Roman Reigns may not have had as many title reigns as Ric Flair or John Cena, but he’s confident his current run eclipses being a 16-time champion.
On a recent edition of “The Pat McAfee Show” podcast, Reigns addressed his dominant run as champion that begun at WWE Payback in August 2020. He said,
“I don’t take anything away from anybody. What John [Cena] has done, as far as generations come, that is GOAT-level stuff, but for me, it’s always been about quality, not quantity. John has a lot of title reigns, but he doesn’t have a title reign that can compare what I’ve done in the last four years.
“This quality that I’ve put on display, it speaks for itself. The business backs everything that has happened. It’s made this place more lucrative than it’s ever been, it’s made this place attractive. My reign has gone through the most crazy and turbulent time in WWE history. That says a lot. I will always take the quality of this run over going 14, 15, 16 times.”
Reigns retained against Cena at WWE SummerSlam 2021. Had Cena won, he would’ve eclipsed Ric Flair as a 17-time WWE World Champion.
Roman Reigns’ next title defense will come at WWE WrestleMania 40 (Night Two) when he puts the gold on the line against Cody Rhodes.
Roman Reigns, the current WWE Universal Champion, has been on a dominant run since winning the title at WWE Payback in August 2020. While he may not have as many title reigns as legendary wrestlers like Ric Flair or John Cena, Reigns believes that his current run surpasses being a 16-time champion.
During a recent appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” podcast, Reigns discussed his perspective on his championship reign and how it compares to Cena’s record-breaking title reigns. He acknowledged Cena’s accomplishments and referred to them as “GOAT-level stuff” in terms of their impact across different generations. However, Reigns emphasized that for him, it has always been about quality rather than quantity.
Reigns stated, “This quality that I’ve put on display, it speaks for itself. The business backs everything that has happened. It’s made this place more lucrative than it’s ever been, it’s made this place attractive.” He believes that his reign as champion has elevated WWE to new heights and has endured through the most challenging and turbulent times in the company’s history.
The recent clash between Reigns and Cena at WWE SummerSlam 2021 further solidified Reigns’ position as a dominant champion. If Cena had emerged victorious, he would have surpassed Ric Flair’s record and become a 17-time WWE World Champion. However, Reigns successfully defended his title against Cena, further solidifying his claim to being one of the most dominant champions in recent history.
Looking ahead, Reigns’ next title defense will take place at WWE WrestleMania 40 (Night Two) against Cody Rhodes. This highly anticipated match will be another opportunity for Reigns to showcase his skills and prove why his current reign is of the utmost quality.
While Reigns may not have as many title reigns as some of the all-time greats, he believes that the impact and quality of his current run speak for themselves. His reign as WWE Universal Champion has elevated the company and made it more successful than ever before. As Reigns continues to defend his title against top challengers, fans can expect to witness more memorable moments and dominant performances from “The Tribal Chief.”