Leati Joseph Anoaʻi, better known by his ring name Roman Reigns, is an American professional wrestler and former football player signed to WWE. He is a prominent figure in professional wrestling, known for his lengthy championship reigns and as the leader of The Bloodline stable. Reigns holds the record for the fourth-longest world title reign in WWE history, marking a significant achievement in his career.
May 25, 1985: Birth of Leati Joseph Anoaʻi
Leati Joseph Anoaʻi, better known as Roman Reigns, was born on May 25, 1985.
1988: Longest Championship Reign Since 1988
Roman Reigns' Universal Championship reign marked the longest reign of any WWE championship since 1988, a testament to his dominance and impact on the industry.
2005: Meeting Galina Becker
Roman Reigns met his future wife, Galina Becker, in 2005 while studying at Georgia Institute of Technology.
2006: Roman Reigns Earns All-ACC Honors
Roman Reigns' football prowess earned him first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) honors in 2006 while playing for Georgia Tech.
May 2007: Reigns Diagnosed with Leukemia
Roman Reigns was first diagnosed with leukemia in May 2007 when he signed with the Minnesota Vikings. He went into remission about two years later.
May 2007: Roman Reigns Signs with Minnesota Vikings, Diagnosed with Leukemia
Roman Reigns signed with the Minnesota Vikings in May 2007 but was diagnosed with leukemia and subsequently released.
August 2007: Roman Reigns Briefly Joins Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars signed Roman Reigns in August 2007, but he was released shortly after.
December 2007: Birth of First Child
Roman Reigns and Galina Becker's first child, a daughter, was born in December 2007.
2007: Leukemia Diagnosis
Roman Reigns was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia in 2007.
2007: Roman Reigns' Brief NFL Career
In 2007, Roman Reigns had brief stints with the Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars in the NFL, but his football career was cut short due to his leukemia diagnosis.
2008: Roman Reigns Retires from Professional Football
After being released by the Edmonton Eskimos, Roman Reigns made the decision to retire from professional football in 2008.
2008: Roman Reigns Plays for CFL's Edmonton Eskimos
In 2008, Roman Reigns played a full season for the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos before retiring from professional football.
August 19, 2010: Roman Reigns Makes His Televised Debut
Roman Reigns, then known as Roman Leakee, made his televised debut in Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) on August 19, 2010.
2010: Roman Reigns Signs with WWE
In 2010, Roman Reigns, after a stint in football, signed a contract with WWE, marking the beginning of his professional wrestling journey.
January 16, 2011: Roman Reigns Competes in FCW Grand Royal
Roman Reigns participated in a 30-man Grand Royal match in FCW on January 16, 2011.
January 2012: Roman Reigns Scores Victory over Leo Kruger
In a non-title match, Roman Reigns pinned FCW Florida Heavyweight Champion Leo Kruger in January 2012, hinting at his potential.
August 2012: Roman Reigns Debuts on NXT
With the rebranding of FCW to NXT, Roman Reigns, now using his iconic ring name and a villainous persona, made his debut on August 2012.
November 18, 2012: The Shield Makes a Statement at Survivor Series
The Shield made their presence felt at the Survivor Series pay-per-view on November 18, 2012, interfering in the main event and establishing themselves as a force to be reckoned with.
2012: The Shield Debuts in WWE
Roman Reigns made his main roster debut in WWE in 2012 as part of The Shield, a dominant trio alongside Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins.
January 2013: The Shield's Allegiance Revealed
In January 2013, it was revealed that The Shield was working for CM Punk and Paul Heyman, adding layers of intrigue to their characters.
2013: Reigns Sets Survivor Series Elimination Record
Roman Reigns tied the WWE record for most eliminations in a Survivor Series match in 2013, showcasing his dominance.
January 26, 2014: Royal Rumble Match
On January 26, 2014, Roman Reigns entered the Royal Rumble match at number 15, eliminating 12 competitors and setting a new record. He finished as the runner-up after being eliminated by Batista.
June 2014: Public Service Announcement
In June 2014, Roman Reigns and his daughter appeared together in a public service announcement.
December 2014: Marriage to Galina Becker
Roman Reigns married Galina Becker in December 2014.
2014: The Shield Disbands
After a successful run, The Shield disbanded in 2014, allowing Reigns to pursue a singles career.
2014: WWE Positions Roman Reigns as the "Face of the Company"
From 2014 onwards, WWE made a concerted effort to position Roman Reigns as their next "face of the company," a move that was met with mixed reactions from the audience.
2014: Roman Reigns Heel Turn
In a significant character shift, Roman Reigns turned heel for the first time since 2014, aligning himself with manager Paul Heyman.
2014: Roman Reigns Named Superstar of the Year
Roman Reigns' performances and growing popularity earned him the title of Superstar of the Year in 2014.
February 2015: Comparison of Reigns's Background
In February 2015, James Caldwell of the Pro Wrestling Torch Newsletter drew comparisons between Roman Reigns's background and that of his Shield teammates.
December 30, 2015: Nasal Injury
On December 30, 2015, Roman Reigns sustained a broken nose during a match against Sheamus at a house show.
2015: Roman Reigns Wins the Royal Rumble
In 2015, Roman Reigns emerged victorious in the Royal Rumble match, securing a WWE World Heavyweight Championship match at WrestleMania 31.
