Former WWE creative team member Chris DeJoseph recently shared insights into Roman Reigns’ approach to creative input from writers.
DeJoseph, who worked on WWE storylines in the 2000s and had a brief stint with the company from December 2019 to May 2020, discussed Reigns’ collaboration with writers during an interview on the Cheap Heat Productions Podcast.
According to DeJoseph, Reigns was proactive in expressing his opinions on segments and wasn’t shy about suggesting changes:
“Roman was good. He knew how to change it to make it feel his way. I think one of the things he would say to me is like, ‘Dude, this isn’t cool. You’ve got to make it more cool.’ And I tried to adapt. I mean, he was obviously a much more cooler dude than I am! He’s a natural cool dude. You see that guy on the street, you’re like, ‘Oh, man, that guy’s got it.'” [21:17 – 21:48]
DeJoseph also shed light on why his second WWE tenure was relatively short-lived.
Reflecting on Reigns’ current character, DeJoseph expressed admiration for the evolution of Reigns’ persona since his return from hiatus at SummerSlam 2020.
Transitioning from a polarizing babyface to a dominant heel persona as The Tribal Chief, Reigns has become a central figure in WWE storylines:
“It was the very beginning of what has become the most money-making draw in wrestling in the last 20 years. It’s incredible what he’s done. I hate wrestling! Okay? I watch every week on Friday just to see him.” [21:52 – 22:18]
At WrestleMania XL on April 6, Reigns and The Rock are set to take on Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins.
The following night, Rhodes will challenge Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.
What are your thoughts on Roman Reigns’ current character?
