Roman Reigns believes he has reached a point in his career where his spot at the top of WWE can be used directly to elevate the company’s next generation of major stars.
Reigns, the current World Heavyweight Champion, told Complex in a recent interview that he feels a greater responsibility to share his experience with talent still trying to reach his level.
“I do think with where I’m at, there is a responsibility to try to tap into the future. Give them time to tap into my experience and my mindset and what makes me tick and what allows me to be successful.”
Reigns compared his situation to that of The Undertaker, who for years was a constant presence in the locker room and served as something of a go-to figure for younger wrestlers.
“The Undertaker, before the bus system came around, he was always in the locker room, so he was able to have that Godfather effect. I’m not just in the middle of all the talent anymore, so these guys can’t really use me as the resource.”
Still, Reigns believes WWE itself can use the considerable star power he has built to push talent who already have a connection with fans.
“It’s one thing to have a match with me. It’s another to be the guy that we’re working towards to transition from me, or to use my equity to then put a rocket on that guy’s back.”
“If you’re in the ring with me, your value’s going up,” Reigns said. “It sounds arrogant, but I don’t mean it that way. I just mean that if you get in the ring with me, you’re gonna get the very best Roman Reigns.”
A recent example came on the September 14 episode of Raw in Mexico City, where Reigns retained the World Heavyweight Championship in a hard-fought match against Penta.
Reigns is scheduled to make his next major defense of the title against LA Knight at Money in the Bank on October 10.