Roman Reigns, born Leati Joseph ‘Joe’ Anoaʻi on May 25, 1985, is a professional wrestler and a former professional football player. He is a five-time heavyweight champion and in 2022, became the longest-reigning Universal champion, holding the position for more than 567 days. He is also the face of W.W.E.. Let’s celebrate this champion’s special day right here.
Fast Facts
Full Name:
Leati Joseph ‘Joe’ Anoaʻi
Nickname:
The Big Guy, The Powerhouse
Birth date:
May 25, 1985
Age:
38
Zodiac Sign:
Gemini
Height:
6' 3"
Relationship Status:
Married
Net Worth:
$15 million
Background
Roman Reigns is a celebrated W.W.E. wrestler and the current holder of the Universal Champion title in the world of wrestling. Born on May 25, 1985, in Pensacola, Florida, his zodiac sign is Gemini, and his ethnicity is half-Samoan and half-Italian. Reigns was born into the Anoa’i, a prominent wrestling family. His father, Sika, is a retired professional wrestler, while his older brother Rosey was also a wrestler. He is also related to several retired wrestlers. Reigns entered the world of sports by playing football for his high school. During his senior year, he was named the ‘Defensive Player of the Year’ by the “Pensacola News Journal.”
He joined the Georgia Institute of Technology after high school and was part of the Georgia Technology Yellow Jackets football team. He missed getting picked for a team at the 2007 National Football League draft, but was later signed by the Minnesota Vikings. He was released from the team after being diagnosed with leukemia. Reigns was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars after recovering but was dropped from the team later. He went on to join the Edmonton Eskimos, a Canadian Football League team. After playing five games as part of the team, Reigns decided to retire from professional football.
In 2010, he signed a contract with W.W.E. and got assigned to the Florida Wrestling Championship. He fought his first match in the same year in a 15-man Battle Royale. He was part of a 30 man Grand Royal and a Florida Tag Team championship in 2011. In 2012, he became a main eventer and defeated the then Florida Heavyweight Champion Leo Kruger. He went on to win a match against Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins, becoming the number one contender for the FCW Florida Heavyweight Championship. He lost the title to Kruger but won the Tag Team Championship with Mike Dalton.
In the same year, Reigns joined the main W.W.E. event as a villain character, competing against fellow wrestler Ryback during the triple threat main event for the W.W.E. championship. Although C.M Punk won the title, the match established Reigns as the villain character. Reigns won several matches in his villainous persona. He won the Universal Championship for the first time in 2018, defeating Brock Lesnar at the SummerSlam. He let go of the title after his leukemia returned later that year. After being declared to be in remission in 2019, he returned to wrestling. In 2020, the wrestler ‘The Feind’ won the title, but Reigns won it back a week later at the W.W.E. Payback and defended it from other wrestlers Jey Uso, Kevin Owens, Edge, and Daniel Bryan. He remains undefeated as the W.W.E. Universal Champion.
Reigns has been married to Galina Becker since 2014. They met as students at the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2006. They have five children. Reigns made his Hollywood debut with “Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw” (2019) and has also acted in two more films since then, “The Wrong Missy” (2020) and “Rumble” (2021).
Career timeline
He is assigned to the Florida Wrestling Championships and plays his first match — a 15-man Battle Royale — soon after.
Along with Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose, he fights a triple threat event and despite losing, he gets established as a villainous character.
After defeating Brock Lesnar at the SummerSlam, he wins the highly coveted title, which he holds until October.
Reigns defeats ‘The Feind’ at the W.W.E. payback to win the Universal Championship title.
Reigns holds the title of the W.W.E. Universal Champion for 567+ days, becoming the sixth-longest reign holder in the history of the title.
Why We Love Roman Reigns
He is a fighter
Not just in the ring, but in real life too. He was diagnosed with leukemia twice; once in 2007 and then in 2018 and had to let go of amazing opportunities both times. However, he bounced back stronger than before and got more recognition around the world.
He appreciates his fans
Reigns’ fans have nothing negative to say about him, and the wrestler reciprocates the emotion. He loves his fans and many times has appreciated their admiration of him. His fans call themselves the ‘Roman Empire.’
He is well-liked among his peers
He has good chemistry with all his opponents, which is why all the matches he plays are fair. He appreciates the work his opponents put in and often goes to prove that beneath the rough exterior, he is a big softie!
5 Surprising Facts
Reigns is his professional wrestling name
He was born Leati Joseph Anoa’i.
He is “related” to The Rock
Although not related biologically, Reigns considers Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson to be his blood brother, as in, they have sworn life-long loyalty to one another.
Wrestler Bret Hart is his idol
Reigns looks up to Hart.
He loves Ironman
Reigns loves the superhero Ironman, and sometimes acts like him while in the ring; he defeats them and then appreciates their efforts. {The youngest Slammy Awards winner
Roman Reigns FAQs
Who is Roman Reigns’ best friend?
Reigns considers fellow wrestler R-Truth to be one of his best friends.
Is Roman Reigns a twin?
No, but Reigns does have two sets of twin children with his wife Galina Becker.
Is Roman Reigns still friends with Seth Rollins?
Yes. So many years after their wrestling team The Shield broke apart, Reigns is still friends with his former teammates.
Roman Reigns’s birthday dates
Year | Date | Day |
---|---|---|
2024 | May 25 | Saturday |
2025 | May 25 | Sunday |
2026 | May 25 | Monday |
2027 | May 25 | Tuesday |
2028 | May 25 | Thursday |