In a candid moment ahead of his match at Clash in Paris, Roman Reigns opened up about his past in-ring interactions with Stephanie McMahon, admitting he was driven by a fear of her legitimate reaction if he made a mistake. Speaking on McMahon’s What’s Your Story podcast, Reigns addressed why he was so verbally aggressive towards the-then heel authority figure.
When McMahon noted, “You used to talk a lot of sh* to me in the ring,” Reigns explained his motivation was a direct result of her intensity. He revealed he did so “only because I knew if you did not, you would slap me 15 times in a row.” Reigns stated that holding back is seen as a significant error in WWE, and he was unwilling to face McMahon’s real-life anger on live television.
That commitment is now being tested in a new rivalry as Reigns prepares for Clash in Paris this Sunday, August 31. He is scheduled to face Bronson Reed in a high-stakes singles match, his first on a premium live event without a championship on the line in 786 days.
The feud has seen Reed adopt the moniker “The Tribal Thief,” repeatedly taunting Reigns by stealing his signature sneakers. The conflict is part of Reigns’ larger battle against The Vision, a faction led by World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins. After being triple-teamed by the group on a recent episode of Raw, this match serves as a quest for vengeance for Reigns.
For Bronson Reed, the bout represents the most significant singles match of his WWE career. While Reigns is the betting odds favorite, the match is being viewed by analysts as a potential “sleeper classic” and a major opportunity for Reed to establish himself on a global stage.
Despite questioning his own top-star status on the go-home episode of Raw in Birmingham, England, Reigns was met with a massive ovation from the European crowd. The supportive reaction affirmed his continued drawing power as he moves forward from his historic 1,316-day world title reign.