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When Did Roman Reigns Eat Dog Food? CM Punk Reference Explained

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Steven Harrison | Last updated Apr 6, 2026 8:28 PM ET

CM Punk set the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, ablaze with a pipe bomb-level promo, firing words that eventually won the crowd to his side. Among the most memorable lines was a jab at Roman Reigns “eating an old man’s dog food.”

The “old man” was obviously Vince McMahon. The dog food reference, however, harks back to a WWE moment fans rarely revisit.

Before Reigns became “The Tribal Chief,” he was “The Big Dog,” a persona that never reached the heights Vince McMahon envisioned. On the December 6, 2019, episode of SmackDown, Reigns was handcuffed to the ring post by Baron Corbin and Dolph Ziggler and doused with dog food.

Roman Reigns Dogfood Segment Video

The infamous segment still lives on WWE’s YouTube page:

Intended to generate heel heat, the moment instead landed as awkward and uncomfortable—fans rejected it, not out of love for Reigns, but because it epitomized the over-the-top, cringe-worthy booking that marked the end of Vince McMahon’s run.

Reigns bounced back, returning less than a year later after another battle with leukemia during the pandemic, eventually launching what many consider the storyline of the decade.

Now, Reigns and CM Punk will clash for the World Heavyweight Championship in the main event of WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium.

Following Punk’s Monday Night Raw promo, where he also called out Nick Khan, it remains to be seen whether WWE will respond with lower ticket prices for fans.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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