2015: Roman Reigns Wins the Royal Rumble
Roman Reigns won the 2015 Royal Rumble match, solidifying his position as a top contender in WWE.
January 24, 2016: Reigns Defends Championship in Royal Rumble Match
On January 24, 2016, Roman Reigns was compelled by Mr. McMahon to defend his championship in the Royal Rumble match. He lost the championship after being eliminated by Triple H, who ultimately won the match.
February 23, 2016: Nasal Reconstructive Surgery
Roman Reigns underwent nasal reconstructive surgery on February 23, 2016, following a nasal injury.
November 2016: Birth of Twin Sons
Roman Reigns and Galina Becker welcomed twin sons in November 2016.
2016: Roman Reigns Tops PWI 500 List
Roman Reigns reached the pinnacle of the Pro Wrestling Illustrated's (PWI) 500 list in 2016, signifying his status as the top wrestler in the world.
2016: WWE Draft and Reigns's Suspension
During the 2016 WWE draft, Roman Reigns was drafted to the Raw brand. This period also saw WWE publicly acknowledge Reigns's suspension, although they continued to promote his involvement in the Battleground main event.
January 9, 2017: Reigns Loses United States Championship
On January 9, 2017, Roman Reigns lost the United States Championship to Chris Jericho in a handicap match that also involved Kevin Owens, bringing Reigns's reign to an end after 106 days.
January 22, 2018: Reigns Loses Intercontinental Championship
On January 22, 2018, Roman Reigns lost the Intercontinental Championship back to The Miz during the 25th Anniversary of Raw, ending his reign with the title at 63 days.
2018: Braun Strowman Breaks Royal Rumble Elimination Record
In 2018, Braun Strowman surpassed Roman Reigns's record of 12 eliminations in a single Royal Rumble match, which Reigns set in 2014.
2018: Reigns Competes in Royal Rumble, Wins Elimination Chamber
In 2018, Roman Reigns participated in the Royal Rumble match but was eliminated by the eventual winner, Shinsuke Nakamura. He then won the Elimination Chamber match, which earned him a Universal Championship match against Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 34.
2018: Leukemia Diagnosis Announcement
In 2018, Roman Reigns publicly announced his diagnosis of chronic myeloid leukemia, a treatable form of blood cancer.
February 25, 2019: Roman Reigns Returns to Raw
On February 25, 2019, Roman Reigns made a momentous return to Raw, revealing that his leukemia was in remission. He received a heartwarming ovation from the crowd. Later that night, Reigns and Seth Rollins came to the aid of Dean Ambrose, who was under attack by Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley, Elias, and Baron Corbin.
December 2019: Reigns' Last Pinfall Loss
On December 2019, Roman Reigns' winning streak was broken when he was pinned for the first time since December 2019.
December 31, 2019: New Year's Eve with Steve Harvey
Roman Reigns appeared on Fox's New Year's Eve with Steve Harvey on December 31, 2019, where he defeated Dolph Ziggler in a pre-taped match.
2019: Roman Reigns Drafted to SmackDown
In a significant move during the 2019 WWE Superstar Shake-up, Roman Reigns was drafted to the SmackDown brand. The announcers hailed him as "SmackDown's greatest ever acquisition", signaling a major shift in the brand's landscape.
2019: Dean Ambrose Departs WWE
Dean Ambrose, a long-time ally and rival of Roman Reigns, departed WWE in 2019, marking the end of an era for The Shield.
January 26, 2020: Royal Rumble 2020
At the Royal Rumble on January 26, 2020, Roman Reigns emerged victorious against King Corbin in a falls count anywhere match, aided by The Usos. Later in the night, he participated in the Royal Rumble match but was eliminated by the eventual winner, Drew McIntyre.
March 2020: Birth of Second Set of Twins
In March 2020, Roman Reigns and Galina Becker expanded their family further with the birth of another set of twin sons.
August 2020: Roman Reigns Embraces a Villainous Persona
In August 2020, Roman Reigns returned to WWE after a hiatus and underwent a significant character transformation, embracing a villainous "tribal chief" persona, which was well-received by fans and critics.
January 31, 2021: Royal Rumble 2021
Roman Reigns continued his dominant reign, retaining his title against Kevin Owens in a grueling Last Man Standing match at the Royal Rumble on January 31, 2021.
January 1, 2022: Day 1 Event Canceled
A highly anticipated match between Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar at the Day 1 event was canceled due to Reigns testing positive for COVID-19.
2022: Roman Reigns Reclaims Top Spot on PWI 500
Reaffirming his dominance, Roman Reigns secured the No. 1 position on the PWI 500 list once again in 2022.
January 18, 2023: Record-Breaking Championship Reign
Roman Reigns achieved a historic milestone as his Universal Championship reign surpassed 871 days, breaking Gunther's NXT UK Championship record and marking the longest reign of any WWE championship since 1988.
January 27, 2024: Royal Rumble
At the Royal Rumble on January 27, 2024, Roman Reigns defeated LA Knight, Randy Orton, and AJ Styles in a fatal four-way match to retain his championship titles.
2024: WrestleMania XL and Reigns' Hiatus
In 2024, at WrestleMania XL, Roman Reigns lost his Universal Championship title to Cody Rhodes, ending his record-setting reign. He subsequently took time off from television, leading to changes in his stable's formation. Reigns also withdrew from the 2024 WWE Draft.