History of Roman Reigns in Timeline

Roman Reigns, whose real name is Leati Joseph Anoaʻi, is a highly acclaimed American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE's SmackDown brand. He is widely considered one of the top wrestlers globally. Reigns holds the distinction of having the fourth-longest world title reign in WWE history, and the longest championship reign since 1988, with his WWE Universal Championship reign spanning an impressive 1,316 days. Prior to his wrestling career, he was a football player.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

1988: Longest WWE Championship Reign Since 1988

Roman Reigns' Universal Championship reign reached 871 days on January 18, 2023, marking the longest WWE championship reign since 1988.

2005: Meets Galina Becker

In 2005, while studying at Georgia Institute of Technology, Roman Reigns met Galina Becker and began dating.

December 2007: Birth of First Child

In December 2007, Roman Reigns and Galina Becker had their first child, a daughter.

2007: Diagnosed with Leukemia

Roman Reigns was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia in 2007 during his American Football career.

January 27, 2013: The Shield Aids CM Punk at the Royal Rumble

On January 27, 2013, The Shield continued to aid CM Punk both on Raw and at the Royal Rumble.

June 2014: Appears in PSA

In June 2014, Roman Reigns appeared with his daughter in a PSA.

December 2014: Marriage to Galina Becker

In December 2014, Roman Reigns married Galina Becker. They reside in Tampa, Florida.

2014: Heel Turn and Universal Championship Win

In 2014, after a hiatus, Roman Reigns returned at SummerSlam, attacking Bray Wyatt and Strowman. He then aligned himself with Paul Heyman, turning heel for the first time since 2014. At Payback on August 30, Reigns defeated Wyatt and Strowman to win the Universal Championship for the second time.

January 24, 2016: Reigns loses WWE Championship in Royal Rumble

On January 24, 2016, Roman Reigns successfully defended his championship against Sheamus on the January 4 episode of Raw, after which he was forced by McMahon to defend it in the 2016 Royal Rumble match on January 24, 2016. In the match, Reigns lost the championship after being eliminated by eventual winner Triple H.

November 2016: Birth of Twin Sons

In November 2016, Roman Reigns and Galina Becker had twin sons.

January 9, 2017: Reigns loses United States Championship

On January 9, 2017, Roman Reigns lost the United States Championship to Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens in a handicap match, ending his reign at 106 days.

January 22, 2018: Reigns loses Intercontinental Championship to The Miz

On January 22, 2018, Roman Reigns lost the Intercontinental Championship back to The Miz on the 25th Anniversary of Raw, ending his reign at 63 days.

2018: Royal Rumble and Universal Championship pursuits

In 2018, Roman Reigns competed in the Royal Rumble, ultimately being eliminated last by Shinsuke Nakamura. He then won the Elimination Chamber match, earning him a Universal Championship match at WrestleMania 34 against Brock Lesnar, which he lost. He continued to pursue the title, leading to matches at Greatest Royal Rumble and SummerSlam, where he finally defeated Lesnar to win the Universal Championship.

2018: Publicly Shares Leukemia Diagnosis

In 2018, Roman Reigns shared that he had been living with chronic myeloid leukemia since 2007, managing it with lifelong oral chemotherapy.

February 25, 2019: Reigns Returns from Leukemia

On February 25, 2019, Roman Reigns returned to Raw, announcing that his leukemia was in remission. He then aligned with Rollins and Ambrose to fend off an attack, signaling the reunion of The Shield.

December 2019: Pinfall Loss

Roman Reigns experienced his first pinfall loss since December 2019 at Money in the Bank on July 1, 2023.

2019: Drafted to SmackDown and Feud with Shane McMahon

In 2019, Roman Reigns was drafted to SmackDown, where he was described as a major acquisition. During the April 16 episode of SmackDown, Reigns attacked Elias and Vince McMahon. He then entered a feud with Shane McMahon, leading to matches at Super ShowDown and Stomping Grounds.

December 31, 2019: Appearance on Fox's New Year's Eve

On December 31, 2019, Roman Reigns appeared on Fox's New Year's Eve with Steve Harvey, where he defeated Dolph Ziggler in a pre-taped match.

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January 26, 2020: Feud with King Corbin Continues

On January 26, 2020, at Royal Rumble, Roman Reigns defeated King Corbin in a falls count anywhere match with assistance from The Usos. Later that night, he participated in the Royal Rumble match but was eliminated last by Drew McIntyre.

March 2020: Birth of Another Set of Twin Sons

In March 2020, Roman Reigns and Galina Becker had another set of twin sons.

2020: Returns as a face

Roman Reigns returned to WWE as a face for the first time since 2020 at SummerSlam on August 3rd, 2024.

January 31, 2021: Universal Title Defense against Kevin Owens

On January 31, 2021, Roman Reigns defended his Universal Championship against Kevin Owens in a Last Man Standing match at Royal Rumble.

January 1, 2022: Match Cancellation and Longest Reign

On January 1, 2022, Roman Reigns' scheduled match with Brock Lesnar at Day 1 was cancelled due to Reigns testing positive for COVID-19. However, on January 16, Reigns surpassed Lesnar's reign to become the longest reigning Universal Champion.

January 18, 2023: Longest WWE Championship Reign Since 1988

On January 18, 2023, Roman Reigns' Universal Championship reign reached 871 days, breaking Gunther's NXT UK Championship reign and becoming the longest WWE championship reign since 1988.

January 27, 2024: Retains Titles in Fatal Four-Way Match

On January 27, 2024, at Royal Rumble, Roman Reigns retained his titles against LA Knight, Randy Orton, and AJ Styles in a fatal four-way match, pinning AJ Styles to secure the victory.

2024: Voted for Donald Trump in 2024 Presidential Election

Anoa'i is a registered Democrat, but considers himself to be a centrist as he voted for Republican president Donald Trump in the 2024 United States presidential election.

2024: Removed from The Bloodline

In 2024, after Reigns lost the titles and took time off, Sikoa appointed himself the leader of The Bloodline, eventually removing Reigns from leadership and the group altogether, declaring himself the new "Tribal Chief".

January 6, 2025: Reclaims Ula Fala and Tribal Chief Title

On January 6, 2025, at the Raw premiere on Netflix, Roman Reigns defeated Sikoa in Tribal Combat to reclaim his Ula Fala and Tribal Chief title, with The Rock presenting Reigns with the Ula Fala after the match.