WWE wrestler Roman Reigns stuns fans with leukemia diagnosis announcement


WWE's Raw became all too real Monday night.
At the beginning of the weekly live wrestling show, star Roman Reigns came out to the ring and dropped his fictional persona to make a stunning announcement: He is battling leukemia and will be relinquishing his Universal Championship. The Universal Championship is the WWE's top title, and Reigns had for the past few years been pushed as the face of the wrestling enterprise. He was set to defend his title at the upcoming Crown Jewel pay-per-view event.
Reigns also revealed on the show that he was originally diagnosed with leukemia when he was 22. "I've been living with leukemia for 11 years and unfortunately it's back," he told the crowd. Reigns had never previously discussed a battle with leukemia publicly. Now, he said, he'll be leaving to focus on his health, although he promised fans that he's not retiring and will be returning after he beats cancer a second time. Reigns is typically a controversial figure in the wrestling world, but this segment ended with the live crowd erupting in applause and chanting "Thank you, Roman." After he got out of the ring, his co-workers embraced him in tears.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Watch Reigns' emotional announcement below. Brendan Morrow
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
October 15 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Wednesday's political cartoons include new DOJ lawyers, trick or treating with ICE, and shaky foundations for peace
-
The Paul Thomas Anderson films to watch next
The Week Recommends Best movies from the director of One Battle After Another
-
Who are the new-wave hackers bringing the world to a halt?
The Explainer ‘Groups’ and ‘states’ are beginning to form concerning partnerships with new ways to commit cybercrime
-
Hungary’s Krasznahorkai wins Nobel for literature
Speed Read László Krasznahorkai is the author of acclaimed novels like ‘The Melancholy of Resistance’ and ‘Satantango’
-
Primatologist Jane Goodall dies at 91
Speed Read She rose to fame following her groundbreaking field research with chimpanzees
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclub
Speed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's ills
Speed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, Stallone
Speed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's view
Speed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talk
Speed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'
Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year