Roman Reigns has dominated WWE as The Tribal Chief for nearly 5 years, often taking extended breaks without concern. He recently explained why he never feels pressure to return quickly, stating that he has built a system within WWE that ensures his position remains secure.
Speaking on Busted Open Radio, Reigns likened his approach to running a major business, emphasizing that he has structured things so well that his absence does not disrupt operations. He credited Paul Heyman for organizing key aspects of his role, making everything more manageable. Reflecting on years of preparation and fine-tuning, Reigns detailed how he reached his current level of dominance.
“No, there isn’t. No. Too good. I’ve set it up too good. Yeah, too smart. If you build your systems properly, this is no different than big business. I could sit there and mentor billionaires on building systems where you don’t even have to use your brain—systems that become instincts.
That’s all I’ve done. I’ve just created systems within the pro wrestling and sports entertainment world. I treat it no differently than any CEO running a major company. There are all these little things that have to happen, so many boxes to check constantly in this role. And thank God for the Wise Man—he organizes everything and makes it so much easier to handle.
But it’s just one of those things—you have to know what you’re doing. I put my time in, all the way back to Colony Pizza. We took our notes, did our studies, ran our lab work, made little adjustments here and there. And when the time was right—boom.”
Reigns also stressed that he only competes against himself, drawing comparisons to legendary athletes like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, who constantly pushed for self-improvement. He believes that elevating his own performance forces those around him, including Jey Uso, to step up as well.
“But no, I don’t compete with anybody. I’m just competing against myself. It’s no different than Michael, Kobe, or all the greats—we’re just trying to create a better version of ourselves. And if I can make a better version of myself, he has no choice but to get better. Big Jim’s got to get better. Jey’s got to get better. Everybody. Cream rises to the top, and I believe in that.”
Reigns made it clear that his success is a result of being superior to the competition. Confident in his dominance, he maintains the belief that he is always at the top, regardless of how long he is away.
“It’s survival of the fittest. I’m not out here truly manipulating, like we do on camera—I’m just better than everybody. And I believe it. I walk every step with that type of conviction.”
