Roman Reigns has pulled back the curtain on his real-life relationship with Paul Heyman, his on-screen “Wiseman” turned adversary. Speaking on Stephanie McMahon’s What’s Your Story podcast, Reigns shared deep admiration for his former advocate before humorously concluding, “but I hate his guts.”
The former champion elaborated on the immense value he gained from their years of traveling together, noting he learned a great deal just from observing Heyman. “We named him the Wiseman for a reason, and if you have him around long enough, it’s hard not to pick up a lot of diamonds and gems,” Reigns stated. He pointed to conversations during long flights and watching Heyman interact with his children as particularly insightful moments.
This candid respect stands in stark contrast to their recent storyline. The alliance, which began in August 2020 and defined Reigns’ dominant run as The Tribal Chief, imploded at WrestleMania 41. In the main event, Heyman betrayed Reigns, aligning with Seth Rollins and helping him win the title.
That betrayal led to the formation of a new faction, “The Vision,” featuring Rollins, Heyman, Bron Breakker, and Bronson Reed. While the fallout from Heyman’s turn continues, Reigns’ immediate focus is on another member of that group.
He is now scheduled to face Bronson Reed in a singles match at Clash in Paris this Sunday. The feud has seen Reed adopt the moniker “The Tribal Thief,” repeatedly taunting Reigns by stealing his signature sneakers. Their confrontation on the August 18th episode of Raw made the high-profile match official.
The bout in Paris marks a significant milestone for Reigns, as it is his first singles match on a premium live event without a championship at stake in 786 days.
Despite the on-screen hostility from his rivals, Reigns recently shared a powerful moment with the crowd in Birmingham, England. Following Raw, he posted on social media about fans chanting, “If you love Roman, stand up,” a notable shift in sentiment. Reigns commented, “Very special moment for me, Thank you Birmingham 🏴. I love you too. ☝🏽”