Roman Reigns Opens up on Vince McMahon’s Lasting Influence on His WWE Career

However, the biggest advice Reigns ever received was to maintain balance between work and family. McMahon told him that no matter how busy or successful he was in WWE, he needed to be fully present with his family when at home.

Reigns says he took that advice seriously. With that philosophy, Reigns hopes to become the first WWE superstar who doesn’t have to step away from wrestling to pursue success elsewhere, even in Hollywood. 

I don’t want to stop being a WWE superstar in order to wear other hats. I’m always gonna be a WWE superstar. I’m always gonna be Roman Reigns. And I don’t want to ever have to [choose].

Roman Reigns via What’s Your Story podcast

McMahon continued to oversee Reigns’ career until 2022, when his involvement in the infamous Janel Grant civil lawsuit forced him to step down from WWE and relinquish his responsibilities. The lawsuit, in which McMahon remains a defendant, is still ongoing. Brock Lesnar was also named in the lawsuit, though not as a defendant.

Lesnar’s plans were disrupted leading up to WrestleMania 40, but he made a shocking return to WWE after two years at SummerSlam, delivering a brutal F5 to John Cena. The two are now expected to headline the upcoming Wrestlepalooza event, which will mark WWE’s first-ever PLE on ESPN following its massive $1.6 billion deal with the streaming giant.

As for Reigns, he is preparing for a high-stakes singles match against Bronson Reed at Clash in Paris. The tension between the two hit a boiling point during a wild brawl in the closing segment of Raw. Whether fans will ever see McMahon and Reigns working together under the WWE banner again remains uncertain.

Roman Reigns reveals ‘real’ injury suffered at the hands of Stephanie McMahon in a 2015 Raw segment

Over the years, Stephanie McMahon has been a pivotal on-screen character for the company. Moreover, she has never shied away from getting physical inside the ring. A former WWE Women’s Champion, she’s been on the wrong end of finishing moves from legends ranging from The Rock, Steve Austin, and even Triple H over the years. 

Throughout the 2010s, McMahon, alongside her husband, led the detestable Authority faction, imposing their will on WWE Superstars. One of their biggest rivals during that era was Reigns, leading to several unforgettable confrontations. For those unfamiliar, one of the most talked-about moments came during the 14 December 2015 episode of Raw. 

In that segment, McMahon repeatedly slapped Reigns as part of the storyline, but one of those slaps actually caused a legitimate injury to the former Undisputed WWE title holder. Reflecting on the moment during the same podcast, the two joked about their in-ring altercations. Reigns revealed just how hard those slaps landed.

Only because if I didn’t, I knew you’d slap me 15 times in a row. You busted my eardrum, shattered that sucker. The doctor’s like ‘Oh yeah.’ If you’re gonna hit someone, hit ’em!

Roman Reigns via What’s Your Story podcast

Later, Stephanie McMahon hilariously took to Twitter to apologize for the incident. 

“I’m so sorry I burst your eardrum @WWERomanReigns! Always taught to ‘lay it in!’ so it didn’t look weak! Thank you for such a fun interview! Be sure to check out an all-new #whatsyourstory now! @EGxo @WWE @Fanatics.”

It is heartwarming to see two icons of the business discuss this moment nearly 10 years later. Moreover, Reigns’ evolution to perhaps the biggest stars in the history of the WWE is built on moments like these.