Roman Reigns reacts during the WWE Undisputed Championship match at the Royal Rumble at Tropicana Field. Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Hulk Hogan reveals admiration for Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns retained his Universal Championship at the Royal Rumble. With Solo Sikoa's help, Reigns had his hand raised in the fatal four-way against Randy Orton, LA Knight, and AJ Styles. For some fans, the consistent intervention of Sikoa is growing tiresome. Some believe the persistent cheating makes Reigns look like a weak champion.

Hulk Hogan is not one of those people. The two-time WWE Hall of Famer believes Reigns is operating on a level above the rest of the WWE roster and that Reigns' ability to elicit emotion from the crowd and the people watching at home is second to none in the industry. 

“It takes a really long time to be able to transition and pivot on a dime the way he does. That’s how he paints masterpieces you’ve never seen before. He’s working on a whole different level," Hogan told Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated. "...He can do it all. Roman is adaptable to whoever he is wrestling. That’s important. At any moment in time, he can switch gears on you. He’s amazing, and he’d fit in any era."

Following Cody Rhodes' win at the Royal Rumble, the stage is being set for a showdown at Wrestlemania. There will likely be countless promos and storyline advancements between Rhodes and The Bloodline in the coming weeks and months. WWE will likely be leaning on Reigns' ability to tell a story and create emotion as it looks to continue building on a strong start to the calendar year.

WWE will eventually need to allow Rhodes to "finish the story." That will mean defeating Reigns and becoming the Universal Champion. Reigns has reduced his amount of in-ring work, and the time for him to vacate his title is likely drawing closer. 

Nevertheless, as Hogan said, Reigns will find a way to make sure the storyline and ensuing matches are captivating for the entire fanbase. After all, there's a reason why he's viewed among the greatest wrestlers in history. 

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