oh, they put you in a position.’ No, the numbers back up the positioning always.”
Reigns also pointed to LA Knight as an example. He defeated Knight at Money in the Bank on Saturday to retain the World Heavyweight Championship.
Praising Knight as a tremendous talent and a big merchandise seller, Reigns compared Knight’s sales with his own.
“The Big Dog moved more merch than LA Knight does. You know what I’m saying?”
Reigns added that those Big Dog sales dated back roughly eight years.
In 2023, WWE Shop released a list of its top 10 merchandise sellers, and Reigns sat at the top, slightly ahead of Knight. The ranking reflects how successful both have been in the business.
Reigns closed his argument by drawing a distinction between fan perception and the business criteria WWE’s decision-makers use. In his view, fans can question his career, but they are not always aware of the metrics that determined his position in the company.